POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS) – PILOT STUDY ON DIET QUALITY

Introduction: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a complex gynecological and endocrinological disorder affecting 6% to 21% of reproductive age women. The main characteristics of PCOS include hyperandrogenism, irregular menstrual cycles, lack of ovulation, enlarged ovaries with numerous cysts and infertility. Symptoms vary widely between women, but most commonly include obesity, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance (approximately 65% to 70% of women with PCOS). Therefore, uniform therapy and dietary recommendations fail. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the quality of diet and dietary patterns of women with PCOS. Actual lifestyle habits and the diet of the women with PCOS have not been extensively researched internationally and never in Croatia. Methods: The study included women of reproductive age diagnosed with PCOS (N=12), recruited at the Gynecological Office Lončar, Karlovac, Croatia. Study participants completed a general questionnaire on socio-economic characteristics and two questionnaires regarding their gynecological health and PCOS symptoms. Anthropometry was measured (Seca) while biochemical data was provided by the gynecologist. Diet quality was assessed with a 24-hour dietary recall and quality of diet and exercise habits were assessed with a questionnaire developed specifically for this study. Results: Women with PCOS had an average daily energy intake of 82.3% of the RDA, i.e. 2333 kcal/day. When analyzing the contribution of separate macronutrients to that daily energy intake, discrepancies from the recommendations were found. The main discrepancies are high contribution of fats (40.1%) and increased intake of proteins (17.7%). Total fat intake showed a statistically significant positive correlation with waist circumference and waist to hips ratio. In addition, a statistically significant correlation was found between age and intake of total carbohydrates and plant proteins. Conclusion: Study findings show the potential for a larger-scale study on Croatian women with PCOS

Are There Differences in Serum Cholesterol and Cortisol Concentrations between Violent and Non-Violent Schizophrenic Male Suicide Attempters?

Previous studies have shown an association between low concentration of serum cholesterol, as well as high concentration of serum cortisol, in suicide behavior. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether men after a violent suicide attempts have different serum cholesterol and cortisol concentrations than those who attempted suicide by non-violent methods. Venous blood samples were collected within 24 hours of admission, to study concentrations of serum cholesterol and cortisol. The sample consisted of 31 male subjects suffering from schizophrenia, admitted in a general hospital after suicide attempt, and was compared with 15 schizophrenic nonsuicidal male controls. Patients with a violent suicidal attempt were found to have significantly lower cholesterol levels and significantly higher cortisol level than patients with non-violent attempts and the control subjects. Our findings suggest that suicide attempts should not be considered a homogenous group. The hypothesis of an association of violent suicidal attempts and peripheral biological markers (cholesterol and cortisol) was supported by our findings

Beitrag zur Verbesserung des Systems für hydrologische Messungen von Übergangsgewässern: hydraulische Analyse und Spektralanalyse von Durchflüssen am Fluss Neretva

U priobalnim rijekama koje su pod utjecajem uspora mora često nije moguće odrediti protok na osnovu izmjerenih vodostaja, odnosno jednoznačno definirati protočnu krivulju. Iz toga se razloga u Hrvatskoj još uvijek ne raspolaže pouzdanim podacima o dnevnim količinama slatke vode koja utječe u Jadransko more. Tehničkim razvojem ultrazvučnih strujomjera postigli su se uvjeti za poboljšanje hidroloških mjerenja prijelaznih voda. Prvi takav sustav kontinuiranog mjerenja protoka postavljen je 2015. godine na rijeci Neretvi u Metkoviću. U ovome radu provedena je hidraulička i spektralna analiza nove generacije mjerenja. U prvom je koraku pomoću numeričkog modela istražen utjecaj dinamike pridnenog sloja slane vode na izmjerene protoke u Metkoviću. Potom je provedena nestacionarna spektralna analiza kako bi se usporedili vremenski nizovi izmjerenih i modeliranih razina mora te vodostaja i protoka u Metkoviću, te kako bi se identificirao i okarakterizirao uzrok unutar-dnevnih oscilacija protoka. Provedene su analize pokazale da dinamika slane vode u pridnenom sloju može imati značajan utjecaj na izmjerene vrijednosti protoka, posebno tijekom sušnog perioda. Numerička i spektralna analiza sugeriraju da unutar-dnevne oscilacije izmjerenih vodostaja i protoka djelomično imaju uzrok u plimnim oscilacijama, ali u većoj mjeri uzrok treba potražiti u oscilacijama dotoka s uzvodnog dijela sliva.It is often not possible to determine the flow rate based on the measured water levels, i.e. to unambiguously define the stage-discharge curve, in coastal rivers affected by sea backwater. For this reason, reliable data on the daily quantities of fresh water flowing into the Adriatic Sea are still not available in Croatia. The technical development of ultrasonic flow meters has created the conditions for improving hydrological measurements of transitional waters. The first continuous flow measurement system was installed on the Neretva River at Metković in 2015. This paper is comprised of the conducted hydraulic and spectral analyses of the new generation of measurements. In the first step, the influence of the seawater bottom layer dynamics on the measured discharges at Metković was investigated using a numerical model. This was followed by a non-stationary spectral analysis aimed at comparing the time series of measured and modelled sea levels and water levels and flow rates at Metković, as well as at identifying and characterising the cause of fluctuations in intra-day flow. The conducted analyses showed that seawater dynamics in the bottom layer can have a significant impact on measured values of discharge, especially during a dry period. The numerical and spectral analyses suggest that intra-day fluctuations of measured water levels and discharges are partly caused by tidal fluctuations; however, to a greater extent, their cause should be looked for in inflow fluctuations from the upstream part of the basin.An den küstennahen Flüssen, die wegen des Meeres langsamer fließen, ist es oft unmöglich, den Durchfluss auf Grund von gemessenen Wasserständen zu bestimmen, bzw. die Durchflusskurve eindeutig zu definieren. Aus diesem Grunde stehen in Kroatien zuverlässige Angaben zu den Tagesmengen an Süßwasser, die in das Adriatische Meer fließen, noch immer nicht zur Verfügung. Dank der technischen Entwicklung von Ultraschall-Durchflussmessern konnten die hydrologischen Messungen von Übergangsgewässern verbessert werden. Ein erstes System zur kontinuierlichen Durchflussmessung wurde 2015 am Fluss Neretva in Metković eingesetzt. In dieser Untersuchung wurden die hydraulische Analyse und Spektralanalyse einer neuer Generation von Messungen durchgeführt. In der ersten Phase wurde anhand eines numerischen Modells der Einfluss der Dynamik der bodennahen Salzwasserschicht auf die gemessenen Durchflüsse in Metković untersucht. Danach wurde die nicht-stationäre Spektralanalyse durchgeführt, um die Zeitreihen von den gemessenen und von den modellierten Meeresspiegeln sowie Wasserständen und Durchflüssen in Metković zu vergleichen und die Ursache von täglichen Durchflussschwankungen zu bestimmen und zu beschreiben. Die durchgeführten Analysen zeigen, dass die Salzwasserdynamik in der bodennahen Schicht auf die gemessenen Durchflusswerte einen großen Einfluss haben kann, besonders während der Trockenzeit. Die numerische Analyse und die Spektralanalyse deuten darauf hin, dass die täglichen Durchflussschwankungen von gemessenen Wasserständen und Durchflüssen teilweise ihre Ursache in Flutschwankungen haben. In größerem Maße soll aber die Ursache in Zulaufschwankungen im oberen Teil des Einzugsgebietes gesucht werden

Beitrag zur Verbesserung des Systems für hydrologische Messungen von Übergangsgewässern: hydraulische Analyse und Spektralanalyse von Durchflüssen am Fluss Neretva

U priobalnim rijekama koje su pod utjecajem uspora mora često nije moguće odrediti protok na osnovu izmjerenih vodostaja, odnosno jednoznačno definirati protočnu krivulju. Iz toga se razloga u Hrvatskoj još uvijek ne raspolaže pouzdanim podacima o dnevnim količinama slatke vode koja utječe u Jadransko more. Tehničkim razvojem ultrazvučnih strujomjera postigli su se uvjeti za poboljšanje hidroloških mjerenja prijelaznih voda. Prvi takav sustav kontinuiranog mjerenja protoka postavljen je 2015. godine na rijeci Neretvi u Metkoviću. U ovome radu provedena je hidraulička i spektralna analiza nove generacije mjerenja. U prvom je koraku pomoću numeričkog modela istražen utjecaj dinamike pridnenog sloja slane vode na izmjerene protoke u Metkoviću. Potom je provedena nestacionarna spektralna analiza kako bi se usporedili vremenski nizovi izmjerenih i modeliranih razina mora te vodostaja i protoka u Metkoviću, te kako bi se identificirao i okarakterizirao uzrok unutar-dnevnih oscilacija protoka. Provedene su analize pokazale da dinamika slane vode u pridnenom sloju može imati značajan utjecaj na izmjerene vrijednosti protoka, posebno tijekom sušnog perioda. Numerička i spektralna analiza sugeriraju da unutar-dnevne oscilacije izmjerenih vodostaja i protoka djelomično imaju uzrok u plimnim oscilacijama, ali u većoj mjeri uzrok treba potražiti u oscilacijama dotoka s uzvodnog dijela sliva.It is often not possible to determine the flow rate based on the measured water levels, i.e. to unambiguously define the stage-discharge curve, in coastal rivers affected by sea backwater. For this reason, reliable data on the daily quantities of fresh water flowing into the Adriatic Sea are still not available in Croatia. The technical development of ultrasonic flow meters has created the conditions for improving hydrological measurements of transitional waters. The first continuous flow measurement system was installed on the Neretva River at Metković in 2015. This paper is comprised of the conducted hydraulic and spectral analyses of the new generation of measurements. In the first step, the influence of the seawater bottom layer dynamics on the measured discharges at Metković was investigated using a numerical model. This was followed by a non-stationary spectral analysis aimed at comparing the time series of measured and modelled sea levels and water levels and flow rates at Metković, as well as at identifying and characterising the cause of fluctuations in intra-day flow. The conducted analyses showed that seawater dynamics in the bottom layer can have a significant impact on measured values of discharge, especially during a dry period. The numerical and spectral analyses suggest that intra-day fluctuations of measured water levels and discharges are partly caused by tidal fluctuations; however, to a greater extent, their cause should be looked for in inflow fluctuations from the upstream part of the basin.An den küstennahen Flüssen, die wegen des Meeres langsamer fließen, ist es oft unmöglich, den Durchfluss auf Grund von gemessenen Wasserständen zu bestimmen, bzw. die Durchflusskurve eindeutig zu definieren. Aus diesem Grunde stehen in Kroatien zuverlässige Angaben zu den Tagesmengen an Süßwasser, die in das Adriatische Meer fließen, noch immer nicht zur Verfügung. Dank der technischen Entwicklung von Ultraschall-Durchflussmessern konnten die hydrologischen Messungen von Übergangsgewässern verbessert werden. Ein erstes System zur kontinuierlichen Durchflussmessung wurde 2015 am Fluss Neretva in Metković eingesetzt. In dieser Untersuchung wurden die hydraulische Analyse und Spektralanalyse einer neuer Generation von Messungen durchgeführt. In der ersten Phase wurde anhand eines numerischen Modells der Einfluss der Dynamik der bodennahen Salzwasserschicht auf die gemessenen Durchflüsse in Metković untersucht. Danach wurde die nicht-stationäre Spektralanalyse durchgeführt, um die Zeitreihen von den gemessenen und von den modellierten Meeresspiegeln sowie Wasserständen und Durchflüssen in Metković zu vergleichen und die Ursache von täglichen Durchflussschwankungen zu bestimmen und zu beschreiben. Die durchgeführten Analysen zeigen, dass die Salzwasserdynamik in der bodennahen Schicht auf die gemessenen Durchflusswerte einen großen Einfluss haben kann, besonders während der Trockenzeit. Die numerische Analyse und die Spektralanalyse deuten darauf hin, dass die täglichen Durchflussschwankungen von gemessenen Wasserständen und Durchflüssen teilweise ihre Ursache in Flutschwankungen haben. In größerem Maße soll aber die Ursache in Zulaufschwankungen im oberen Teil des Einzugsgebietes gesucht werden

Povezica narušenog periodontalnog zdravlja u mlađih bolesnika sa shizofrenijom s pogoršanjem simptoma tijekom remisije: prospektivno kohortno istraživanje

Objectives - The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate whether the association of periodontal status with schizophrenia treatment outcomes differs by patient’s age. Subjects and methods - The study was performed on the consecutive sample of 67 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and discharged because achieving remission criteria. Papilla bleeding index (PBI) was measured at hospital discharge. Positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) total score, positive, negative and general symptoms subscales’ scores were measured at hospital discharge, after three, and after six months. Results: - After the adjustment for potential confounders, baseline PBI was significantly unfavorably associated with PANSS total score, negative and general symptoms subscales scores in the patients younger than 45 three and six months after the hospital discharge, and with the positive symptoms sub-scale in patients younger than 34. At youngest 10% of patients, a unit difference in baseline PBI resulted in the 8.12 (95% CI 2.78-13.47; p=0.004) points higher total PANSS score three months later. Our study showed that the younger patients with worse periodontal status are at higher risk for poorer schizophrenia treatment outcomes and faster worsening of remission. This study demonstrates the necessity of more rigorous and more frequent control of younger schizophrenia patients with worse periodontal status after hospital discharge to achieve overall improvement of the patients’ quality of life as well as the efficacy of psychiatric therapies aimed toward the primary mental disorder.Cilj ove prospektivne kohortne studije bio je istražiti postoji li razlika u povezanosti parodontnog statusa sa slabljenjem kvalitete remisije shizofrenije ovisno o dobi pacijenta. Ispitanici i metode: - Istraživanje je provedeno na susljednom uzorku od 67 pacijenata s dijagnosticiranom shizofrenijom koji su otpušteni iz bolnice radi ostvarenih kriterija remisije. Indeks krvareće papile (PBI, engl. papilla bleeding index) izmjeren je pri otpustu iz bolnice. Ispitanici su procijenjeni ljestvicom pozitivnih i negativnih simptoma (PANSS) pri otpustu iz bolnice, nakon tri i nakon šest mjeseci. Rezultati: - Nakon prilagodbe za potencijalne zbunjujuće varijable, indeks krvareće papile bio je značajno inverzno povezan s ukupnim PANSS rezultatom, te rezultatom subljestvica za negativne i generalne psihotične simptome kod pacijenata mlađih od 45 godina nakon tri i nakon šest mjeseci poslije otpusta iz bolnice, te s rezultatom subljestvice za pozitivne simptome kod pacijenata mlađih od 34 godine. Kod najmlađih 10% pacijenata, jedinična razlika u indeksu krvareće papile bila je za 8.12 (95% CI 2.78-13.47; p=0.004) viša za ukupni PANSS rezultat tri mjeseca nakon otpusta iz bolnice. Zaključci: Naše je istraživanje pokazalo da mlađi pacijenti s lošijim parodontnim statusom imaju povećan rizik za lošiju kvalitetu remisije shizofrenije, odnosno brže pogoršanje simptoma tijekom remisije. Ovo istraživanje ukazuje na potrebu za pojačanom i češćom kontrolom mlađih pacijenata sa shizofrenijom koji imaju lošiji parodontni status nakon otpusta iz bolnice kako bi poboljšali kvalitetu života pacijenta kao i pridonijeli učinkovitijoj terapiji primarnog mentalnog poremećaja

Tunnelled haemodialysis catheter and haemodialysis outcomes: a retrospective cohort study in Zagreb, Croatia

OBJECTIVES: Studies have reported that the tunnelled dialysis catheter (TDC) is associated with inferior haemodialysis (HD) patient survival, in comparison with arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Since many cofactors may also affect survival of HD patients, it is unclear whether the greater risk for survival arises from TDC per se, or from associated conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine, in a multivariate analysis, the long-term outcome of HD patients, with respect to vascular access (VA). ----- DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. ----- PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective cohort study included all 156 patients with a TDC admitted at University Hospital Merkur, from 2010 to 2012. The control group consisted of 97 patients dialysed via AVF. The groups were matched according to dialysis unit and time of VA placement. The site of choice for the placement of the TDC was the right jugular vein. Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank test was used to assess patient survival. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to determine independent variables associated with patient survival. ----- PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient survival with respect to VA. ----- RESULTS: The cumulative 1-year survival of patients who were dialysed exclusively via TDC was 86.4% and of those who were dialysed exclusively via AVF, survival was 97.1% (p=0.002). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, male sex and older age were independently negatively associated with the survival of HD patients, while shorter HD vintage before the creation of the observed VA, hypertensive renal disease and glomerulonephritis were positively associated with survival. TDC was an independent risk factor for survival of HD patients (HR 23.0, 95% CI 6.2 to 85.3). ----- CONCLUSION: TDC may be an independent negative risk factor for HD patient survival

Supplementary data for the article: Lončar, N.; Drašković, N.; Božić, N.; Romero, E.; Simić, S.; Opsenica, I.; Vujčić, Z.; Fraaije, M. W. Expression and Characterization of a Dye-Decolorizing Peroxidase from Pseudomonas Fluorescens Pf0-1. Catalysts 2019, 9 (5). https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9050463

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.3390/catal9050463]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3709

Radon exhalation rate of some building materials common in Serbia

It is well-known that radon is the second important human carcinogen for lung cancer, after smoking. The major sources of indoor radon concentrations are soil and building material. Under certain conditions, a dose received from the inhalation of radon and its progenies can be higher than a dose received from the external exposure due to radium concentration in building materials. In this contribution, the results of the radon and thoron exhalation rate measurement from 9 commonly used building materials are reported. Exhalation rate measurements were performed with accumulation chamber method using active device for measurement of radon concentration. © 2019 RAD Association. All rights reserved.Conference of 6th International Conference on Radiation and Applications in Various Fields of Research, RAD 2018 ; Conference Date: 18 June 2018 Through 22 June 2018; Conference Code:14955

Merits and demerits of different methods for radon exhalation measurements for building materials

With an increase in the awareness of the need to save energy, residents tend to live in dwellings with increasingly tight windows and doors, thus reducing the ventilation rate of indoor air which leads to an increased accumulation of radon indoors. Having in mind that a dose from an exposure to inhaled radon and its progenies can be higher than a dose received from radium in building materials, it is suggested that radon exhalation measurements should receive due attention. In this contribution, the authors compare results gathered using a few methods for radon exhalation measurement and discuss its merits and demerits