The Croatian Health Survey – Patient\u27s Satisfaction with Medical Service in Primary Health Care in Croatia

The aim of the study was to investigate patient satisfaction with nurses and general practice organization in Croatia. A total of 2,252 patients 18 years of age and over from 47 randomly selected general practices were included in the study. 72.1% of patients were satisfied with nurses and general practice organization. Older and less educated patients were generally more satisfied. Patients were more pleased with nurses’ behavior (81.9%) than with practice organization (62.3%). Factor analysis revealed two underlying discriminates of patient satisfaction – »positive attitude towards the nurse« and »inaccessibility of practice«. The former discriminate emphasized a great potential of nursing, which should be taken into consideration in the transformation of health care system in Croatia

Estimation of Wear Resistance in Acid Solution of Dental Ceramics by Neural Network

It is known that exposure to acid causes damage to the glass surface. The aim of this study was to examine wear resistance, measuring the mass change of dental ceramics after contact with 10-3 mol dm-3 HCl at temperature of 50°C. Four samples of dental ceramics were analyzed: feldspatic ceramic, hydrothermal ceramic, glass ceramic for staining and glass ceramic for layering. The mass concentrations of eluted Na+, K+ and Ca2+ were determined by ion chromatography (IC) and mass concentrations of Si4+ and Al3+ by UV/VIS spectrometry. Measurements were conducted after 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months of emersion. For the subject issue, using experimental data, the feedforward backpropagation neural network for estimation of wear resistance of dental ceramics was modelled. The results of 1, 2 and 12 months of emersion were used for the training 13-20-5 model of neural network. Comparison of experimental data and data obtained by estimation (results of 3 and 6 month intervals) of neural network shows that the applied network model provided a very good prediction of wear behavior of dental ceramics with high correlation coefficient (R) and low sum of squared error (SSE) between measurement and estimated output values

Nonlocal vortex motion in mesoscopic amorphous Nb0.7Ge0.3 structures

We study nonlocal vortex transport in mesoscopic amorphous Nb0.7Ge0.3 samples. A dc current I is passed through a wire connected via a perpendicular channel, of a length L= 2-5 um, with a pair of voltage probes where a nonlocal response Vnl ~ I is measured. The maximum of Rnl=Vnl/I for a given temperature occurs at an L-independent magnetic field and is proportional to 1/L. The results are interpreted in terms of the dissipative vortex motion along the channel driven by a remote current, and can be understood in terms of a simple model.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Numerical simulation and analysis of 3-dimensional two-phase flow of gas and solid phase in a coal powder separator

Циљ овог истраживања је развој диференцијалног модела тродимензионалног двофазног струјања гаса и угљеног праха и сепарација крупнијих честица угља, од задате, у сепараторима постројења за припрему угљеног праха. Финоћа угљеног праха је дефинисана гранулометријском карактеристиком (остатак на ситу x R ), која подлијеже RRS (Rozin-Ramler-Sperling) расподјели. Резултати овог истраживања су допринос бољем разумијевању процеса који се дешавају у сепараторима угљеног праха и побољшавање оптимизације сагоријевања угљеног праха у ложиштима генератора паре, односно постизање бољег искоришћења горива (стабилније сагоријевање и већи степен корисног дјеловања). Истраживање је обављено угљеном мељавом вентилаторских млинова на инерцијалном сепаратору угљеног праха. Као гориво је коришћен лигнит. За рјешавање математичког модела коришћена је нумеричка метода контролних запремина. Верификација модела и примијењене нумеричке методе, извршена је поређењем са резултатима испитивања на реалном постројењу. Нагласак је на тродимензионалности, сложености геометрије и проблематици двофазног турбулентног тока. Модел се заснива на Ојлер-Лагранжеовом приступу двофазном струјању, k моделу турбулентне гасне фазе, стохастичком моделу дисперзије чврстих честица и PSI-CELL поступку којим се узима у обзир узајамно дејство фаза. Приказани су резултати нумеричке симулације струјања двофазне смјеше гаса и чврстих честица угљеног праха (аеросмјеше) кроз инерцијални млински сепаратор. Резултати су приказани у облику: векторског и скаларног поља брзине, трајекторија гасне фазе и трајекторија честица чврсте фазе (по класама, односно II величини честица) и дистрибуција честица у излазном пресјеку зависно од положаја...The basic goal of presented investigation is development partial differential three dimensional model of two-phase gas flow and pulverized coal as well as separation of rough coal particles into the separation facilities for pulverized coal preparation. The finest of pulverized coal is defined by granulation curve (residual on screen R); that is aligned to RRS (Rozin-Ramler-Sperling) distribution. The investigation results are contribution to the better understanding of processes occurring into the separation facilities for pulverized coal preparation, optimization of pulverized coal combustion into the furnaces of steam generator, e.g. better usefulness of coal (better combustion stability and greater combustion efficiency). The investigation has been preformed by pulverized coal obtained into ventilator mils on inertial separator. The coal was lignite. For numerical solution of developed model, the finite volume numerical method has been used. The verification of developed model and used numerical method has been performed by experimental data obtained on actual separation facility. It has been emphasized on the three dimensionality, actual complexity of separator geometry and two-phase turbulence flow. The model is based on Eulerian-Lagrangian approach for two-phase flow, k turbulence model for gas phase, stochastic model of solid particles dispersion, and PSI-CELL method for interphone coupling of phase’s interaction. The results of numerical simulation of two-phase gas flow and pulverized coal particles into inertial separator are presented. The results are presented in the forms of: vector and scalar velocity fields, gas trajectories, coal particle trajectories (by size/diameter class) and coal particle size distribution in outlet plane of separator, depending on position of regulation plates into the separator. Additionally, relation of pulverized coal particle class in outlet plane and circulation number has been presented by diagrams, quantifying influence of opaque angle of regulation plates. All results are presented for the nominal load and 10 % reduced mass flow rate of gas phase. Quantitative results are presented by tables..

Thermal relaxation of magnetic clusters in amorphous Hf_{57}Fe_{43} alloy

The magnetization processes in binary magnetic/nonmagnetic amorphous alloy Hf_{57}Fe_{43} are investigated by the detailed measurements of magnetic hysteresis loops, temperature dependence of magnetization, relaxation of magnetization and magnetic ac susceptibility, including a nonlinear term. Blocking of magnetic moments at lower temperatures is accompanied with the slow relaxation of magnetization and magnetic hysteresis loops. All of the observed properties are explained with the superparamagnetic behaviour of the single domain magnetic clusters inside the nonmagnetic host, their blocking by the anisotropy barriers and thermal fluctuation over the barriers accompanied by relaxation of magnetization. From magnetic viscosity analysis based on thermal relaxation over the anisotropy barriers it is found out that magnetic clusters occupy the characteristic volume from 25 up to 200 nm3 . The validity of the superparamagnetic model of Hf_{57}Fe_{43} is based on the concentration of iron in the Hf_{100-x}Fe_{43} system that is just below the threshold for the long range magnetic ordering. This work throws more light on magnetic behaviour of other amorphous alloys, too

Antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis from broiler carcasses in Serbia

This study aimed to investigate antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella Infantis isolates from poultry carcasses in Serbia. A total of 48 Salmonella isolates were examined for antimicrobial resistance. A panel of 10 antibiotics was selected for testing. Isolates showed resistance to sulfamethoxazole, ceftazidime and cefotaxime (100%). However, the highest number of Salmonella Infantis isolates were sensitive to chloramphenicol. The usage of antibiotics in food producing animals could result in antimicrobial resistance pathogenic bacteria especially Salmonella spp. in poultry, which may be transmitted to humans through the food chain and increase risk of treatment failures

The Amplitude of Non-Equilibrium Quantum Interference in Metallic Mesoscopic Systems

We study the influence of a DC bias voltage V on quantum interference corrections to the measured differential conductance in metallic mesoscopic wires and rings. The amplitude of both universal conductance fluctuations (UCF) and Aharonov-Bohm effect (ABE) is enhanced several times for voltages larger than the Thouless energy. The enhancement persists even in the presence of inelastic electron-electron scattering up to V ~ 1 mV. For larger voltages electron-phonon collisions lead to the amplitude decaying as a power law for the UCF and exponentially for the ABE. We obtain good agreement of the experimental data with a model which takes into account the decrease of the electron phase-coherence length due to electron-electron and electron-phonon scattering.Comment: New title, refined analysis. 7 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Europhysics Letter

The common foodborne viruses: A review

Transmission pathways of foodborne viruses include contamination of food by infected food handlers, by contamination of food during the production process and by consumption of products of animal origin harbouring a zoonotic virus. Viral foodborne illnesses, which have become a significant cause of all reported foodborne illnesses in recent years and considered as an emerging risk in veterinary public health. Microbiological genomics studies discovered that Noroviruses and hepatitis A viruses were primarily associated with food-handler transmission and sewage-contaminated foods. In contrast, hepatitis E was associated with consumption of raw or undercooked meat of pig or wild animals. In order to facilitate source attribution and identify risk prevention measures, Routine harmonized surveillance of viral outbreaks, and surveillance of virus occurrence in food commodities, in combination with systematic strain typing, and joint expertise from veterinary, food, and clinical microbiologists would be recommended

The influence of technological treatment, composition and properties of milk on quality of kajmak under experimental conditions

Proces izdvajanja mliječne masti i dobivanja kajmaka zavisi od mnogo parametara. U ovom radu proučen je utjecaj temperature i dužine zagrijavanja, fizičko-kemijskih osobina i sastava mlijeka na količinu i kvalitetu izdvojenog kajmaka. Dobiveni rezultati su potvrdili da su odabrane temperature zagrijavanja mlijeka osigurale proizvod odgovarajuće kvalitete i organoleptičkih osobina. Količina kajmaka zavisi od fizičko-kemijskih osobina mlijeka, a sastav mlijeka, u odnosu na postotak masti i suhe tvari, značajan je parametar za kvalitetu i količinu kajmaka.The process of milk fat separation in kajmak production depends on a number of parameters. The influence of heat treatment, heating exposure time, physicochemical properties and milk composition as well as their quantity and quality on separated kajmak were studied. Experimental data proved that appropriate quality and organoleptic properties of kajmak were determined by selected milk heat treatment. Yield of kajmak depends upon physicochemical properties and composition of milk, i. e. its fat and total solids contents. Studied parameters were of importance to kajmak\u27s quality and quantity

Force distributions in a triangular lattice of rigid bars

We study the uniformly weighted ensemble of force balanced configurations on a triangular network of nontensile contact forces. For periodic boundary conditions corresponding to isotropic compressive stress, we find that the probability distribution for single-contact forces decays faster than exponentially. This super-exponential decay persists in lattices diluted to the rigidity percolation threshold. On the other hand, for anisotropic imposed stresses, a broader tail emerges in the force distribution, becoming a pure exponential in the limit of infinite lattice size and infinitely strong anisotropy.Comment: 11 pages, 17 figures Minor text revisions; added references and acknowledgmen