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

Personal solar ultraviolet radiation dosimetry in an\ua0occupational setting across Europe

Background: Work-related solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is an important factor in the pathogenesis of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The World Health Organization, through the International Agency for Research on Cancer, has classified solar UVR as a group 1 carcinogen since 2012. The main problems encountered so far in the study of occupationally induced skin cancer include the lack of accurate occupational UVR dosimetry as well as insufficient distinction between occupational and leisure UVR exposure and underreporting of NMSC. Objectives: The aim of this study was to collect long-term individual UVR measurements in outdoor workers across European countries. Methods: A prospective study was initiated through the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, Healthy Skin@Work Campaign, measuring UVR exposure doses at occupational settings of masons from five European countries. Measurements were performed for several consecutive months using the GENESIS-UV measurement system. Results: The results identified alarming UVR exposure data. Average daily UVR doses ranged 148.40–680.48 J/m2 in Romania, 342.4–640.8 J/m2 in Italy, 165.5–466.2 J/m2 in Croatia, 41.8–473.8 J/m2 in Denmark and 88.15–400.22 J/m2 in Germany. Results showed an expected latitude dependence with increasing UVR yearly dosage from the north to the south of Europe. Conclusions: This study shows that outdoor workers from EU countries included in this study are exposed to high levels of occupational solar UVR, vastly exceeding the occupational exposure limits for solar UVR exposure, considered to be 1–1.33 SED/day in the period from May to September. This finding may serve as an evidence-based recommendation to authorities on implementing occupational skin cancer prevention strategies

European Red List of Marine Fishes

The European Red List is a review of the conservation status of European species according to IUCN regional Red Listing guidelines. It identifies those species that are threatened with extinction at the regional level, so that appropriate conservation action can be taken to improve their status. This Red List publication summarises results for all described native European marine fishes.Postprin

Which clinical variables have the most significant correlation with quality of life evaluated by SF-36 survey in Croatian cohort of patient with ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis?

The aim of our study was to assess clinical variables with the best correlation to quality of life (QOL) assessed by medical outcome survey Short-Form 36 (SF-36) in patients with spondyloarthritides, including ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). We analyzed the cohort of 54 patients (22 patients with PsA and 32 patients with AS), who filled the Croatian version of SF-36. For each type of arthritis, patients were clinically evaluated using the extensive list of clinical variables categorized into subjective and objective group. For AS patients, subjective and objective variables (spinal mobility measurements, clinical assessment of spinal pain, patient assessments of disease activity and pain) correlated mainly with the physical functioning concept of SF-36. Patients assessments of fatigue correlated with the energy/fatigue subscale, whereas patient assessment of enthesial pain correlated with the pain subscale. Correlations between clinical variables and SF-36 concepts of PsA patients showed more diverse distribution than for AS. Objective variables (spinal mobility measurements, a 76-joint score, clinical assessment of spinal pain) correlated with concepts concerning physical health and pain. Several subjective patient assessments correlated with energy/fatigue, emotional well-being, pain and general health subscales. Both patient and physician assessment of PsA activity correlated with the role limitations due to emotional problems. Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI) had the strongest correlation with the physical functioning concept of SF-36 in both diseases. Our findings provide important information to help selecting the variables with strongest impact on QOL, for better planning the management strategies and achieving better rehabilitation results

Data from: Molecular phylogenetics of Gobioidei and phylogenetic placement of European gobies

Gobioidei is one of the largest suborders of teleost fishes, with nearly 2000 extant species currently recognized. They have a worldwide distribution and show a spectacular variety in morphology, ecology, and behavior. Despite their importance, phylogenetic relationships among many groups of gobioids (including some of the major lineages) still remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyze sequence data of five molecular markers (two mitochondrial and three nuclear) averaging 6000 bp for 222 species of gobioids. Our study is the first to include both multiple nuclear and mitochondrial genes to reconstruct a comprehensive multilocus phylogeny of gobioids encompassing most major lineages representing the overall diversity of one of the most speciose vertebrate lineages. Two separate datasets are produced and used to specifically address the phylogenetic placement of Rhyacichthyidae and Odontobutidae, and the phylogenetic relationships among the lineages of Gobioidei. Our results strongly support that the initial split in the gobioid tree separated a clade containing Rhyacichthyidae + Odontobutidae as the sister group of all other lineages. The family Eleotrididae branches off the gobioid tree after the Rhyacichthyidae + Odontobutidae clade, followed by the Butidae as sister to the Gobiidae. Additionally, several major monophyletic groups are confidently identified within the two major Gobiidae subclades, the gobiine-like gobiids and the gobionelline-like gobiids. Robustness of the phylogenetic trees inferred here is significantly higher than that of previous studies, hence our results provide the most compelling molecular phylogenetic hypothesis of Gobioidei thus far. For the first time, we provide a comprehensive sampling of European gobies that traditionally have been divided into “transverse” and “sand gobies”. We show that the European gobies cluster in three distinct lineages, the Pomatoschistus-, Aphia-, and Gobius-lineages. The former resolved within the gobionelline-like gobiids and the latter two within the gobiine-like gobiids. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of the phylogeographic origin of European gobies in the light of the closure of the Paratethys. A rogue taxon analysis identified Kraemeria as an unstable taxon decreasing support at the base of the gobiine-like gobiids. Removal of this rogue taxon significantly increased phylogenetic resolution in that part of the tree and revealed additional insights into early bursts of cladogenesis of the gobiine-like gobiids