Users’ satisfaction with the primary health care information system in Croatia: a cross-sectional study

AIM: To evaluate the primary health care information system from the general practitioner's (GP) point of view. ----- METHODS: Sixty-seven Croatian GPs were distributed a questionnaire about characteristics of the GP's office, overall impression of the application, handling of daily routine information, more sophisticated information needs, and data security, and rated their satisfaction with each component from 1 to 5. We also compared two most frequently used applications--application with distantly installed software (DIS) and that with locally installed software (LIS, personal computer-based application). ----- RESULTS: GPs were most satisfied with the daily procedures and the reminder component of the health information system (rating 4.1). The overall impression ranked second (3.5) and flexibility of applications followed closely (3.4). The most questionable aspect of applications was data security (3.0). LIS system received better overall rate than DIS (4.2 vs 3.2). ----- CONCLUSION: Applications received better ratings for daily routine use than for overall impression and ability to get specific information according the GPs' needs. Poor ratings on the capability of the application, complaints about unreliable links, and doubts about data security point to a need for more user-friendly interfaces, more information on the capability of the application, and a valid certificate of assessment for every application

Users’ satisfaction with the primary health care information system in Croatia: a cross-sectional study

Aim To evaluate the primary health care information system from the general practitioner’s (GP) point of view. Methods Sixty-seven Croatian GPs were distributed a questionnaire about characteristics of the GP’s office, overall impression of the application, handling of daily routine information, more sophisticated information needs, and data security, and rated their satisfaction with each component from 1 to 5. We also compared two most frequently used applications – application with distantly installed software (DIS) and that with locally installed software (LIS, personal computer-based application). Results GPs were most satisfied with the daily procedures and the reminder component of the health information system (rating 4.1). The overall impression ranked second (3.5) and flexibility of applications followed closely (3.4). The most questionable aspect of applications was data security (3.0). LIS system received better overall rate than DIS (4.2 vs 3.2). Conclusion Applications received better ratings for daily routine use than for overall impression and ability to get specific information according the GPs’ needs. Poor ratings on the capability of the application, complaints about unreliable links, and doubts about data security point to a need for more user-friendly interfaces, more information on the capability of the application, and a valid certificate of assessment for every application

Sport, Rekreation, Fitness – Eine Analyse sportwissenschaftlicher Bezeichnungen

Jezik se stalno mijenja, a najčešće se jezične promjene događaju u leksiku – nastanak novih izvanjezičnih fenomena ima za posljedicu nastanak novih riječi. Cilj je ovoga rada bio analizirati odabrane nazive u kineziologiji, znanosti koja proučava zakonitosti upravljanja procesom vježbanja i posljedice djelovanja toga procesa na ljudski organizam – sport, rekreacija, sportska rekreacija te fitnes. Odabrani su primjeri analizirani u hrvatskom, engleskom, njemačkom i talijanskom jeziku. Nastojalo se pokazati kako je sport od zabave u općem jeziku postao strukturirana, k cilju orijentirana, natjecateljska, ludička aktivnost u stručnom jeziku, kako je rekreacija zabava, ali i oporavak kroz programiranu sportsku aktivnost unutar koncepta sportske rekreacije te kako se fitnes može promatrati kao težnja za optimalnom fizičkom kvalitetom života. Analiza je pokazala kako opisi odabranih koncepata variraju te da je stručne nazive poželjno promatrati u kontekstu, kako bi se odabrao onaj opis koji osigurava njihovo razumijevanje. Kretanje je metafora života – njihova se povezanost kroz opisane koncepte i pridružene im nazive može pratiti od legenda o postanku svijeta do današnjega koncepta suvremenog načina života koji je usmjeren na njegovo kvalitativno i kreativno određenje.Language changes constantly, and the most frequent changes occur in the lexicon – the origination of new extralinguistic phenomena results in a generation of new words. The aim of this study was to analyse the selected terms in kinesiology, the science that studies the patterns of controlling the process of physical exercise and the results that this process has on the human organism – sport, recreation, recreational sport and fitness. The selected examples were analysed in Croatian, English, German and Italian. An attempt was made to show how sport, from fun in general language, became a structured, goal-oriented, contest-based, ludic physical activity in technical language, that recreation is amusement, but also a recovery through programmed sport activity within the concept of recreational sport, and that fitness can be regarded as the striving for optimal physical quality of life. The analysis showed how the denotations of selected concepts vary, and that technical terms should be considered within a context in order to select the description that will ensure their understanding. Movement is a metaphor of life – their interrelationship may be observed through the described concepts and the names assigned to these concepts – starting from the legends about the genesis of the world to today\u27s concept of contemporary life style that is aimed at its designation in terms of quality and creativity.Die Sprache ist in unablässigem Wandel begriffen, und die häufigsten Veränderungen betreffen den Wortschatz: Das Erscheinen neuer außersprachlicher Phänomene bringt die Entstehung neuer Wörter mit sich. In diesem Artikel sollen bestimmte Begriffe analysiert werden, die in der Sportwissenschaft gebräuchlich sind, welche sich den Gesetzmäßigkeiten gezielter sportlicher Betätigung und ihren Auswirkungen auf den menschlichen Organismus widmet. Diese Begriffe sind: Sport, Rekreation, sportliche Rekreation und Fitness. Die Begriffe wurden im kroatischen, englischen, deutschen und italienischem Sprachgebrauch analysiert. Die Autorinnen bemühten sich zu zeigen, dass aus dem allgemeinsprachlichen Sport im Sinne von Spaß in der Fachsprache eine strukturierte, zielorientierte, spielerische und wettbewerbswillige Aktivität geworden ist; Rekreation ist allgemeinsprachlich ebenfalls gleichbedeutend mit Spaß, meint aber im Rahmen sportlicher Rekreation Erholung durch vorprogrammierte sportliche Aktivität; wiederum Fitness kann als Streben nach optimaler körperlicher Lebensqualität betrachtet werden. Eine Analyse hat ergeben, dass die Beschreibungen der angeführten Konzeptionen variieren und dass es angeraten ist, Fachausdrücke im Kontext zu betrachten, um diejenige Beschreibung zu wählen, die auch das richtige Verständnis sichert. Bewegung ist eine Metapher des Lebens. Der gegenseitige Bezug mittels der beschriebenen Konzeptionen und der entsprechenden Bezeichnungen kann belegt und mitverfolgt werden – von Legenden über die Entstehung der Welt bis hin zu unserem heutigen modernen Lebenskonzept, das auf qualitativ hochwertige und kreative Lebensbestimmung ausgerichtet ist

A NEW APPROACH IN THE KINESIOTHERAPEUTICAL PROGRAMME IN WORKING WITH PERSONS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY

Osobe s cerebralnom paralizom bile su uključene u novi kineziterapijski program koji je trajao šest mjeseci i održavao se u polivalentnom trim-kabinetu Kineziološkoga fakulteta. Program se provodio jednom tjedno pod stručnim vodstvom u trajanju od dva sata. Broj korisnika je bio od 8 do 10, u dobi od 25 do 35 godina. Novi pristup kineziterapijskoga programa očitovao se u činjenici da su se sve kineziološke aktivnosti uvijek odvijale u invalidskim kolicima osoba s cerebralnom paralizom, dok su se po prvi put primijenile individualne vježbe na spravama. Za dolazak u dvoranu i kretanje po dvorani (dolazak do pojedine sprave za vježbanje, strunjače, švedskih ljestvi), sudionici su koristili različita ortopedska pomagala (elektromotorna kolica, standardna invalidska kolica i hodalice). Stupanj invaliditeta pojedinoga korisnika zahtijevao je individualni pristup pri provođenju programa. Zbog toga je broj prisutnih studenata bio isti kao i broj sudionika u programu. Metodičko-organizacijski oblici rada bili su prilagođeni osobama s cerebralnom paralizom, a realizirali su se u sklopu uvodnoga, glavnoga i završnoga dijela kineziterapijskoga programa. Takav način rada zahtijevao je određena znanja iz medicinskih znanosti (studenta-asistenta) koja se odnose na neurološku promjenu motoričkih sposobnosti (obrazaca) osoba s cerebralnom paralizom te poznavanje metodoloških i metodičkih principa u kineziterapiji. Upravo takva sinteza znanja iz različitih područja (medicinskoga i kineziološkoga) bila je u funkciji interdisciplinarnoga pristupa kod osoba s cerebralnom paralizom s ciljem poboljšanja cjelokupnoga motoričkog statusa.Persons with cerebral palsy were included in a new kinesiotherapeutical programme lasting for six months and held in the new polyvalent gymnasium of the Faculty of Kinesiology. The programme was carried out for two hours once a week under professional guidance. There were 8 to 10 participants, aged 25 to 35. The fact that all the participants took part in the kinesiotherapeutical activities in their wheelchairs speaks of a new approach in the kinesiotherapeutical programme. For the fi rst time, individual exercises on exercise machines were applied. To enter and move around the gym (reaching each exercise machine, the gym mat, stall bars), the participants used various orthopaedic devices (motor-driven wheelchairs, standard wheelchairs and walking frames). The disability level of each user required an individual approach in carrying out the programme. For this reason, the number of students present equalled the number of participants. The methodological-organisational aspects of this work were adapted to persons with cerebral palsy and were achieved through the introductory, main and closing part of the kinesiotherapeutical programme. This kind of work required specific knowledge in the field of medical science (student-assistants) related to the neurological changes of the motor skills of persons with cerebral palsy, as well as knowledge of the methodological and methodical principles in the field of kinesiotherapy. Such a synthesis of knowledge from different fields (medical and kinesiological) provided an interdisciplinary approach to persons with cerebral palsy for the purpose of improving the whole motor status

MODEL OBJEKTIVNOG UTVRĐIVANJA INICIJALNIH SKUPINA, NJIHOVOG STATUSA I ŽELJENIH CILJNIH FUNKCIJA TRANSFORMACIJA

A sample was used of 249 pupils at the age of 7 (+/- 2 months) who were described by 256 variables. For the needs of this paper and for an illustration of target functions, the sample was defined by two variants. In one variant, the sample was defined as the ability for continuous running for 3 minutes (MT3M), and in the other variant it was described as explosiveness, defined as a composite of many variables: long jump from a take-off point, throwing a ball into the distance, and running 20 metres from a standing start. For the stated reasons, the offered model in this paper enables the objectivising of determined groups within a sample defined in any way. The solution is a suitable methodological interaction, in a way that such a solution should be created to respect the target functions (a) and taxonomic determination (b). Such a variant primarily respects the multivariant demands in which the groups are recognised. In this sense, we established a Uditax procedure which taxonomises the test subjects on the basis of the spectral decomposition of the matrix of distances of the subjects themselves in standard space and after determining the number of real taxa by the entropic function. This procedure also identifies the representative subjects of such structures. The obtained taxa may, through any analysis of set redundancy (by regression or canonical procedures), be brought into relation with a differently defined set of criteria-related parameters, i.e. the target function. This rounds up the model in a way that the taxa are grouped against the target functions in accordance with the multi-variant characteristics of individual groups. Using the Uditax procedure, groups were isolated, and, in accordance with normal distribution, the so-called underdeveloped and the athletic were hypothetically positioned on extreme sides, and along with them, the stocky and the underdeveloped, and in the middle the light entities. The discriminative analysis of taxonomic dimensions resulted in all four significant discriminative functions which were easily visualised and simple to interpret.Na uzorku od 249 učenika dobi 7 godina (+/- 2 mjeseca) koji su opisani sa 26 varijabli. Za potrebe ovog rada i ilustraciju funkcija cilja, definiran je uzorak kroz dvije varijante. U jednoj kao sposobnost istrajnog trčanja 3 minute (MT3M), a u drugoj kao sposobnost eksplozivnosti, koja je definirana kao kompozit od više varijabli: skok u dalj s mjesta, bacanje loptice u daljinu, trčanje 20 m iz visokog starta. Iz navedenih razloga, ponuñeni model u ovom radu omogućava objektiviziranje utvrñenih skupina unutar bilo kako definiranog uzorka. Rješenje je u odgovarajućoj metodološkoj interakciji, na način da se oblikuje takva solucija koja će uvažiti i funkcije cilja (a), i taksonomsku determinaciju (b). Takva varijanta, prije svega, uvažava multivarijantne zahtjeve po kojima se skupine prepoznaju. U tom smislu kreirana je Uditax procedura koja taksonomizira subjekte na temelju spektralne dekompozicije matrice udaljenosti samih subjekata u standardnom prostoru i nakon odlučivanja o broju realnih taksona entropijskom funkcijom, identificira reprezentativne subjekte takve strukture. Dobiveni se taksoni mogu bilo kojim postupkom analize redundancije skupova (regresijski ili kanonički postupci) dovesti u vezu s različito definiranim skupom kriterijskih parametara tj. funkcija cilja. To zaokružuje model na način da se taksoni svrstavaju na ciljane funkcije u skladu s multivarijantnim karakteristikama pojedine skupine. Procedurom, Uditax izdvojene su skupine i u skladu s normalnom distribucijom, hipotetski na ekstremnim stranama bili pozicionirani t.zv. nerazvijeni i atletici, uz njih krupni i nerazvijeni, te u sredini lagani entiteti. Diskriminativna analiza taksonomskih dimenzija rezultirala je sa sve četiri značajne diskriminativne funkcije, lako uočljive i jednostavne za interpretaciju

Zagreb Amblyopia Preschool Screening Study: near and distance visual acuity testing increase the diagnostic accuracy of screening for amblyopia

Aim To present and evaluate a new screening protocol for amblyopia in preschool children. Methods Zagreb Amblyopia Preschool Screening (ZAPS) study protocol performed screening for amblyopia by near and distance visual acuity (VA) testing of 15 648 children aged 48-54 months attending kindergartens in the City of Zagreb County between September 2011 and June 2014 using Lea Symbols in lines test. If VA in either eye was >0.1 logMAR, the child was re-tested, if failed at re-test, the child was referred to comprehensive eye examination at the Eye Clinic. Results 78.04% of children passed the screening test. Estimated prevalence of amblyopia was 8.08%. Testability, sensitivity, and specificity of the ZAPS study protocol were 99.19%, 100.00%, and 96.68% respectively. Conclusion The ZAPS study used the most discriminative VA test with optotypes in lines as they do not underestimate amblyopia. The estimated prevalence of amblyopia was considerably higher than reported elsewhere. To the best of our knowledge, the ZAPS study protocol reached the highest sensitivity and specificity when evaluating diagnostic accuracy of VA tests for screening. The pass level defined at ≤0.1 logMAR for 4-year-old children, using Lea Symbols in lines missed no amblyopia cases, advocating that both near and distance VA testing should be performed when screening for amblyopia

The genetic history of the Southern Arc: a bridge between West Asia and Europe

By sequencing 727 ancient individuals from the Southern Arc (Anatolia and its neighbors in Southeastern Europe and West Asia) over 10,000 years, we contextualize its Chalcolithic period and Bronze Age (about 5000 to 1000 BCE), when extensive gene flow entangled it with the Eurasian steppe. Two streams of migration transmitted Caucasus and Anatolian/Levantine ancestry northward, and the Yamnaya pastoralists, formed on the steppe, then spread southward into the Balkans and across the Caucasus into Armenia, where they left numerous patrilineal descendants. Anatolia was transformed by intra–West Asian gene flow, with negligible impact of the later Yamnaya migrations. This contrasts with all other regions where Indo-European languages were spoken, suggesting that the homeland of the Indo-Anatolian language family was in West Asia, with only secondary dispersals of non-Anatolian Indo-Europeans from the steppe

Levels of selected oxidative stress markers in the vitreous and serum of diabetic retinopathy patients

PURPOSE In diabetes, an impaired antioxidant defense system contributes to the development of diabetic retinopathy. The main objective of this paper was to find correlations of oxidative stress parameters within and between the vitreous and serum in patients with type 2 diabetes who had developed proliferative diabetic retinopathy. ----- METHODS The study included and compared two groups of patients who underwent vitrectomy: 37 patients with type 2 diabetes and proliferative retinopathy (PDR), and 50 patients with non-diabetic eye disorders (NDED). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), advanced oxidized protein product (AOPP), and oxidative stress markers (direct lipid hydroperoxidation (LPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), total superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH)) were measured in the vitreous and serum of both groups and correlated with one another, between humoral compartments and with gender, age, and serum glucose levels. ----- RESULTS In the vitreous of PDR patients, VEGF, LPO, and MDA (p<0.05) were increased and SOD values were slightly lowered (p<0.05) than in NDED patients. Vitreous AOPP and GSH showed no differences between the groups. In the serum, AOPP, MDA, and SOD were increased (p<0.05) and VEGF was slightly increased (p<0.05) in the PDR group compared to NDED. With regard to gender, similar changes were recorded for both groups, except for the lower serum MDA in males than females in the NDED group. Advanced age showed no significant effect on changes of measured parameters in the vitreous. In the serum, VEGF was positively correlated (p<0.05) and MDA and SOD negatively correlated (p<0.05) with increasing age. Among measured parameters within and between the vitreous and serum, several correlative links occurred in the PDR group that were not present in the NDED group. The most prominent correlation changes were between serum LPO and vitreal LPO, serum SOD and vitreal LPO, serum LPO and serum SOD, and vitreal VEGF and serum SOD. ----- CONCLUSIONS Among the selected oxidative stress markers, SOD and LPO were highly correlative in both the vitreous and serum in PDR compared to patients without metabolic disorders. Their correlations suggested that monitoring their mutual alterations might be informative during PDR development and should be considered in further research