INAPPROPRIATE USE OF TOPICAL CORTICOSTEROIDES IN THE DERMATOLOGY OUTPATIENT

Introduction: Topical corticosteroids are group of drugs which have anti-immuno-suppressive, anti-proliferative and vasoconstrictive effects and are among the most commonly prescribed medication, important and efficacious for management of various dermatological disorders. Strict implementation of the existing regulations is the need of the hour to prevent their widespread abuse. Aim of the study was to investigate the usage of topical corticosteroids therapy with the recipe of a doctor and without it. Subjects and methods: The subjects were patients who visited Pharmacies in Mostar from April to July 2020 and were buying topical corticosteroids with or without a recipe or medical report from the doctor. 80 subjects completed a questionnaire themselves included: the way of buying a topical corticosteroids, the information about using topical corticosteroids earlier, the information about subject\u27s visits to the doctor; the length of time using topical corticosteroids, the type of topical corticosteroids used, the part of body the topical corticosteroids was applied on. Results: A total of 80 subjects were treated in the observed period, 58.8% were female. 72.5% subjects had already used local corticosteroids, 62.50% purchased the drug at the recommendation of the pharmacist, 66.30% had no recent diagnosis or no diagnosed disease at all, 21.25% used the drug for more than a month, the most often purchased one was moderate potent local corticosteroid Betamethasone diproprionate 0.05 %. Most commonly subjects applied local corticosteroids on arms (50%). Conclusion: Strict regulations regarding only prescription-based dispensing of local corticosteroids must be put into practice. This will hopefully bring down both the extremes of ever increasing cases of steroid-induced dermatoses in everyday dermatology practise on one hand and the irrational fears of using TCs in well justified indications on the other

INAPPROPRIATE USE OF TOPICAL CORTICOSTEROIDES IN THE DERMATOLOGY OUTPATIENT

Introduction: Topical corticosteroids are group of drugs which have anti-immuno-suppressive, anti-proliferative and vasoconstrictive effects and are among the most commonly prescribed medication, important and efficacious for management of various dermatological disorders. Strict implementation of the existing regulations is the need of the hour to prevent their widespread abuse. Aim of the study was to investigate the usage of topical corticosteroids therapy with the recipe of a doctor and without it. Subjects and methods: The subjects were patients who visited Pharmacies in Mostar from April to July 2020 and were buying topical corticosteroids with or without a recipe or medical report from the doctor. 80 subjects completed a questionnaire themselves included: the way of buying a topical corticosteroids, the information about using topical corticosteroids earlier, the information about subject\u27s visits to the doctor; the length of time using topical corticosteroids, the type of topical corticosteroids used, the part of body the topical corticosteroids was applied on. Results: A total of 80 subjects were treated in the observed period, 58.8% were female. 72.5% subjects had already used local corticosteroids, 62.50% purchased the drug at the recommendation of the pharmacist, 66.30% had no recent diagnosis or no diagnosed disease at all, 21.25% used the drug for more than a month, the most often purchased one was moderate potent local corticosteroid Betamethasone diproprionate 0.05 %. Most commonly subjects applied local corticosteroids on arms (50%). Conclusion: Strict regulations regarding only prescription-based dispensing of local corticosteroids must be put into practice. This will hopefully bring down both the extremes of ever increasing cases of steroid-induced dermatoses in everyday dermatology practise on one hand and the irrational fears of using TCs in well justified indications on the other

Two Cases of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Treated with Adalimumab at the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Clinical Hospital Mostar

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease primarily affecting apocrine gland-rich areas of the body and presenting with painful nodules, abscesses, sinus tracts, and scarring (1). HS is a defect of the follicular epithelium; some have therefore called for the naming the disease acne inversa instead of hidradenitis suppurativa. The term acne inversa links the pathogenesis to acne and reflects the fact that it is an expression of follicular occlusion in localizations inverse to acne vulgaris (2)

Two Cases of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Treated with Adalimumab at the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Clinical Hospital Mostar

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease primarily affecting apocrine gland-rich areas of the body and presenting with painful nodules, abscesses, sinus tracts, and scarring (1). HS is a defect of the follicular epithelium; some have therefore called for the naming the disease acne inversa instead of hidradenitis suppurativa. The term acne inversa links the pathogenesis to acne and reflects the fact that it is an expression of follicular occlusion in localizations inverse to acne vulgaris (2)

Identification of Risk P Psychosocial Factors as Predictors of Loneliness of Elderly in Nursing Homes During Social Isolation Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

The elderly is at bigger risk for getting COVID-19 virus, and a particularly vulnerable group are people placed in homes for the elderly and frail. The aims of the study were: (1) to examine differences in the respondent’s experiences of social isolation, loneliness and perception of social support, (2) to examine correlations between the dimensions of social isolation and the experience of social support with the experience of loneliness, and (3) to examine whether dimensions of social isolation and perceived social support are risky psychosocial significant predictors of loneliness. The cross-sectional study was conducted on 98 participants from three nursing homes in Croatia, EU. It used Social Provision Scale, the short- form Loneliness Scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. The results indicate that people who are single are lonelier, and if they do not have descendants are less likely to contact their family and at the same time they report a weaker social support experience. Loneliness is a statistically positive thing with a social provision dimension, information availability, and a significant negative correlation with the experience of social support. The dimensions of social provision, access to information and perceptions of social support contribute to the experience of loneliness. The constant exposure to negative information about the pandemic, the insecurity and anxiety of the people who communicate with them, make the users of homes for the elderly and infirm even more vulnerable to the development of loneliness

Salivary Scca1, Scca2 and Trop2 in Oral Cancer Patients-A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is frequently diagnosed in the advanced stages. The purpose of this paper is to determine the salivary values of SCCA1, SCCA2 and TROP2 in patients with T1N0M0 OSCC and to compare them with the values obtained from healthy individuals. Unstimulated (UWS) and stimulated (SWS) saliva was sampled from 29 patients with T1N0M0 OSCC and 29 sex- and age- matched healthy individuals. Statistical difference was observed in SCCA1 and SCCA2 levels both in UWS and SWS samples. TROP2 was not measurable in most of the salivary samples. Both SCCA1 and SCCA2 could represent potential biomarkers for the early-stage OSCC. Research on a larger sample and biomarker validation is needed to assess the clinical potential of SCCA1 and SCCA2 in the OSCC early diagnostics

National Movements of Turkic Peoples Before the Dissolution of the USSR (taking Tatars and Uzbeks as the example)

Ovaj diplomski rad na primjeru Tatara i Uzbeka daje pregled nacionalnih pokreta turkijskih naroda SSSR-a od Februarske revolucije i uspostavljanja provizorne vlade Kerenskog do raspada Sovjetskog Saveza. Početkom 20. stoljeća među turkijskim se narodima šire ideje turkizma pod utjecajem kojih su Tatari i Uzbeci u periodu do Oktobarske revolucije osnovali nekoliko kratkovjekih država. Uspostavljanjem sovjetske vlasti dobili su svoje nacionalne republike. Na čelu s nacionalnim komunistima, tijekom 1920-ih provodi se nacionalizacija novostvorenih republika, a istu je podupirala i sovjetska politika korjenizacije. Čistke koje su uslijedile nakon toga označile su krah nacionalnog komunizma u sovjetskim republikama. Organizirani nacionalni pokreti pojavljuju se tek 1980-ih, a rezultirali su rehabilitacijom krimskotatarskog naroda i pravom povratka na Krim, proglašavanjem suvereniteta i osnivanjem Tatarske Sovjetske Socijalističke Republike te osnivanjem nezavisne Republike Uzbekistan. Kroz cijeli rad posebna je pažnja pridana sovjetskoj politici na područjima koja čine važne sastavnice nacionalnog identiteta – teritorij, religija, jezik i povijest, kao i lokalnim projektima stvaranja nacija.This master's thesis, taking Tatars and Uzbeks as an example, gives an overview of national movements of Turkic peoples of the USSR following the February revolution and the establishment of Kerensky's provisional government up until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the 20th century ideas of Turkism spread among Turkic peoples. Led by those ideas, in the period before the October Revolution, Tatars and Uzbeks established a few short-lived states. With the establishment of Soviet power both Tatars and Uzbeks were given a national republic. With national communists at the head of the state, nationalization of the newly formed republics was taking place in the 1920s and was also supported by the soviet policy of korenization. Purges that followed marked the end of national communism in soviet republics. Organized national movements appeared only in 1980s and resulted in rehabilitation of the Crimean Tatar people and their right to return to Crimea, and in establishments of Tatar Soviet Socialist Republic and independent Republic of Uzbekistan. Throughout the thesis an emphasis is made on soviet politics in the areas that form an important part of national identity – territory, language, religion and history, as well as on the local nation-making projects

National Movements of Turkic Peoples Before the Dissolution of the USSR (taking Tatars and Uzbeks as the example)

Ovaj diplomski rad na primjeru Tatara i Uzbeka daje pregled nacionalnih pokreta turkijskih naroda SSSR-a od Februarske revolucije i uspostavljanja provizorne vlade Kerenskog do raspada Sovjetskog Saveza. Početkom 20. stoljeća među turkijskim se narodima šire ideje turkizma pod utjecajem kojih su Tatari i Uzbeci u periodu do Oktobarske revolucije osnovali nekoliko kratkovjekih država. Uspostavljanjem sovjetske vlasti dobili su svoje nacionalne republike. Na čelu s nacionalnim komunistima, tijekom 1920-ih provodi se nacionalizacija novostvorenih republika, a istu je podupirala i sovjetska politika korjenizacije. Čistke koje su uslijedile nakon toga označile su krah nacionalnog komunizma u sovjetskim republikama. Organizirani nacionalni pokreti pojavljuju se tek 1980-ih, a rezultirali su rehabilitacijom krimskotatarskog naroda i pravom povratka na Krim, proglašavanjem suvereniteta i osnivanjem Tatarske Sovjetske Socijalističke Republike te osnivanjem nezavisne Republike Uzbekistan. Kroz cijeli rad posebna je pažnja pridana sovjetskoj politici na područjima koja čine važne sastavnice nacionalnog identiteta – teritorij, religija, jezik i povijest, kao i lokalnim projektima stvaranja nacija.This master's thesis, taking Tatars and Uzbeks as an example, gives an overview of national movements of Turkic peoples of the USSR following the February revolution and the establishment of Kerensky's provisional government up until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the 20th century ideas of Turkism spread among Turkic peoples. Led by those ideas, in the period before the October Revolution, Tatars and Uzbeks established a few short-lived states. With the establishment of Soviet power both Tatars and Uzbeks were given a national republic. With national communists at the head of the state, nationalization of the newly formed republics was taking place in the 1920s and was also supported by the soviet policy of korenization. Purges that followed marked the end of national communism in soviet republics. Organized national movements appeared only in 1980s and resulted in rehabilitation of the Crimean Tatar people and their right to return to Crimea, and in establishments of Tatar Soviet Socialist Republic and independent Republic of Uzbekistan. Throughout the thesis an emphasis is made on soviet politics in the areas that form an important part of national identity – territory, language, religion and history, as well as on the local nation-making projects

National Movements of Turkic Peoples Before the Dissolution of the USSR (taking Tatars and Uzbeks as the example)

Ovaj diplomski rad na primjeru Tatara i Uzbeka daje pregled nacionalnih pokreta turkijskih naroda SSSR-a od Februarske revolucije i uspostavljanja provizorne vlade Kerenskog do raspada Sovjetskog Saveza. Početkom 20. stoljeća među turkijskim se narodima šire ideje turkizma pod utjecajem kojih su Tatari i Uzbeci u periodu do Oktobarske revolucije osnovali nekoliko kratkovjekih država. Uspostavljanjem sovjetske vlasti dobili su svoje nacionalne republike. Na čelu s nacionalnim komunistima, tijekom 1920-ih provodi se nacionalizacija novostvorenih republika, a istu je podupirala i sovjetska politika korjenizacije. Čistke koje su uslijedile nakon toga označile su krah nacionalnog komunizma u sovjetskim republikama. Organizirani nacionalni pokreti pojavljuju se tek 1980-ih, a rezultirali su rehabilitacijom krimskotatarskog naroda i pravom povratka na Krim, proglašavanjem suvereniteta i osnivanjem Tatarske Sovjetske Socijalističke Republike te osnivanjem nezavisne Republike Uzbekistan. Kroz cijeli rad posebna je pažnja pridana sovjetskoj politici na područjima koja čine važne sastavnice nacionalnog identiteta – teritorij, religija, jezik i povijest, kao i lokalnim projektima stvaranja nacija.This master's thesis, taking Tatars and Uzbeks as an example, gives an overview of national movements of Turkic peoples of the USSR following the February revolution and the establishment of Kerensky's provisional government up until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. At the beginning of the 20th century ideas of Turkism spread among Turkic peoples. Led by those ideas, in the period before the October Revolution, Tatars and Uzbeks established a few short-lived states. With the establishment of Soviet power both Tatars and Uzbeks were given a national republic. With national communists at the head of the state, nationalization of the newly formed republics was taking place in the 1920s and was also supported by the soviet policy of korenization. Purges that followed marked the end of national communism in soviet republics. Organized national movements appeared only in 1980s and resulted in rehabilitation of the Crimean Tatar people and their right to return to Crimea, and in establishments of Tatar Soviet Socialist Republic and independent Republic of Uzbekistan. Throughout the thesis an emphasis is made on soviet politics in the areas that form an important part of national identity – territory, language, religion and history, as well as on the local nation-making projects

Surface coating affects behavior of metallic nanoparticles in a biological environment

Silver (AgNPs) and maghemite, i.e., superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are promising candidates for new medical applications, which implies the need for strict information regarding their physicochemical characteristics and behavior in a biological environment. The currently developed AgNPs and SPIONs encompass a myriad of sizes and surface coatings, which affect NPs properties and may improve their biocompatibility. This study is aimed to evaluate the effects of surface coating on colloidal stability and behavior of AgNPs and SPIONs in modelled biological environments using dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering techniques, as well as transmission electron microscopy to visualize the behavior of the NP. Three dispersion media were investigated: ultrapure water (UW), biological cell culture medium without addition of protein (BM), and BM supplemented with common serum protein (BMP). The obtained results showed that different coating agents on AgNPs and SPIONs produced different stabilities in the same biological media. The combination of negative charge and high adsorption strength of coating agents proved to be important for achieving good stability of metallic NPs in electrolyte-rich fluids. Most importantly, the presence of proteins provided colloidal stabilization to metallic NPs in biological fluids regardless of their chemical composition, surface structure and surface charge. In addition, an assessment of AgNP and SPION behavior in real biological fluids, rat whole blood (WhBl) and blood plasma (BlPl), revealed that the composition of a biological medium is crucial for the colloidal stability and type of metallic NP transformation. Our results highlight the importance of physicochemical characterization and stability evaluation of metallic NPs in a variety of biological systems including as many NP properties as possible