INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN GRAIN PROTEIN CONTENT AND INDICATORS OF NITROGEN STATUS OF WHEAT PLANT

Abstrac

ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR IN CHOOSING OF OTC MEDICINES

The COVID-19 pandemic, the burden on the health system, and reduced access to health services have led to an increase in the purchase of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. The research was conducted in the Benu pharmacy in Belgrade, with 200 users of pharmacy services. The questionnaire for patients through 25 questions grouped into 5 dimensions provided an overview of the influence of various factors on the decision to purchase OTC medicines: The price of a medical examination, pharmacist recommendations, the influence of family and friends, previous experiences, and advertising. The analysis revealed a statistically significant difference between the scores in the claims of the respondents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the domains: The price of a medical examination (t = 2.592; df = 198; p < 0.05) and information on OTC medicines (t = 2.549; df=198; p < 0.05). The Questionnaire for patients defines the factors that influence the choice of OTC medicines for the self-medication process and is a good guideline for considering the shortcomings in the trade of OTC medicines

Zuclopenthixol decanoate in pregnancy: Successful outcomes in two consecutive off springs of the same mother

Introduction. Almost all individual antipsychotics are classified into the intermediate pregnancy risk category as no or limited data exist about human pregnancy outcomes. We presented the case of zuclopenthixol decanoate using in two successive pregnancies of the same woman, which had not been published in the available peer-reviewed literature. Case report. A middle-age female subject who suffered from schizophrenia received zuclopenthixol decanoate injection during her two consecutive pregnancies. About four and a half months before diagnosis of the first pregnancy (~3.5 years after psychosis emergence), zuclopenthixol decanoate (400 mg every other week, im injection) was introduced to the treatment protocol (due to previous non-compliance with halo-peridol and risperidone). A significant clinical improvement was achieved and the dose during pregnancy was reduced to 200 mg once monthly and maintained to date. In both pregnancies the women gave birth to healthy girls who have been developing normally until now, at their ages of 6 months and of 3.5 years. During pregnancy and after giving birth to children the mothers' psychiatric status and her social functioning were significantly improved and are still stable. Close monitoring of the mother's health, a multidisciplinary approach to both her treatment and the monitoring of pregnancies as well as the complete compliance with the prescribed drug protocol were likely to be crucial for the therapeutic success. Conclusion. A favorable outcome of the present case suggests that the zuclopenthixol decanoate is a rational therapeutic option for pregnant women suffering from psychosis when the expected benefit exceed the potential risk, but a definitive evidence for its safety requires large, controlled studies

Risk factors for severe dental anxiety among medical students

Background/Aim. Severe dental anxiety (SDA) is the most severe form of dental anxiety, thus the aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with SDA in students of health-related disciplines. Methods. In this case-control study the cases were students with severe dental anxiety. The study was conducted at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Serbia. The participants were undergraduate students attending lectures during spring semester 2010/2011 (n = 1,812). A random sample of 800 students was assessed for the association between various risk factors and the severe dental anxiety. The main outcome measures were the data on demographics, dental anxiety, habits concerning oral hygiene, nutrition, general anxiety and (co)morbidity which were collected from the study participants by semi-structured question questionnaire. Results. Less frequent visits to the dentist (OR adjusted = 7.02 [2.65; 18.60]) and visiting the dentist only when there is a dental problem (OR adjusted = 8.08 [1.28; 50.93]) were associated with severe dental anxiety. The same was true for improper oral hygiene (OR adjusted = 4.25 [1.16; 15.60]). Factors as changing toothbrush more frequently (OR adjusted = 0.33 [0.14; 0.76]) and having chronic disease (OR adjusted = 0.01 [0.00; 0.09]) were inversely associated with severe dental anxiety. The level of education of students was not associated with severe dental anxiety. Conclusion. Inappropriate oral hygiene, less frequent changes of a toothbrush and less frequent visits to the dentist are important risk factors for severe dental anxiety

Posology of homeopathic medicine

Basic principle of homeopathy is individualized therapy, which finds application also in posology of homeopathic medicines. Posology in homeopathy depends on the state of the patient. Hahnemann's Organon, which presents important instructions for correct homeopathic treatment, was published in six editions. Homeopathic medicines are most often prepared in two scales - decimal and centizimal (ratio 1:10 and 1:100), but they also get prepared in M and LM scale (ratio 1:1000 and 1:50 000). Homeopathic aggravation is not necessary confirmation of action of medicine. Evolution of conclusions on posology of homeopathic medicine had a crucial moment: in the forth edition of Organon Hahnemann said that medicines should be administered in form of several granules, while in the fifth edition he introduced the main correction in posology, that medicines should be adminstered in water solutions. In the sixth edition of Organon Hahnemann confirmed this postulate by adding new ones about the use of LM potencies. In order to dose homeopathic medicine correctly, it is necessary to have thorough knowledge of classical homeopathy, requiring sometimes, for the sake of patient's benefit, corrections in already well established posology practice

Legal framework and retirement policies in Serbia from 1990 to 2016-Gendered perspective

© 2016 Milovanovic, Radevic and Jovanovic. Retirement policy is an unavoidable factor for the economic and social stability of the state. In our country, Serbia, the total number of pensioners in 2015 was almost 1.8 million, which is higher in comparison to the time period from 2002 to 2014. According to increased number of pensioners, pension reforms are a crucial step of economic stability for less developed country, such as Serbia. The first step in this question in Serbia was made in 2001, and this change was referred to the raise in the retirement age. Next step was made in 2003 and involved wider ranges of changes than the previous step. Another change in this field was followed by 2005, and it was related to age limit for retirement, which was supposed to increase for 6 months each year during the period from 2008 to 2011, while another change was a gradual pension adjustment. The last step in this road of pension reforms in Serbia has become with adopted Law on Pension and Disability Insurance that entered into force in January 2015, when age limit for retirement was extended for both genders, whereby it is clear that the aim of this measure is to equalize years of service for genders by 2023 and age limit by 2032 when 65 years will be the age limit

The new and old Europe: East-west split in pharmaceutical spending

© 2016 Jakovljevic, Lazarevic, Milovanovic and Kanjevac. Since the geopolitical developments of 1989, former centrally planned economies of Eastern Europe followed distinctively different pathways in national pharmaceutical expenditure evolution as compared to their free market Western European counterparts. • Long term spending on pharmaceuticals expressed as percentage of total health expenditure was falling in free market economies as of 1989. Back in early 1990s it was at higher levels in transitional Eastern European countries and actually continued to grow further. • Public financing share of total pharmaceutical expenditure was steadily falling in most Central and Eastern European countries over the recent few decades. Opposed scenario were EU-15 countries which successfully increased their public funding of prescription medicines for the sake of their citizens. • Pace of annual increase in per capita spending on medicines in PPP terms, was at least 20% faster in Eastern Europe compared to their Western counterparts. During the same years, CEE region was expanding their pharmaceuticals share of health spending in eight fold faster annual rate compared to the EU 15. • Private and out-of-pocket expenditure became dominant in former socialist countries. Affordability issues coupled with growing income inequality in transitional economies will present a serious challenge to equitable provision and sustainable financing of pharmaceuticals in the long run

Cutaneous effects of sea buckthorn oil emulsion

© 2014 University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Science. All rights reserved. Sea buckthorn oil (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is medically used both externally and internally, but the external application is unsuitable due to its liquid, lipophilic and highly coloured nature. These difficulties could be overcome by a formulation of semisolid emulsion with sea buckthorn oil. Previous research on this formulation showed that it has higher wound healing potential than sea buckthorn oil, possessing an enhanced structure of liquid crystals, stability and suitability for topical use.The tested formulation shows good moisturizising eff ects and does not cause human or animal skin irritation. The study confirms that the combination of the proposed ingredients in a sea buckthorn oil emulsion is adequate and could be safe for skin application.The aim of this investigation was to completely characterizise a proposed emulsion by testing skin eff ects, such as moisturising potential, skin pH and potential to cause skin irritation.The emulsion was prepared by standard emulsifying techniques using a combination of surfactants that form an enhanced structure of liquid crystals. Approximately 40% of sea buckthorn oil was incorporated. The moisturising potential and skin pH were tested on the healthy skin of volunteers. Skin tolerance was tested on a rabbit skin model and evaluated by the Draize test.The tested emulsion containing sea buckthorn oil did not cause a significant change in skin pH, while it significantly increased skin hydration. There was an absence of edema or erythema type of irritation after 2 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 7 days of application of the emulsion with sea buckthorn oil

Cutaneous Effects of Sea Buckthorn Oil Emulsion

Ulje pasjeg trna (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) se u medicinske svrhe upotrebljava kako za eksternu tako i za internu primenu, pri čemu je eksterna primena nepogodna usled njegove tečne konzistencije, lipofi lne prirode i intenzivne obojenosti. Navedeni nedostaci bi se mogli prevazići formulacijom polučvrstih emulzija sa uljem pasjeg trna. Prethodna ispitivanja ove formulacije su pokazala da poseduje znatno veći potencijal za zarastanje rana u odnosu na ulje pasjeg trna, unapređenu strukturu tečnih kristala, stabilnost i pogodnost za lokalnu primenu

Disability, work absenteeism, sickness benefits, and cancer in selected European OECD Countries-forecasts to 2020

© 2017 Jakovljevic, Malmose-Stapelfeldt, Milovanovic, Rancic and Bokonjic. Background: Disability either due to illness, aging, or both causes remains an essential contributor shaping European labor markets. Ability of modern day welfare states to compensate an impaired work ability and absenteeism arising from incapacity is very diverse. The aims of this study were to establish and explain intercountry differences among selected European OECD countries and to provide forecasts of future work absenteeism and expenditures on wage replacement benefits. Methods: Two major public registries, European health for all database and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development database (OECD Health Data), were coupled to form a joint database on 12 core indicators. These were related to disability, work absenteeism, and sickness benefits in European OECD countries. Time horizon 1989-2013 was observed. Forecasting analysis was done on mean values of all data for each single variable for all observed countries in a single year. Trends were predicted on a selected time horizon based on the mean value, in our case, 7 years up to 2020. For this purpose, ARIMA prediction model was applied, and its significance was assessed using Ljung-Box Q test. Results: Our forecasts based on ARIMA modeling of available data indicate that up to 2020, most European countries will experience downfall of absenteeism from work due to illness. The number of citizens receiving social/disability benefits and the number being compensated due to health-related absence from work will decline. As opposed to these trends, cancer morbidity may become the top ranked disability driver as hospital discharge diagnoses. Concerning development is the anticipated bold growth of hospital discharge frequencies due to cancer across the region. This effectively means that part of these savings on social support expenditure shall effectively be spent to combat strong cancer morbidity as the major driver of disability. Conclusion: We have clearly growing work load for the national health systems attributable to the clinical oncology acting as the major disability contributor. This effectively means that large share of these savings on public expenditure shall effectively be spent to combat strong cancer morbidity. On another side, we have all signs of falling societal responsibility toward the citizens suffering from diverse kinds of incapacity or impaired working ability and independence. Citizens suffering from any of these causes are likely to experience progressively less social support and publicly funded care and work support compared to the golden welfare era of previous decades