Competence and Behavioral/Emotional Problems in Croatian Children – Parents\u27 and Teachers\u27 Reports: Pilot Study

Achenbach\u27s Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Teacher\u27s Report Form (TRF) were administered to school children aged between 7–11 comprising a non-referred sample (n = 349) drawn from the whole country. Those were the first data on the CBCL and TRF in Croatia. Both in the CBCL and TRF boys had higher scores compared to girls in the Externalizing and Total Problems scale (p<0.01 and p<0.05). Parents rated higher scores to the Internalizing and Externalizing scales and the Total Problems scale in both sexes (p<0.01 and p<0.05), with the exception of the Internalizing scale in boys. Parents are very important observers of mental health problems in children

MtDNA Haplogroups in the Populations of Croatian Adriatic Islands

The number of previous anthropological studies pointed to very complex ethnohistorical processes that shaped the current genetic structure of Croatian island isolates. The scope of this study was limited to the general insight into their founding populations and the overall level of genetic diversity based on the study mtDNA variation. A total of 444 randomly chosen adult individuals from 32 rural communities of the islands of Krk, Brač, Hvar and Korčula were sampled. MtDNA HVS-I region together with RFLP sites diagnostic for main Eurasian and African mtDNA haplogroups were analysed in order to determine the haplogroup structure. The most frequent haplogroups were »H« (27.8–60.2%), »U« (10.2–24.1%), »J« (6.1–9.0%) and »T« (5.1–13.9%), which is similar to the other European and Near Eastern populations. The genetic drift could have been important aspect in history, as there were examples of excess frequencies of certain haplogroups (11.3% of »I« and 7.5% of »W« in Krk, 10.5% of »HV« in Brač, 13.9% of »J« in Hvar and 60.2% of »H« in Korčula). As the settlements on the islands were formed trough several immigratory episodes of genetically distant populations, this analysis (performed at the level of entire islands) showed greater genetic diversity (0.940–0.972) than expected at the level of particular settlements

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ПЕРЕБІГУ ГЕПАТИТУ С У ВІЛ-ІНФІКОВАНИХ ОСІБ ТА ЇХ ЛІКУВАННЯ

The aim of the study – based on the analysis of literary information to highlight the features of the course of viral hepatitis C in HIV-infected persons, as well as the basic principles of treatment of such patients and used drugs in the world and in Ukraine. HIV and parenteral viral hepatitis refer to socially important diseases that can significantly affect the demographic situation in the country. Except the common ways and factors of transmission of viruses, the involvement of adolescents and young people to the epidemic process is the dominant factor that complicates the epidemiological situation with regard to HIV infection and parenteral viral hepatitis in Ukraine. The age factor is due to the phenomena of the current epidemic of drug addiction. From the published data of a number of studies, the mutual influence of HIV and chronic viral hepatitis C on the course of both HIV-infection and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is known. The incidence of AIDS and AIDS-related deaths is significantly higher in people with combined HCV / HIV infection, which is now a global public health problem. The basic principles of treating patients with HCV in HIV-infected patients are consistent with those not infected with HIV. For the treatment of HCV-infection, current AASLD guidelines do not recommend interferon-based schemes anymore. Instead, nowadays the first-line treatment is considered to be oral antiviral agents of direct action. At the same time, interferon-containing treatment regimens are still used in Ukraine. According to published results of a number of studies, the terminal stage of liver disease is a common cause of hospitalization and death of patients with combined HCV / HIV infection. But there are still controversial therapies for people with combined HIV and parenteral viral hepatitis. Therefore, the choice of optimal tactics for the management of such patients and the timely appointment of adequate treatment remains relevant.Мета роботи – на підставі аналізу літературних відомостей виділити особливості перебігу гепатиту С у ВІЛ-інфікованих осіб, а також основні принципи лікування таких пацієнтів і використовувані препарати у світі й в Україні. ВІЛ-інфекцію і парентеральні вірусні гепатити відносять до соціально значущих захворювань, які можуть суттєво впливати на демографічну ситуацію в країні. Крім спільності шляхів і факторів передачі вірусів, домінуючим чинником, що ускладнює епідеміологічну ситуацію стосовно ВІЛ-інфекції і парентеральних вірусних гепатитів на території України, є залучення до епідемічного процесу підлітків і людей молодого віку. Віковий чинник обумовлений явищами поточної епідемії наркоманії. З опублікованих даних ряду досліджень відомо про взаємний вплив ВІЛ і HСV на перебіг як ВІЛ-інфекції, так і хронічного гепатиту С (ХГС). Частота розвитку СНІДу і летального висліду, обумовленого СНІД-асоційованими захворюваннями, істотно вища в осіб з поєднаною HСV-/ВІЛ-інфекцією, яка нині є глобальною проблемою суспільної охорони здоров’я. Основні принципи лікування хворих на ХГС у ВІЛ-інфікованих відповідають таким у пацієнтів, не заражених ВІЛ. Для лікування HCV-інфекції теперішні настанови AASLD більше не рекомендують схеми, засновані на інтерфероні. Натомість на сьогодні терапією першої лінії вважаються пероральні противірусні засоби прямої дії. Разом з тим, в Україні все ще використовуються інтерферонвмісні схеми лікування. Згідно з опублікованими результатами ряду досліджень, термінальна стадія хвороби печінки є частою причиною госпіталізації та смерті хворих на поєднану HСV-/ВІЛ-інфекцію. Та досі залишаються дискусійними схеми терапії осіб з поєднаною ВІЛ-інфекцією та парентеральними вірусними гепатитами. Тому вибір оптимальної тактики ведення таких хворих і своєчасне призначення їм адекватного лікування залишається актуальним

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ПЕРЕБІГУ ГЕПАТИТУ В У ВІЛ-ІНФІКОВАНИХ ОСІБ ТА ЇХ ЛІКУВАННЯ

The purpose of the study - based on the analysis of literary information to highlight the features of the course of hepatitis B in HIV-infected individuals, as well as the basic principles of treatment of these patients and drugs that used for these purpose in the world and in Ukraine. HIV and parenteral viral hepatitis belong to socially significant diseases that can significantly affect the demographic situation in the country. Ukraine belongs to countries with an average prevalence of HBV, but there is no data on the frequency of detecting HBV markers in patients with HIV. From the published data of several studies, the mutual influence of HIV and HBV on the course of both HIV infection and chronic hepatitis B (CHBV) is known. The incidence of AIDS and AIDS-related deaths is significantly higher in people with combined HBV / HIV infection, which is now a global public health problem. The basic principles of treatment for patients with CHBV / HIV are consistent with those in patients with HBV-monoinfection. According to the published results of several epidemiological studies, the main factor leading to chronic HCV is the level of HBV DNA in patients’ blood or viral load. Therefore, the goal of treatment is to suppress HBV replication to reduce inflammation and to stop or slow down the progression of fibrosis, thereby preventing the late complications of liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). All these patients should receive antiretroviral therapy (ART), regardless of the number of CD4 + lymphocytes. According to published results of a number of studies, the terminal stage of liver disease is a frequent cause of hospitalization and death of patients with combined HBV / HIV infection. But there are still controversial therapies for people with combined HIV and parenteral viral hepatitis. Therefore, the choice of optimal tactics for the management of these patients and the timely appointment of adequate treatment remains relevant.Мета роботи – на підставі аналізу літературних відомостей виділити особливості перебігу гепатиту В у ВІЛ-інфікованих осіб, а також основні принципи лікування таких пацієнтів і використовувані препарати у світі й в Україні. ВІЛ-інфекцію і парентеральні вірусні гепатити відносять до соціально значущих захворювань, які можуть суттєво впливати на демографічну ситуацію в країні. Україна належить до країн із середньою поширеністю HBV, проте даних стосовно частоти виявлення маркерів HBV у хворих на ВІЛ-інфекцією немає. З опублікованих даних ряду досліджень відомо про взаємний вплив ВІЛ і HBV на перебіг як ВІЛ-інфекції, так і хронічного гепатиту В (ХГВ). Частота розвитку СНІДу і летального висліду, обумовленого СНІД-асоційованими захворюваннями, істотно вища в осіб з поєднаною HBV-/ВІЛ-інфекцією, яка нині є глобальною проблемою суспільної охорони здоров’я. Основні принципи лікування хворих на ХГВ-/ВІЛ-інфекцію відповідають таким у пацієнтів з HBV-моноінфекцією. Згідно з опублікованими результатами декількох епідеміологічних досліджень, основним чинником, що зумовлює вислід ХГВ, є рівень ДНК HBV у крові пацієнтів, або вірусне навантаження. Тому мета лікування – пригнітити реплікацію HBV, щоб зменшити запалення і зупинити або уповільнити прогрес фіброзу, запобігши тим самим пізнім ускладненням – цирозу печінки (ЦП) і гепатоцелюлярної карциноми (ГЦК). Всі такі хворі повинні отримувати антиретровірусну терапію (АРТ), незалежно від кількості CD4+-лімфоцитів. Згідно з опублікованими результатами ряду досліджень, термінальна стадія хвороби печінки є частою причиною госпіталізації та смерті хворих на поєднану HBV-/ВІЛ-інфекцію. Та досі залишаються дискусійними схеми терапії осіб з поєднаною ВІЛ-інфекцією та парентеральними вірусними гепатитами. Тому вибір оптимальної тактики ведення таких хворих і своєчасне призначення їм адекватного лікування залишається актуальним

MtDNA Haplogroups in the Populations of Croatian Adriatic Islands

The number of previous anthropological studies pointed to very complex ethnohistorical processes that shaped the current genetic structure of Croatian island isolates. The scope of this study was limited to the general insight into their founding populations and the overall level of genetic diversity based on the study mtDNA variation. A total of 444 randomly chosen adult individuals from 32 rural communities of the islands of Krk, Brač, Hvar and Korčula were sampled. MtDNA HVS-I region together with RFLP sites diagnostic for main Eurasian and African mtDNA haplogroups were analysed in order to determine the haplogroup structure. The most frequent haplogroups were »H« (27.8–60.2%), »U« (10.2–24.1%), »J« (6.1–9.0%) and »T« (5.1–13.9%), which is similar to the other European and Near Eastern populations. The genetic drift could have been important aspect in history, as there were examples of excess frequencies of certain haplogroups (11.3% of »I« and 7.5% of »W« in Krk, 10.5% of »HV« in Brač, 13.9% of »J« in Hvar and 60.2% of »H« in Korčula). As the settlements on the islands were formed trough several immigratory episodes of genetically distant populations, this analysis (performed at the level of entire islands) showed greater genetic diversity (0.940–0.972) than expected at the level of particular settlements

A Large Cross-Sectional Study of Health Attitudes, Knowledge, Behaviour and Risks in the Post-War Croatian Population (The First Croatian Health Project*)

As the liberation of occupied Croatian territories ended the war in the country in 1995, the Ministry of Health and Croatian Health Insurance Institute have agreed to create the new framework for developing a long-term strategy of public health planning, prevention and intervention. They provided financial resources to develop the First Cro-atian Health Project, the rest of the support coming from the World Bank loan and the National Institute of Public Health. A large cross-sectional study was designed aiming to assess health attitudes, knowledge, behaviour and risks in the post-war Croatian population. The large field study was carried out by the Institute for Anthropological Research with technical support from the National Institute of Public Health. The field study was completed between 1995–1997. It included about 10,000 adult volunteers from all 21 Croatian counties. The geographic distribution of the sample covered both coastal and continental areas of Croatia and included rural and urban environments. The specific measurements included antropometry (body mass index and blood pressure). From each examinee a blood sample was collected from which the levels of total plasma cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol (High Density Lipoprotein), LDL-cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein), lipoprotein Lp(a), and haemostatic risk factor fibrinogen (F) were determined. The detailed data were collected on the general knowledge and attitudes on health issues, followed by specific investigation of smoking history, alcohol consumption, nutrition habits, physical activity, family history of chronic non-communicable diseases and occupational exposures. From the initial database a targeted sample of 5,840 persons of both sexes, aged 18–65, was created corresponding by age, sex and geographic distribution to the general Croatian population. This paper summarises and discusses the main findings of the project within this representative sample of Croatian population

КЛІНІЧНИЙ ВИПАДОК ГЕНЕРАЛІЗОВАНОЇ ФОРМИ САЛЬМОНЕЛЬОЗУ НА БУКОВИНІ

The aim of the work – to describe the case of a generalized form of salmonellosis in an adult immunocompetent man. Adequate and timely therapy provided a complete recovery of the patient. A conclusion about the increasing of salmonellosis morbidity in the world as well as in Ukraine in particular is made.Мета роботи – описати випадок генералізованої форми сальмонельозу у дорослого імунокомпетентного чоловіка. Адекватна та своєчасна терапія забезпечила повне одужання хворого. Зроблено висновок про зростання рівня захворюваності на сальмонельоз як у світі, так і в Україні зокрема

Genetic Determinants of Circulating Sphingolipid Concentrations in European Populations

Sphingolipids have essential roles as structural components of cell membranes and in cell signalling, and disruption of their metabolism causes several diseases, with diverse neurological, psychiatric, and metabolic consequences. Increasingly, variants within a few of the genes that encode enzymes involved in sphingolipid metabolism are being associated with complex disease phenotypes. Direct experimental evidence supports a role of specific sphingolipid species in several common complex chronic disease processes including atherosclerotic plaque formation, myocardial infarction (MI), cardiomyopathy, pancreatic beta-cell failure, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, sphingolipids represent novel and important intermediate phenotypes for genetic analysis, yet little is known about the major genetic variants that influence their circulating levels in the general population. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) between 318,237 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and levels of circulating sphingomyelin (SM), dihydrosphingomyelin (Dih-SM), ceramide (Cer), and glucosylceramide (GluCer) single lipid species (33 traits); and 43 matched metabolite ratios measured in 4,400 subjects from five diverse European populations. Associated variants (32) in five genomic regions were identified with genome-wide significant corrected p-values ranging down to 9.08 x 10(-66). The strongest associations were observed in or near 7 genes functionally involved in ceramide biosynthesis and trafficking: SPTLC3, LASS4, SGPP1, ATP10D, and FADS1-3. Variants in 3 loci (ATP10D, FADS3, and SPTLC3) associate with MI in a series of three German MI studies. An additional 70 variants across 23 candidate genes involved in sphingolipid-metabolizing pathways also demonstrate association (p = 10(-4) or less). Circulating concentrations of several key components in sphingolipid metabolism are thus under strong genetic control, and variants in these loci can be tested for a role in the development of common cardiovascular, metabolic, neurological, and psychiatric diseases

Modeling of Environmental Effects in Genome-Wide Association Studies Identifies SLC2A2 and HP as Novel Loci Influencing Serum Cholesterol Levels

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 38 larger genetic regions affecting classical blood lipid levels without adjusting for important environmental influences. We modeled diet and physical activity in a GWAS in order to identify novel loci affecting total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. The Swedish (SE) EUROSPAN cohort (NSE = 656) was screened for candidate genes and the non-Swedish (NS) EUROSPAN cohorts (NNS = 3,282) were used for replication. In total, 3 SNPs were associated in the Swedish sample and were replicated in the non-Swedish cohorts. While SNP rs1532624 was a replication of the previously published association between CETP and HDL cholesterol, the other two were novel findings. For the latter SNPs, the p-value for association was substantially improved by inclusion of environmental covariates: SNP rs5400 (pSE,unadjusted = 3.6×10−5, pSE,adjusted = 2.2×10−6, pNS,unadjusted = 0.047) in the SLC2A2 (Glucose transporter type 2) and rs2000999 (pSE,unadjusted = 1.1×10−3, pSE,adjusted = 3.8×10−4, pNS,unadjusted = 0.035) in the HP gene (Haptoglobin-related protein precursor). Both showed evidence of association with total cholesterol. These results demonstrate that inclusion of important environmental factors in the analysis model can reveal new genetic susceptibility loci