The Extended Chiral Quark Model in a Tamm-Dancoff Inspired Approximation

A procedure inspired by the Tamm-Dancoff method is applied to the chiral quark model which has been extended to include additional degrees of freedom: a pseudoscalar isoscalar field as well as a triplet of scalar isovector fields. The simpler, generic $\sigma$ -- model has been used before as a test for the Tamm-Dancoff inspired approximation (TDIA). The extended chirial quark model is employed here to investigate possible novel effects of the additional degrees of freedom as well as to point out the necessesity to introduce a SU(3) flavour. Model predictions for the axial-vector coupling constant and for the nucleon magnetic moment obtained in TDIA are compared with experimental values.Comment: 14 pages, LaTe

Frequency of microalbuminuria in non-renal diseases

Cilj: Utvrđivanje učestalosti mikroalbuminurije (MA) kod bolesnika s koronarnom bolesti srca (KBS), arterijskom hipertenzijom (AH), hiperkolesterolemijom (HK) i metaboličkim sindromom (MS). Metode: Analizirani su bolesnici hospitalizirani u koronarnoj jedinici i na kardiologiji Opće bolnice u Karlovcu u periodu od 1. do 9. mjeseca 2009. godine. Analizirane su četiri nerenalne bolesti: KBS, AH, HK i MS. Bilo je 176 bolesnika; 120 bolesnika nije imalo MA, a 56 bolesnika je imalo MA. Muškaraca je bilo 122 (69 %), a žena 54 (31 %). Ukupni raspon dobi bolesnika bio je od 36 do 84 godine, a prosječna dob bila je 62.8 godina. Rezultati: Kod MS je učestalost MA statistički značajna prema KBS (45,5 vs 31,0 %; Z = 1,831; p < 0,05) i HK (45,5 vs 28,4 %; Z = 1,919; p < 0,05), ali nije značajna prema AH (45,5 vs 35,9 %; Z = 1,13; n.s.). Zaključak: Značajno veću učestalost MA imaju bolesnici s MS, dok kod bolesnika s AH, KBS i HK nema razlike.Aim: To determine microalbuminuria (MA) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), arterial hypertension (AH), hypercholesterolemia (HC) and metabolic syndrome (MS). Methods: The patients who were hospitalized in the coronary unit and at the Department of cardiology of the General hospital in Karlovac from January till September 2009 were studied. The study comprised four non-renal diseases: CHD, AH, HC and MS. There were 176 patients in total, out of which 120 patients had no MA and 56 patients had MA. The study comprised 122 male patients (69 %) and 54 female patients (31 %). The total age range of the patients was from 36 to 84 years of age. The average age was 62.8. Results: In the case of MS the occurrence of MA was statistically significant to CHD (45,5 vs 31,0 %; Z=1,831; p<0,05) and HC (45,5 vs 28,4 %; Z=1,919; p<0,05), but was not statistically significant to AH (45,5 vs 35,9 %; Z=1,13; n.s.). Conclusion: Patients with MS have a significantly greater frequency of MA. However, in patients with AH, CHD and HC there is no difference

Prvih sedam godina ugradnje trajnih elektrostimulatora u manjem gradu središnje hrvatske

The aim of the study was to assess the situation with implantation of cardiac pacemakers and to critically evaluate the possibility of this method of treatment. The study was conducted from 2001 to 2007. Data on a total of 211 operations were included in the study. There were 121 (57.3%) male patients, mean age 69.7 years, and 90 (42.7%) female patients, mean age 74.5 years. Total number of operations increased from 18 in 2001 to 24 in 2002, 28 in 2003, 38 in 2004, 38 in 2005, 30 in 2006 and 35 in 2007. Primo implantation was carried out in 196 (92.9%) cases. The following types of pacemakers were used: VVI in 79 (40.3%), VVIR in 73 (37.2%), DDD in 7 (3.6%), DDDR in 18 (9.2%), VDD in 17 (8.7%) and AAIR in 2 (1.0%) cases. ECG indication was second degree heart block in 40, third degree heart block in 86, chronic atrial fibrillation with bradyarrhythmia in 57, sick sinus syndrome in 27 cases and trifascicular block in one case. The symptoms included dizziness in 126, syncope in 52, dyspnea in 45, bradycardia in 12, chest pain in 3 and cerebral dysfunction in 2 cases. In conclusion, our patients now receive appropriate treatment within a shorter time, thus reducing pressure upon large cardiac surgery centers. However, efforts should be continuously invested in approaching European standards of artificial pacemaker implantation.Cilj studije bio je utvrditi stanje s ugradnjom srčanih elektrostimulatora i kritički procijeniti mogućnosti ove metode liječenja naših bolesnika. Studija je provedena od 2001. do 2007. godine, a obuhvatila je 211 operacija. U studiju je bio uključen 121 (57,3%) bolesnik srednje dobi od 69,7 godina i 90 (42,7%) bolesnica srednje dobi od 74,5 godina. Zabilježen je porast ukupnog broja ovih operacijskih zahvata na godinu s 18 u 2001. na 24 u 2002., 28 u 2003., 38 u 2004., 38 u 2005., 30 u 2006. i 35 u 2007. godini. Primoimplantacija je izvedena u 196 (92,9%) slučajeva. Prema vrsti elektrostimulatora, VVI je upotrebljen u 79 (40,3%), VVIR u 73 (37,2%), DDD u 7 (3,6%), DDDR u 18 (9,2%), VDD u 17 (8,7%) slučajeva i AAIR u 2 (1,0%) slučaja. EKG indikacija za zahvat bio je srčani blok drugog stupnja u 40, srčani blok trećeg stupnja u 86, kronična atrijska fibrilacija s bradiaritmijom u 57, sindrom bolesnog sinusa u 27 slučajeva i trifascikularni blok u jednom slučaju. Simptomi su bili omaglica u 126, sinkopa u 52, dispneja u 45, bradikardija u 12 slučajeva, bol u prsištu u 3 slučaja i cerebralna disfunkcija u 2 slučaja. Rezultati su pokazali kako se naši bolesnici danas brže i primjerenije mogu liječiti u našoj bolnici, čime se smanjuje opterećenost većih kardioloških centara u državi. Međutim, i dalje valja težiti približavanju europskim standardima u ugradnji srčanih elektrostimulatora

Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Small Urban Community in Central Croatia

The aim of this study was to determine in Karlovac (southern part of central Croatia) the most important risk factors for coronary heart diseases in men and women according to age 59 and 60 on the basis of their prevalence in 558 non-coronary patients and 442 symptomatic coronary patients. In younger male coronary patients (59 years of age) in relation to the control study, the statistically significant more frequent risk factors were hypercholesterolemia (p<0.001), smoking (p<0.01) and diabetes (p<0.01). In older male patients (60 years of age) there was no statistically significant difference in a single risk factor. In younger female coronary patients, the statistically significant more frequent risk factors were hypercholesterolemia (p<0.001) and diabetes (p<0.001) and in older female patients diabetes (p<0.05). This population sample showed higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in younger coronary patients. The most frequent risk factors were diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and smoking. The difference is slighter in older coronary patients where it is diabetes, which is the most important for women

Diagnostics – How to Interpret the Finding of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring?

Izvanordinacijsko mjerenje arterijskog tlaka (AT) provodi se holterom AT-a i samomjerenjem. Kontinuirano mjerenje arterijskog tlaka (KMAT) podrazumijeva 24-satno praćenje njegove vrijednosti. Uz pomoć malenoga nosivog uređaja s nadlaktičnom manšetom omogućava se kontinuirano mjerenje u dnevnim i noćnim satima. Uređaj je programiran na mjerenje svakih 15 minuta tijekom dana te svakih 30 minuta tijekom noći. Nakon snimanja mogu se analizirati svi parametri AT-a poput maksimalnog i minimalnoga sistoličkog i dijastoličkog AT-a, prosječni dnevni i noćni AT, prosječni ukupni AT i AT pri pojedinim aktivnostima. Rezultati mjerenja mogu biti nepouzdani kod neregularnoga srčanog ritma, tremora, artefakata nastalih prilikom pokreta ili kod slabog pulsa. Svi pacijenti podijeljeni su u dvije grupe. Prva grupa ima razliku u dnevnim i noćnim vrijednostima > 10% i ona je označena kao dippers, a druga grupa ima vrijednosti 10% and it is designated as “dippers”, and the second group has values <10% and it is designated as “non-dippers “. ABPM is recommended for everyone who has ever had and increased BP value. After the start of treatment ABPM is used to control the effect of the selected therapy

Modular Smart House System Based on a Wireless Sensor Network

Smart House is an automated and controlled system, which enables adjustment of living environment according to user demands. Advancements of wireless sensor network (WSN) technology give us an opportunity to improve, simplify and ensure a costeffective smart home system. The paper describes the system composed of the BeagleBoard-xM, an XBeePro S2B coordinator, an XBee smart plug and a sensor, a mobile and a web application. The test solution was made in the laboratory environment. Compared to other existing solutions, the proposed system has benefits such as low-power consumption, cost effectiveness, modularity, module placement independence of power source, etc. In future, the system can be supplemented by power consumption regulation, speech and face recognition software, etc