Metric and Spectral Insight into Bee-Pollen-to-Bee-Bread Transformation Process.

Due to numerous bioactive constituents, both bee pollen (BP) and bee bread (BB) represent valuable food supplements. The transformation of BP into BB is a complex biochemical in-hive process that enables the preservation of the pollen's nutritional value. The aim of this study was to determine the depth of the honeycomb cells in which bees store pollen and to provide a spectral insight into the chemical changes that occur during the BP-to-BB transformation process.

Quality of life and mental health of volunteers during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey in Serbia.

Objective: There is a paucity of information on the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on young volunteers. Therefore, the aim of this survey was to examine the QoL and mental health of young volunteers of the Novi Sad Voluntary Service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Patients And Methods: This cross-sectional prospective study included 255 members of the Novi Sad Voluntary Service, Serbia.

Early Menopause and Risk of Fractures-A Preventable Gap.

Background: Osteoporosis is a chronic disease that results in microarchitectural changes to the bone, thereby reducing its density and increasing the risk of fractures. This retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to examine the link between the risk of major osteoporotic fractures and hip fractures with the age of menopause onset, as well as the impact of menopause duration on fracture incidence.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Special Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Novi Sad, Serbia.

Changes in Bone Metabolism in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis during Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor Therapy.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), which enhances osteoclast activity and bone resorption, is one of the key inflammation mediators in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to assess the influence of yearlong TNF-α inhibitor application on bone metabolism. The study sample comprised 50 female patients with RA.

The Impact of Comorbidity on Rehabilitation Outcome after Ischemic Stroke.

Comorbidity decreases survival but it still remains unknown to what extent functional recovery after ischemic stroke is affected. The aim of this research was to determine the prevalence of the most common comorbidities in patients with ischemic stroke and to examine their predictive value on the functional status and recovery. In order to obtain relevant information for this research, we conducted a prospective study over a two-year period.

Psychometric validation of the Serbian version of the Fear Avoidance Component Scale (FACS).

Objective: The Fear Avoidance Components Scale (FACS) is a new patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaire designed to comprehensively evaluate fear avoidance (FA) beliefs and attitudes in persons with painful medical conditions. The original English version has demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties, including concurrent and predictive validity. Two factors have been identified: 1.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the Serbian Version of the Central Sensitization Inventory.

Objectives: It has been increasingly recognized that many chronic pain conditions are associated with central sensitization (CS). The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) is a potentially useful tool for screening patients whose presenting symptoms are suspected of being related to CS, so that additional diagnostic evaluation can be performed and appropriate treatment can be initiated. The original English version is currently not available in Serbian.

Benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening - predictions of the ONCOTYROL prostate cancer outcome and policy model.

Background: A recent recalibration of the ONCOTYROL Prostate Cancer Outcome and Policy (PCOP) Model, assuming that latent prostate cancer (PCa) detectable at autopsy might be detectable by screening as well, resulted in considerable worsening of the benefit-harm balance of screening. In this study, we used the recalibrated model to assess the effects of familial risk, quality of life (QoL) preferences, age, and active surveillance.

Methods: Men with average and elevated familial PCa risk were simulated in separate models, differing in familial risk parameters.

Factors that predict walking ability with a prosthesis in lower limb amputees.

Introduction: Identification of predictive factors for walking ability with a prosthesis, after lower limb amputation, is very important in order to define patient’s potentials and realistic rehabilitation goals, however challenging they are.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate whether variables determined at the beginning of rehabilitation process are able to predict walking ability at the end of the treatment using support vector machines (SVMs).

Methods: This research was designed as a retrospective clinical case series.

FUNCTIONAL STATUS OF PATIENTS AFTER STROKE.

Introduction: Patients who have suffered from stroke become disabled and have specific problems due to the physical and mental disability that requires the implementation of rehabilitation and the creation of conditions for independent living, economic and social reintegration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional recovery of patients after ischemic stroke, during the subacute phase of medical rehabilitation.

Material And Methods: The study was organized as a prospective study, which included 74 patients (44 men, 30 women) treated after stroke at the Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Clinical Center of Vojvodina during 2013.

Pregabalin versus sertraline in generalized anxiety disorder. An open label study.

Objective: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic mental illness with a prevalence of 5-7% in the general population. t GAD is characterized by extreme persistent worry, mostly about minor problems, involving pathological fear with high occurrences of vegetative disturbance. GAD leads to functional impairment and a significantly reduced patient's quality of life.

Verification of osteoporotic vertebral fractures caused by glucocorticoids.

Introduction: Long-term administration of glucocorticoids leads to rapid osteoporosis, and vertebral fractures are one of its most common complications. The methods used in identification are semi-quantitative ones, based on visual assessment, and quantitative ones, which use morphometric criteria.

Case Report: A 79-year-old woman, who has suffered from polymyalgia rheumatica since July 2012, was treated with prednisone at a daily dose of 20 mg.

[Neurovascular lesion after total hip arthroplasty in congenital hip dysplasia--case report].

Introduction: Nowadays, the total hip arthroplasty is a very frequent surgical intervention. In some cases, vascular and nerve injuries may happen around the hip with total hip arthroplasty. Although they are very rare, they may be very dangerous for the patient in some cases.

[Adapted physical activity in the prevention and therapy of osteoporosis].

Introduction: Osteoporosis, a disease characterized by the progressive loss of bone tissue, is one of the most common complications of aging.

Epidemiology: According to some calculations, there were 25% of women and 4% of men older than 50 years with osteoporosis in the world in 2010. It is assumed that the number of patients with osteoporosis will increase by 30% in every 10 years in the 21st century.

Is on-admission capillary blood beta-hydroxybutyrate concentration associated with the acute stroke severity and short-term functional outcome?

Objectives: In conditions with reduced glucose levels/inability of glucose utilization, ketone bodies, especially beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), become a major energy source in the brain. In animal models, BHB infusion shows acute beneficial effects on the hypoxic brain. The present prospective observational study is the first to assess the relationship between on-admission capillary blood BHB levels and acute stroke severity/short-term functional outcomes.

[Assessment of memory in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND/AIM. The diagnosis of emotional and cognitive dysfunction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is often not noticed, regardless of their importance and frequency. The aim of this research was to assess memory function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with respect to its emotional manifestation, pain intensity, the duration and degree of disease activity, and functional and anatomical stages of the disease.

[Effects of calcium antagonists on brain ischemia].

Introduction: Stroke is the second leading cause of death in the world and the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in adults; about half of those who survive become dependent on others in performing personal activities of daily living. Ischemia disturbs calcium cellular homeostasis, whereas calcium channel blockers re-establish it. This study was aimed at assessing benefits of calcium channel blockers on the outcome of rehabilitation of the patients afflicted by ischemic stroke.

[Functional outcome of posttraumatic elbow contractures].

Introduction: Posttraumatic elbow contractures can cause functional limitations and impairment of activities of daily living in children and adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the outcome and differences between posttraumatic elbow contractures in children and adults during rehabilitation.

Material And Methods: We analyzed 68 patients with posttraumatic elbow contractures, who had been admitted to the regional rehabilitation center and managed by procedures of physical therapy.

[Fibromyalgia-up to date aspects of pathophysiology diagnosis and treatment].

Introduction: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain condition with spontaneous, chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain and tenderness accompanied by a number of nonspecific symptoms. The low prevalence of FM is considered an underestimation and results from insufficient knowledge about FM In order to increase the general awareness of the unique nature of pain in fibromyalgia and the right of patients to receive specific attention, EFIC (European Federation of the IASP Chapters) launched the European campaign against pain in fibromyalgia.

Pathophysiological Mechanisms: The pathogenesis of fibromyalgia is not yet clear.

The quality of life of patients after a lumbar microdiscectomy: a four-year monitoring study.

Introduction/aim: Health-conditioned quality of patients' life is equally a result of their subjective perception of the disease and their objective condition. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the quality of life of surgically treated lumbar radiculopathy patients by using a generic and a lumbar disease-specific questionnaire.

Methodology: 50 patients were evaluated (average age: 44.

Status of bone mineral content and body composition in boys engaged in intensive physical activity.

Background/aim: It is well known that physical activity has an anabolic effect on bone tissue. But there is a lack of information about the effect of intensive physical activity in childhood, particularly at the prepubertal stage. To examine the influence of training on body composition and bone mineral density we have studied a group of prepubertal soccer players as well as a group of inactive prepubertal boys at the starting phase of their peak bone mass acquisition.

Clinical characteristics of infectious spondylodiscitis.

Spondylodiscitis represents an inflammatory process, localized in the vertebrae body and in the intervertebral discs. The goals of this research were to identify subjective complaints, clinical findings, and laboratory characteristics in patients with spondylodiscitis, as well as to establish the importance of magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing this disease. The data of 40 patients treated at the Clinic for Infectious diseases of the Clinical Center of Vojvodina from 2003 till 2007 were reviewed.

The quality of life of lumbar radiculopathy patients under conservative treatment.

Background/aim: The quality of life of lumbar radiculopathy patients conditioned by their health status is a result of both their subjective perception of the disease and their objective health status. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life of lumbar radiculopathy patients under conservative treatment by means of generic and another lumbar syndrome specific questionnaires.

Methods: A total of 50 patients (33 males, 17 females average age 46.

[An estimate of functional state in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory chronic disease that affects 0.5-1% of the population, many of whom develop disease as working-age adults.

Material And Methods: The aim of examination was to estimate functional disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and relationship between radiological damage, disease duration, disease activity, functional disability.

[Critical approach to diagnostics and treatment of lumbar radiculopathy].

Although the majority of patients suffering lumbar radiculopathy have a very good prospective outcome, some 20-30% persist having problems even in two or three years time. Diagnosis is based on anamnesis and physical examination. Imaging screening with additional diagnostic methods is indicated only in patients with the extremely complicated illnesses, or in cases where the surgical intervention is inevitable.