Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Related to the Health Related and Well-Being Outcomes of European Mature Adults and Elderly, with an Additional Reference to Croatia.

With the increase in life expectancy, expectation of a longer healthy life is also increasing. Importance of consumption of certain foods is confirmed to have a strong effect on quality of life. One of the healthiest dietary patterns consistently associated with a range of beneficial health outcomes is the Mediterranean diet (MD).

Revealing the Wonder of Natural Photonics by Nonlinear Optics.

Nano-optics explores linear and nonlinear phenomena at the nanoscale to advance fundamental knowledge about materials and their interaction with light in the classical and quantum domains in order to develop new photonics-based technologies. In this perspective article, we review recent progress regarding the application of nonlinear optical methods to reveal the links between photonic structures and functions of natural photonic geometries. Furthermore, nonlinear optics offers a way to unveil and exploit the complexity of the natural world for developing new materials and technologies for the generation, detection, manipulation, and storage of light at the nanoscale, as well as sensing, metrology, and communication.

Uncovering Hidden Dynamics of Natural Photonic Structures Using Holographic Imaging.

In this method, the potential of optics and holography to uncover hidden details of a natural system's dynamical response at the nanoscale is exploited. In the first part, the optical and holographic studies of natural photonic structures are presented as well as conditions for the appearance of the photophoretic effect, namely, the displacement or deformation of a nanostructure due to a light-induced thermal gradient, at the nanoscale. This effect is revealed by real-time digital holographic interferometry monitoring the deformation of scales covering the wings of insects induced by temperature.

Waning immunity six months after BioNTech/Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination among nursing home residents in Zagreb, Croatia.

Aim: To assess the humoral immunity to COVID-19 in nursing home residents six months after vaccination.

Methods: This seroepidemiological research enrolled 118 residents of one nursing home in Zagreb. All participants received two doses of BioNTech/Pfizer COVID-19 and had no previously detected SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Univariable associations between a history of incarceration and HIV and HCV prevalence among people who inject drugs across 17 countries in Europe 2006 to 2020 - is the precautionary principle applicable?

BackgroundPeople who inject drugs (PWID) are frequently incarcerated, which is associated with multiple negative health outcomes.AimWe aimed to estimate the associations between a history of incarceration and prevalence of HIV and HCV infection among PWID in Europe.MethodsAggregate data from PWID recruited in drug services (excluding prison services) or elsewhere in the community were reported by 17 of 30 countries (16 per virus) collaborating in a European drug monitoring system (2006-2020; n = 52,368 HIV+/-; n = 47,268 HCV+/-).

Parvovirus B19 in Croatia: A Large-Scale Seroprevalence Study.

: Seroepidemiological studies indicate that parvovirus B19 circulates in all areas of the world, although with some differences. The aim of this study is to analyze the seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 in the Croatian population. : From 2010 to 2021, 1538 serum samples from different populations were tested for the presence of parvovirus B19 IgM/IgG antibodies.

Thermal radiation management by natural photonic structures: Morimus asper funereus case.

Convective, conductive and radiative mechanisms of thermal management are extremely important for life. Photonic structures, used to detect infrared radiation (IR) and enhance radiative energy exchange, were observed in a number of organisms. Here we report on sophisticated radiative mechanisms used by Morimus asper funereus, a longicorn beetle whose elytra possess a suitably aligned array of lenslets and blackbodies.

Coronavirus epidemic in Croatia: case fatality decline during summer?

Aim: To describe the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic pattern in Croatia during February-September 2020 and compare the case fatality ratio (CFR) between spring and summer.

Methods: National data were used to calculate the weekly and monthly CFRs, stratified by three age groups: 0-64, 65-79, and 80+ years. We also calculated the standardized mortality ratios (SMR) to offset the differences in age composition.

Leptin as a Key Player in Insulin Resistance of Liver Cirrhosis? A Cross-Sectional Study in Liver Transplant Candidates.

Insulin resistance is associated with increased risk of death and liver transplantation in the cirrhotic population, independent of disease aetiology. However, factors accounting for insulin resistance in the context of cirrhosis are incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate the association between adiponectin and leptin with insulin resistance in cirrhotic patients and to assess the influence of disease severity on insulin resistance and metabolic status.

Seroepidemiology of hepatitis E in patients on haemodialysis in Croatia.

Purpose: Data on the seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in heamodialysis (HD) patients are conflicting, ranging from 0 to 44%. The aim of this study was to determine the HEV seroprevalence and risk factors among HD patients in Croatia.

Methods: A total of 394 HD patients from six medical facilities in five Croatian cities (three sites in the continental and three sites in the coastal region) were tested for HEV IgM/IgG antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

The Emerging Role of Rhinoviruses in Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Children - Clinical and Molecular Epidemiological Study From Croatia, 2017-2019.

Rhinoviruses (RVs) are increasingly implicated not only in mild upper respiratory tract infections, but also in more severe lower respiratory tract infections; however, little is known about species diversity and viral epidemiology of RVs among the infected children. Therefore, we investigated the rhinovirus (RV) infection prevalence over a 2-year period, compared it with prevalence patterns of other common respiratory viruses, and explored clinical and molecular epidemiology of RV infections among 590 children hospitalized with acute respiratory infection in north-western and central parts of Croatia. For respiratory virus detection, nasopharyngeal and pharyngeal flocked swabs were taken from each patient and subsequently analyzed with multiplex RT-PCR.

Hepatitis E seroprevalence and associated risk factors in Croatian liver transplant recipients.

Introduction: Solid-organ transplant recipients are at risk of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection. We analyzed the seroprevalence/risk factors of HEV in Croatian liver transplant recipients.

Methods: Two hundred forty-two serum samples were tested for HEV immunoglobuline IgG/IgM and HEV RNA.

Naturally safe: Cellular noise for document security.

Modern document protection relies on the simultaneous combination of many optical features with micron and submicron structures, whose complexity is the main obstacle for unauthorized copying. In that sense, documents are best protected by the diffractive optical elements generated lithographically and mass-produced by embossing. The problem is that the resulting security elements are identical, facilitating mass-production of both original and counterfeited documents.

Association between Blood Group and Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers (Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma).

Background: Development of nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) has been associated with certain risk factors, but studies of the association between ABO blood group and NMSCs have been rare and inconclusive. The aim of this study was to assess the association of the previously known risk factors and blood group as a new potential risk factor in NMSCs.

Methods: The study included 401 patients, 202 men, and 199 women, which included 367 diagnosed cases of basal cell carcinoma and 148 diagnosed cases of squamous cell carcinoma.

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis in Populations with High-risk Behaviors in Croatia.

HIV and sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) represent a significant public health problem worldwide. We analyzed the seroprevalence and risk factors for HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis in populations with high-risk behaviors in Croatia. During a three-year period, a total of 443 men who have sex with men (MSM) / bisexual persons, sex workers (SW) / clients of SW, persons with multiple sexual partners, and persons with a history of STD were tested for the presence of HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and Treponema pallidum (syphilis) antibodies within the framework of second generation HIV surveillance.

Serum adipocytokines are associated with microalbuminuria in patients with type 1 diabetes and incipient chronic complications.

Aims: Recent studies have implicated possible contribution of adipocytokines in development and progression of microvascular complications in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). The aim of our study was to investigate relationship between adipocytokines, namely leptin, resistin, adiponectin and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) activity, with albuminuria in T1DM.

Methods: This study included 202 T1DM without or with incipient microvascular complications.

Nonlinear optical spectroscopy and two-photon excited fluorescence spectroscopy reveal the excited states of fluorophores embedded in a beetle's elytra.

Upon illumination by ultraviolet light, many animal species emit light through fluorescence processes arising from fluorophores embedded within their biological tissues. Fluorescence studies in living organisms are however relatively scarce and so far limited to the linear regime. Multiphoton excitation fluorescence analyses as well as nonlinear optical techniques offer unique possibilities to investigate the effects of the local environment on the excited states of fluorophores.