Modeling the COVID-19 epidemic in Croatia: a comparison of three analytic approaches.

Aim: To facilitate the development of a COVID-19 predictive model in Croatia by analyzing three different methodological approaches.

Method: We used the historical data to explore the fit of the extended SEIRD compartmental model, the Heidler function, an exponential approximation in analyzing electromagnetic phenomena related to lightning strikes, and the Holt-Winters smoothing (HWS) for short-term epidemic predictions. We also compared various methods for the estimation of R0.

Addressing Challenges When Applying GRADE to Public Health Guidelines: A Scoping Review Protocol and Pilot Analysis.

This is a protocol for a scoping review that aims to determine how guideline authors using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach have addressed previously identified challenges related to public health. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews will be followed. We will search and screen titles of guidelines for all languages published in 2013-2021 in: the GIN library, BIGG database, Epistemonikos GRADE guidelines repository, GRADEpro Database, MAGICapp, NICE and WHO websites.

Evaluation of Burning Test Rate Method for Flammable Solids to Increase air-Cargo Safety.

This paper deals with a standard classification procedure for readily combustible solids and their assignment to the relevant packing groups according to international air-cargo legislation and regulations. The current International Air Transport Association and United Nations Orange Book regulations were used on chemically similar substances: hexamethylenetetramine and Dancook ignition briquettes, which are both assigned into the same Packing Group III. To critically evaluate the degree of hazard both chemicals present, a standard burning test rate as well as thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry and evolved gas analysis measurements were performed.

Vasopressin and thirst in patients with posterior pituitary ectopia and hypopituitarism.

Objective: Partial diabetes insipidus has been documented in patients with congenital hypopituitarism and posterior pituitary ectopia, some cases being clinically silent except for enuresis. The objective of our study was to evaluate vasopressin (AVP) secretion and thirst appreciation in hypopituitary patients with posterior pituitary ectopia.

Patients: Twelve males and three females, aged between 13 and 38 years (median 19 years).

Dexamethasone in the diagnostic work-up of growth hormone deficiency.

Objective: Acute administration of dexamethasone (dexa) has recently been shown to induce growth hormone (GH) release. To ascertain the efficacy of this stimulus in assessing GH secretory status in children, we tested it in a large group of patients with short stature.

Methods: We administered dexamethasone at the dose of 2 mg/m2 to 44 short normal children and 19 GH deficient (GHD) children, either orally or intravenously and compared the results of the dexa-test to the more classical clonidine test.

Evidence of a congenital midline brain anomaly in pituitary dwarfs: a magnetic resonance imaging study in 101 patients.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain in pituitary dwarfs has revealed a previously unknown entity: ectopia of the posterior pituitary (PPE), absence or hypoplasia of the pituitary stalk and hypoplasia of the anterior pituitary. The pathogenesis of these findings was explained originally by a traumatic transection of the pituitary stalk during delivery. A high incidence of breech delivery has been reported in these groups, but the traumatic hypothesis cannot explain the findings in the relatively high percentage of patients with normal delivery, nor account for a different feature also found in other pituitary dwarfs consisting of pituitary hypoplasia with normal posterior pituitary.