Twelve-month results from a randomized controlled trial comparing differential target multiplexed spinal cord stimulation and conventional spinal cord stimulation in subjects with chronic refractory axial low back pain not eligible for spine surgery.

Background: Successful treatments for intractable chronic low back pain (CLBP) in patients who are not eligible for surgical interventions are scarce. The superior efficacy of differential target multiplexed spinal cord stimulation (DTM SCS) to conventional SCS (Conv-SCS) on the treatment of CLBP in patients with persistent spinal pain syndrome (PSPS) who have failed surgical interventions (PSPS-T2) motivated the evaluation of DTM SCS versus Conv-SCS on PSPS patients who are non-surgical candidates (PSPS-T1).

Methods: This is a prospective, open label, crossover, post-market randomized controlled trial in 20 centers across the United States.

Is a Proactive Approach to Controlling in the Environment Justified?

Research Background: are Gram-negative bacteria that are ubiquitous in the natural environment. Contaminated water in man-made water systems is a potential source of transmission of legionnaires' disease. The aim of this study is to explore the prevalence of in the drinking water distribution system (DWDS) of Primorje-Gorski Kotar (PGK) County, Croatia, for the period 2013-2019, coupled with the incidence of legionnaires' disease.

Impact of antibiotic consumption on the carriage of antibiotic-resistant bacteria by school children.

Background: Antibiotic consumption in the paediatric population is one of the key drivers of the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance, which is a serious global threat to public health and clinical medicine. The aims of this study were to investigate systemic antibiotic consumption in school children and to assess the associations among antibiotic consumption, carriage rate and resistance of respiratory pathogens residing in the upper respiratory tract mucosa.

Methods: In this prospective study, throat and nasopharyngeal swabs from 450 school children, 6-15 years of age (225 healthy children and 225 patients who were ambulatory treated for upper respiratory tract infection), were processed in 2014 in Rijeka, Croatia, and clinical data were obtained via a questionnaire.

Parental Knowledge and Awareness Linked to Antibiotic Use and Resistance: Comparison of Urban and Rural Population in Croatia.

To investigate the differences in parental knowledge, attitudes, and practice about antibiotic use and resistance among the urban and rural populations in Croatia. A cross-sectional study based on a structured questionnaire was distributed to 1,000 parents of children attending 11 elementary schools of Primorsko-Goranska County in 2017. The overall response rate was 65.

Health Status, Lifestyle, Use of Health Services, Social Capital and Life Satisfaction As Predictors of Mental Health - Comparative Analysis of Women that Receive and Do not Receive Public Assistance in Croatia.

Background: The connection between socio-economic status and health is documented, yet not fully understood. The goal of this research was to analyze the relationship between socio-economic status, lifestyle and health status, availability of health-care, social capital, and satisfaction with life.

Subjects And Methods: Subjects were 1117 women aged 25-65 years divided in two groups.

Associations between Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Lifestyle Assessed with the MEDLIFE Index among the Working Population.

The adherence to the Mediterranean diet is beneficial for cardiovascular diseases prevention. The study aim is to use Mediterranean lifestyle (MEDLIFE) questionnaire for estimation of Mediterranean lifestyle habits among the working population and to establish MEDLIFE score correlation with the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. In the study has participated 366 workers from Croatia, which fulfilled MEDLIFE and validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) questionnaire.

Perception of stress, depression, hypertension and myocardial infarction as predictors of adherence to hypertension drug treatment.

This survey was performed to determine the relationship between the adherence to hypertension drug treatment and the perception of stress, depression, hypertension, and myocardial infarction. 300 patients with uncomplicated hyperten- sion from Rijeka, Croatia, were included (131 women, 169 men, mean age 53.5 years).

Epidemiological study of visual functions--refractive errors, macular degeneration and glaucoma in children in the Karst area of Opatija.

Authors of earlier studies examined the epidemiological characteristics of certain eye diseases: age-related macular degeneration (AMD), refractive errors and glaucoma in the area of Primorsho-goranska County (the island of Rab, Novi Vinodolshi and Delnice). It was found that the occurrence of AMD is most common on the island of Rab, followed by Novi Vinodolski and it is least common in Gorshi Kotar. This fact is associated with the intensity of solar radiation in the UV-A and UV-B fields.

Refractive errors in children of Primorsko-Goranska County--epidemiological study.

Three institutions: Teaching Institute of Public Health of Primorsko-Goranska County, Croatian Association "Albert Einstein" and Eye Clinic "Dr B.Vojnikovid" Rijeka agreed a five-year project to study children's health status of vision at Primorsko-Goranska County. Main task was the study of damage of vision in children due to prolonged sun exposure.

Evaluation of equivalence between different methods for enumeration of fecal indicator bacteria before and after adoption of the new Bathing Water Directive and risk assessment of pollution.

The quality of bathing water is of considerable public importance due to the possibility of fecal contamination. In 2009, Croatia implemented the new European Bathing Water Directive (BWD, 2006/7/EC) establishing stricter microbiological standards for new parameters with new reference methods. This study aims to evaluate the equivalence of different methods according to the old and revised BWD and to provide the possibility of data comparison.

The responses of the hepatosomatic index (HSI), 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, Linnaeus 1758) caged at a polluted site: implications for their use in environmental risk assessment.

The present study investigates the response of three hepatic biomarkers in adult sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, Linnaeus 1758) caged at a wastewater outlet of an oil refinery with fish caged at a pristine site used as controls. The biomarkers that were investigated were the hepatosomatic index (HSI), 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity. In addition, we have measured the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and selected heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, copper and zinc) in sediment samples at the polluted site.

[Retrospection on Hygiene Congress organisation in Opatija 1950].

In years following to the second world war the convention organisator was faced with major technical difficulties due to universal shortage of resources. During the 50's, two conventions of health workers with topics related to preventive medicine were held in Opatija. On both occasion Sanitary Bureau of Rijeka (Institute of Hygiene) was the main organisator.

Ecotoxicological characterization of marine sediment in Kostrena coastal area.

Samples of marine sediment were taken on 4 selected sites close to the shipyard industry in Kostrena coastal area. Concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Hg, Fe) were analyzed from chemical-analytical and toxicological aspect. For toxicity detection, the bacterial bioluminescence test (Vibrio fisheri) was used.

Residues of lindane in adipose tissue of lambs and sheep from islands Krk and Cres.

Concentrations of lindane from adipose tissue i.e. omentum of sheep from homesteads of island Krk that were treated with lindane, were compared with the concentrations of lindane measured in adipose tissue of non treated sheep from husbandry cooperative on island Cres.

Monitoring the presence of genetically modified food on the market of the Republic of Croatia.

From the beginning of the human race people have been applying different methods to change the genetic material of either plants or animals in order to increase their yield as well as to improve the quality and quantity of food. Genetically modified organism (GMO) means an organism in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. Analysing the presence of GMO in food is done by detecting the presence of either specific DNA sequences inserted in the genome of transgenic organism, or detecting proteins as a result of the expression of the inserted DNA.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals in Kostrena coastal area.

The aim of this study was to determine pollution by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals in seawater and sediment in Kostrena coastal area, as well as their toxicity using bioluminescence based tests. Total PAH concentration in seawater ranged 1.7-155.

Influence of sunflower oil qualities and antioxidants on oxidative stability on whey-based salad dressings.

The antioxidant effect of ascorbic acid and EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) in food emulsions, based on whey and sunflower oils with enhanced oleic acid, α- and β- tocopherol content, was not described up to now. Salad dressings based on cold-pressed high-oleic/α-, β- tocopherol sunflower oil were oxidatively stable after 3 months of storage at 25 °C regarding primary (peroxide value, PV) and secondary (hexanal) lipid oxidation products (PV = 0.34 mmol O2 kg-1, hexanal value = 1.

Determination of enzyme matrix metalloproteinases-9 and immune status as indicators of development of the environmental diseases.

The majority of environmental diseases are multifactorial airway illnesses, including genetic background and exposure to different kind of airborne irritants and allergens. Altered lifestyle and changes in environmental exposures contribute to the occurring of these diseases. The term of environmental illnesses includes the disease primarily caused by pollution of air and water, chemical and physical agents, radiation, contaminated food and direct contact with the toxins we are exposed to natural and/or working environment.

Immunomodulation of cell-mediated cytotoxicity after chronic exposure to vapors.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells represent two major types of immune cytotoxic cells that have a crucial role in innate immunity. Urban air pollution represents a common and difficult problem in the majority of metropolises, which contain high levels of traffic congestion generating great amounts of genotoxic substances. Diesel exhaust particles act as adjuvant in the immune response and may lead to the enhancement of proinflammatory and proallergic response without exposure to allergen.

Cancer and cardiovascular diseases nutrition knowledge and dietary intake of medical students.

The aims of this study were to determine medical students' knowledge regarding the association between dietary factors and the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases and to investigate if this knowledge has an impact on their dietary intakes. Three hundred and ninety medical students (males and females) were included in a study and grouped according to their daily fibre and fat intakes. For diet-disease knowledge, questions from the General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire for Adults were used and dietary assessment was done with Food Frequency Questionnaire.

Perception of arterial hypertension and myocardial infarction in hypertensive and normotensive men and women.

The research aims were to test perception of arterial hypertension and myocardial infarction in hypertensive and normotensive men and women as well as to test perception of arterial hypertension and myocardial infarction as predictors of blood pressure control in hypertensives. In the research 470 subjects of 4 general practices from Rijeka, Croatia participated, hypertensive group from the list of hypertensive patients without cardiovascular complications and other major chronic conditions, normotensive group from the list of patients without chronic conditions. Each group had 235 subjects, 128 men and 107 women.

Effect of menopause, anthropometry, nutrition and lifestyle on bone status of women in the northern Mediterranean.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of age, menopause, anthropometry, nutrition and lifestyle on bone status of women of the Northern Mediterranean Region ofCroatia, which is considered the Adriatic Coast of Southeast Europe.

Methods: Quantitative ultrasound measurement was performed on the women's right heel and the values of the primary parameters (the Broad Ultrasonic Attenuation and the Speed of Sound [BUA and SOS]) were obtained. Dietary data were assessed with specially designed semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.

Pregnancy loss and maternal methemoglobin levels: an indirect explanation of the association of environmental toxics and their adverse effects on the mother and the fetus.

The aim of this epidemiologic study was to point out a relationship between the exposure to products of coal combustion, and complications in pregnancy where one third of causes of stillbirth are still unknown. In the town of Labin (Croatia) a coal-powered thermoelectric power plant is the single major air polluter. We compared the records of miscarriages, premature births and stillbirths in two periods: the control and the exposure period.

The role of air quality in perception of health of the local population.

The research aim was to investigate and establish the perception of health among population groups with different number of industrial polluters in their living environment. Namely, the Kostrena living area (3250 inhabitants) is situated near big industrial pollutant producers: INA oil refinery Urinj, thermo power plant Rijeka, shipyard "Viktor Lenac", while in Crikvenica living area such pollutant producers do not exist. In this research 146 subjects from Kostrena participated (74 men and 72 women with age average 40.

Amaurosis fugax is in the first place, during attack, medical emergency for ophthalmologist's practice.

This paper is focused on disease Amaurosis Fugax (AF), indicating the necessary urgent therapy in attack of illnesses. In attack, the patient represents ophthalmic case, because of vision lost, but primary process and cause exists even earlier and very often is of chronical character. Authors emphasize sequencing in therapy of AF and accentuate that in 24 hours the cause of the disease may be defined.