Prevalence and risk factors of alcohol abuse among university students from eastern Croatia: questionnaire study

The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of alcohol abuse among university students in Osijek, Croatia and its possible interconnections with gender, year of study, repetition of year of study, faculty subject area, sources of financing and type of residence during study. A validated questionnaire was self-administered to cross-faculty representative student sample of "J. J. Strossmayer" University of Osiek in June 2006. General demographic data, as well as data on academic features and student socio-economical status were obtained. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used for assessing the extent of alcohol consumption, with cut off value of 8 indicating possible alcohol problems. The majority of study participants 90.9% (755/831) had tried alcohol at least once in their life. Among this group, 43.8% (331/755) had an AUDIT total score of 8 or more: 69.2% (229/331) were males and 30.8% (102/331) were females. Among the study participants who screened positive, 70.4% (233/331) responded positively to simple advice focused on the reduction of hazardous drinking (AUDIT 8-15), 14.5% (48/331) needed brief counseling and continued monitoring (AUDIT 16-19), and 15.1% (50/331) clearly warranted further diagnostic evaluation for alcohol dependence (AUDIT 20 and above). Significantly different statistical data was found within the following factors: gender, repetition of year of study, faculty subject area and type of residence (chi2 = 76.232, p = 0.0000; Fisher exact test = 31.828, p = 0.0000; chi2 = 11.667, p = 0.0086 and chi2 = 6.639, p = 0.0362 respectively). Alcohol consumption resulting in risk behaviors is common among university students from eastern Croatia. These findings emphasize the need for comprehensive and effective preventative strategies directed towards student population.     

An automated, polymer-assisted strategy for the preparation of urea and thiourea derivatives of 15-membered azalides as potential antimalarial chemotherapeutics

A series of 15-membered azalide urea and thiourea derivatives has been synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro antimalarial activity against chloroquine-sensitive (D6), chloroquine/pyremethamine resistant (W2) and multidrug resistant (TM91C235) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. We have developed an effective automated synthetic strategy for the rapid synthesis of urea/thiourea libraries of a macrolide scaffold. Compounds have been synthesized using a solution phase strategy with overall yields of 50-80%. Most of the synthesized compounds had inhibitory effects. The top 10 compounds were 30-65 times more potent than azithromycin, an azalide with antimalarial activity, against all three strains.     

Expression pattern and functional analysis of mouse Stam2 in the olfactory system

Gene trap mutant mice Stam(gt1Gaj) were investigated in order to elucidate in vivo function of Stam2 (signal transducing adaptor molecule 2) gene, which was in vitro implicated in sorting cargo marked by monoubiquitination toward degradation in the lysosomes. The expression analysis showed high Stam2 expression in the brain including the regions related to olfaction, and in the olfactory epithelium, but not in the respiratory part of nasal mucosa. To test mouse olfaction, ability to find chocolate hidden under the sawdust in the cage was examined. When food was given ad libitum before trials, mutants needed more time and failed more frequently to find the chocolate. In contrast, when the mice were fasted overnight before trial, there were no differences between mutants and wild type mice. No changes in morphology of olfactory mucosa were observed. The obtained results showed the existence of phenotype differences between mutants and wild type mice. However, different results of two approaches aimed to test olfaction, with and without food deprivation, currently do not enable to assign the particular function of Stam2 to olfaction. This emphasizes how slight modification of experimental setup in behavioural testing can cause important differences on the obtained results.     

Specific and gender differences between hospitalized and out of hospital mortality due to myocardial infarction

In this paper, the authors evaluate gender related differences of myocardial infarction mortality before and after hospital admittance. Myocardial infarction mortality in the Clinical Hospital Split in the seven years period between 2000 and 2006, have been analyzed together with out of hospital sudden death patients with acute myocardial infarction established during autopsy. During the seven year period between 2000 and 2006, 3434 patients were treated for myocardial infarction in the Split Clinical Hospital, 2336 (68%) males and 1098 (32%) females with a 12% total mortality (427 patients). The annual number of hospitalized persons has been increasing during that period (474 in yr. 2000 us. 547 in yr. 2006), while mortality decreased from 15% in 2000 to 9.6% in 2006. Female patients had significantly higher hospital mortality than male patients, (228 or 21% vs. 202 or 9%, p<0.05). Women also had significantly higher total AMI mortality (23.7% vs. 15,7%, p <0.05). Anterior myocardial infarction with ST elevation in precordial leads had significantly higher mortality (19%) compared to patients with lateral (11%), inferior (10%) myocardial infarction with ST elevation and also NSTEMI (4%) mortality p<0.05. Female patients more frequently die in hospital, 84% (230) than out of hospital 16% (43). From the total number of AMI deaths (388) in male patients, 56% (217) were in hospital and 44% (171) out of hospital (p<0.001). Men had significantly higher prehospital mortality rate than women (81% vs. 19%, p<0.05). Men also more frequently died from ventricular fibrillation (22% vs. 10%, p<0.05), while women died more frequently of heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and myocardial rupture (33% vs. 15% p<0.05). Regarding the total number of deaths from myocardial infarction men had significantly higher prehospital mortality compared to women (178 or 7.3% vs. 43 or 3.7%, p<0.05). Anterior myocardial infarction had a significantly higher rate in patients dying pre-hospital (58%), in contrast to inferior (36%) and lateral myocardial infarction with ST elevation (6%) p<0.05. We have concluded that male patients die more frequently within the first few hours of AMI mostly due to malignant arrhythmias, while female patients died in sub acute stage due to heart failure while being hospitalized. Nevertheless total mortality of AMI remains significantly higher in women.     

AT1 receptor antagonism attenuates target organ effects of salt excess in SHRs without affecting pressure

Our recent studies have demonstrated that salt excess in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) produces a modestly increased arterial pressure while promoting marked myocardial fibrosis and structural damage associated with altered coronary hemodynamics and ventricular function. The present study was designed to determine the efficacy of an angiotensin II type 1 (AT(1)) receptor blocker (ARB) in the prevention of pressure increase and development of target organ damage from high dietary salt intake. Eight-week-old SHRs were given an 8% salt diet for 8 wk; their age- and gender-matched controls received standard chow. Some of the salt-loaded rats were treated concomitantly with ARB (candesartan; 10 mg kg(-1) day(-1)). The ARB failed to reduce the salt-induced rise in pressure, whereas it significantly attenuated left ventricular (LV) remodeling (mass and wall thicknesses), myocardial fibrosis (hydroxyproline concentration and collagen volume fraction), and the development of LV diastolic dysfunction, as shown by longer isovolumic relaxation time, decreased ratio of peak velocity of early to late diastolic waves, and slower LV relaxation (minimum first derivative of pressure over time/maximal LV pressure). Without affecting the increased pulse pressure by high salt intake, the ARB prevented the salt-induced deterioration of coronary and renal hemodynamics but not the arterial stiffening or hypertrophy (pulse wave velocity and aortic mass index). Additionally, candesartan prevented the salt-induced increase in kidney mass index and proteinuria. In conclusion, the ARB given concomitantly with dietary salt excess ameliorated salt-related structural and functional cardiac and renal abnormalities in SHRs without reducing arterial pressure. These data clearly demonstrated that angiotensin II (via AT(1) receptors), at least in part, participated importantly in the pressure-independent effects of salt excess on target organ damage of hypertension.     

Migration of phthalates from plastic products to model solutions

The aim of this investigation was to determine the level and rate of migration of phthalates, compounds used as plastic softeners, from various plastic products into model solutions and to assess the possible adverse effects of the phthalate amounts released on human health, thus to contribute to harmonization of the opinions on the maximal allowed human exposure to these compounds through environmental factors. Nine specimens of plastic toys, 16 specimens of plastic food containers and 10 specimens of other plastic consumer goods were analyzed. The specimens of plastic products were submitted to 10-day action of model solutions. Three model solutions were used: distilled water, 10% ethyl alcohol, and 3% acetic acid. Identification and quantification of the phthalates released were performed by the method of gas chromatography on days 1, 5 and 10 of exposure, at a detection limit of 0.005 microgram/kg. On day 10, the highest level of released phthalates (54.5 mg/kg) was measured in distilled water, followed by 44.4 mg/kg in 3% acetic acid and 32.3 mg/kg in 10% ethyl alcohol. According to plastic product categories, the highest pooled level of phthalates released to all three solutions was recorded for plastic toys (66.2 mg/kg), followed by food containers (37.6 mg/kg) and other consumer goods (27.4 mg/kg). According to plastic product categories, toys showed the most rapid phthalate release, with 65.4% (43.3 of 66.2 mg/kg) of the pooled level of phthalates released to all three solutions recorded on day 1. As indicated by the study results, the levels of phthalates released would not present a hazard for human health, not even over a prolonged period of time. However, data on the highest and fastest pooled phthalate release from plastic toys, and this especially to distilled water simulating salivary action, point to the need of continuous evaluation and amendments of the legislation on phthalates in consumer goods.     

Hemodynamic differences in sevoflurane versus propofol anesthesia

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of sevoflurane and propofol anesthesia on myocardial contractility during laparotomic cholecystectomy using transesophageal echo-Doppler. In the study, 40 patients were randomized into two groups, depending on whether they received sevoflurane or propofol anesthesia. Heart rate, cardiac index, stroke volume, left ventricular ejection time and acceleration were measured 10 minutes after induction of anesthesia, 1 minute and 25 minutes after incision. The results were analyzed using paired t-test and ANOVA. Significantly lower values were found for all parameters after the initial measurement (p < 0.05). In the sevoflurane group, stroke volume decreased from 66 +/- 6.2 ml/beat to 65 +/- 6.4 ml/beat and to 63 +/- 5.6 ml/beat 1 minute and 25 minutes after incision respectively. In the propofol group changes were from 64 ml/beat to 58 +/- 10.5 ml/beat to 58 +/- 8.6 ml/beat. Stroke volume was significantly higher in the sevoflurane than in the propofol group (p < 0.05). Sevoflurane anesthesia allows a better hemodynamic stability during laparotomic cholecystectomy.     

Effects of a training program for special operations battalion on soldiers' fitness characteristics

ABSTRACT: Spori?, G, Milanovi?, Z, Harasin, D, Trajkovi?, N, and Vuleta, D. Effects of a training program for special operations battalion on soldiers fitness characteristics. J Strength Cond Res 26(10): 2872-2882, 2012-The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of special operations battalion (SOB) training program on soldiers' fitness parameters. The research was conducted on a sample of 25 members (mean ± SD: age 27.93 ± 5.12 years, height 178.64 ± 6.91 cm, body mass 81.42 ± 9.18 kg) of the Croatian Armed Forces for SOB, divided into control and experimental groups. Total duration of the SOB basic training was 62 days. The sample of variables consists of 12 tests for the assessment of fitness characteristics, 2 tests for functional capacity, and 18 morphological measures. Morphological parameters were measured according to the instructions of the International Biological Program. Fitness characteristics were measured with the following tests: 1-kg medicine ball throw from a seated position, standing broad jump (SBJ), relative sergeant test, 20-m sprint, the maximum thrust from the bench, push-ups in 2 minutes (PU2minutes), sit-ups in 2 minutes (SU2minutes), pull-ups (PU), thrust from the bench with 70% of body weight (BP70%), crawling and jumping, agility test 93639 with turn (A9-3-6-3-9), and sit and reach. Functional abilities were evaluated with 2 tests: 3,200 m running (SK3200) and 300 yards running (MBI3Y). There was a statistically significant difference in a set of fitness characteristics variables analyzed between the 2 groups in initial and final measurements in the multivariate level. Analyzing the results of t-test, differences of variables, it was evident that the difference after the SOB program occurred in 7 variables in the experimental group: SBJ, PU2minutes, SU2minutes, PU, BP70%, MBI3Y, and SK3200. Basic training for SOB during 8 weeks has produced significant burnout of the body for the participants who have completed their training. This led to a reduction in fitness performance manifested through the tested variables.     

Fitness profiling in handball: physical and physiological characteristics of elite players

The purpose of this study was to describe the structural and functional characteristics of elite Croatian handball players and to evaluate whether the players in different positional roles have different physical and physiological profiles. According to the positional roles, players were categorized as goalkeepers (n = 13), wing players (n = 26), backcourt players (n = 28) and pivot players (n = 25). The goalkeepers were older (p < 0.01), and the pivot players were more experienced (p < 0.01) than the backcourt players. The wings were the shortest players in the team. The pivots were tallest and heavier than the backcourt and wing players (p < 0.01), whereas the backcourt players were tallest then wings (p < 0.01). Goalkeepers had more body fat than the backcourt and wing players (p < 0.01). The backcourt players had a lower percentage of body fat. The backcourt players were the quickest players in the team when looking at values of maximal running speed on a treadmill. The Goalkeepers were the slowest players in the team (p < 0.01). The best average results concerning maximal heart rate were detected among the backcourt players. There were no statistically significant differences between the players'positions when measuring blood lactate and maximal heart rate. A strong negative correlation was found between body fat and maximal running speed (r = -0.68, p < 0.01). Coaches are able to use this information to determine which type of profile is needed for a specific position. Experienced coaches can used this information in the process of designing a training program to maximize the fitness development of handball players, with one purpose only, to achieve success in handball.