Collegium antropologicum (COLLEGIUM ANTROPOL)

Publications in this journal

• Article: Evaluation of bacteremia in a pediatric intensive care unit: epidemiology, microbiology, sources sites and risk factors.

  Branka Maldini, Stanko Antolić, Katarina Sakić-Zdravcević, Maja Karaman-Ilić, Sasa Janković
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  ABSTRACT: Bacteremia is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in children treated in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). We have investigated the causative agents of bacteremia in our PICU over a one-year period, to determine mortality associated with such infection and identify the dependent predictors for morbidity and mortality. From 1 January till 31 December 2006, 479 patients were admitted in the PICU and 379 blood culture samples were taken. Samples were incubated in the BACTEC 9050 System, and isolates identified by routine microbiological methods. A pair of samples taken for aerobic and anaerobic culture were statistically regarded as one sample. Data collected from the medical records of each patient were recorded onto standardized collections sheets and included demographic information, predisposing conditions, source(s) of infection, important clinical and laboratory parameters at the time of infection, and microbiological data. Based on these data, positive blood cultures were classified as either contaminants or true bacteremias. During a year period, 117 episodes of bacteremia were documented in 72 patients. The most frequent isolates were the coagulase-negative staphylococci 32.2% (39), followed by Candida spp. 30.5% (36). The mean white blood cell count (WBC) on the day of bacteremia was 15.2 x 10(9)/L (range 0.1-48.0 x 10(9)/L), and 3.3% of episodes occurred in neutropenic (WBC count < 1 x 10(9)/L) children. The mean temperature on the day of infection was 38.2 +/- 1.1 degrees C (range, 34-41 degrees C). Some newborns 23% (n = 5) had a significantly lower mean temperature (p < 0.02) and lower mean WBC count (p < 0.05) than older children. Hemodynamic instability was noted in 11% of bacteremic episodes. Among all bacteremias, intravascular catheters were implicated in 22.6%, pneumonia in 20.4%, genitourinary tract in 14.2%, surgical wounds in 11.7% and, gastrointestinal tract in 9.8%. Seven patients died because of sepsis. Early diagnosis, prompt blood culture reports, followed by appropriate antibiotic treatment is essential in reducing mortality in such patients. Short hospital stay and restricted use of invasive devices should be the aims to reduce the risk of bacteremia during the stay in the PICU.
  Collegium antropologicum 02/2013; 31(4):1083-8.
• Article: Differences between Health-Related Physical Fitness Profiles of Croatian Children in Urban and Rural Areas

  Tihana Ujevi, Goran Spori, Zoran Milanovi, Sa{a Panteli, Boris Neljak
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  ABSTRACT: Information about the regional distribution of health-related physical fitness status is necessary in order to tailor public health interventions, and due to a number of behavioral health risks caused by the increasing sedentary lifestyle. This study aimed to find differences between Croatian children’s health-related physical fitness profiles in urban and rural areas. The sample for this study consisted of 2431 fifth-grade students (1248 boys and 1183 girls) from urban und rural areas of Croatia. The mean age of participants was 11.3±6.1 years. The differences between the health-related physical fitness of school children from urban and rural areas was computed using series of univariant analysis of variance and canonical discriminant analysis. The reliability of the tests was determined by Cronbach’s alpha coefficients. Urban boys and girls significantly differ in body height from rural boys and girls. Body mass index and body fat percentage are slightly higher in the urban boys and girls but they do not differ significantly. Urban children perform significantly better in the 20 m dash, standing long jump and timed sit-ups. Urban and rural boys and girls do not differ significantly in the flexibility. This study determined if selected levels of urbanization affected the physical fitness status of children in Croatia. The results suggest that the differences in children’s health-related physical fitness profiles are due to the level of urbanization. Key words: physical fitness, health-related, urban versus rural, school children Introduction Physical inactivity is a serious, growing health problem. A lot of research1 has been carried out in an effort to emphasize the importance of physical fitness, physical activity and health indices. Nevertheless, there is an increasing prevalence of sedentary lifestyle in spite of the known benefits of physical activity for the health status. A lifestyle of regular physical activity presumably contributes to a more efficient functioning of various systems, weight maintenance, reduced risk of mortality2 and overall improvement of quality of life3. An environment that limits physical activity has been implicated as a major contributing factor in the obesity epidemic1,4–6. The modern attitude in public health considers physical activity and physical fitness as factors that influence on one’s health during childhood and adolescence. This continues into and throughout adulthood affecting the well- -being
  Collegium antropologicum 01/2013; 37(1):75-80.
• Article: Biomedical Psychiatry and Its Concealed Metaphors: An Anthropological Perspective

  Angel Martínez Hernáez
  Collegium antropologicum 01/2013; in press.
• Article: Early detection and recognition of children with ADHD (attention deficit hiperactivity disorder) symptoms.

  Mladenka Vukojević, Alma Dizdarević, Delfina Novaković
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  ABSTRACT: Aim of this study was to determine the probability of occurrence of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder- ADHD in children of preschool age and early school age, and to identify differences in the assessment of children identified with high probability for the disorder with regard to assessment by parents and teachers, and with respect on age and sex of children. Total of 107 children were included in the study: 51 girls and 56 boys. The study employed two questionnaires: Questionnaire for Analysis at School for teachers and Questionnaire for Analysis at Home for parents. Both questionnaires contained 39 statements which covered three dimensions of child's behavior needed for ADHD diagnosis. Raw data in each questionnaire were converted according to the standard norms of Guide to Standard Scores (SS) and Total Standard Scores (TSS) and as such were used for statistical analysis. It was found that a considerable number of children demonstrated high probability for ADHD disorder in assessments done by both parents and teachers. Parents recognize probability of ADHD presence more frequently among male children, while teachers recognize this probability more often among female children. Research shows that a significant percentage of children from the entire sample have been labeled with significant ADHD symptoms. Given the age of the child both parents and teachers recognize similar levels of high ADHD probability. Future studies should be directed toward early detection and recognition of children with ADHD syndrome, and clinical evaluation as a first step toward successful treatment and prevention of additional psychological and other problems in an adult.
  Collegium antropologicum 12/2012; 36(4):1183-8.
• Article: The anthropology of tradition and transition.

  Noel Camëron, Ivor Janković, Sasa Missoni
  Collegium antropologicum 12/2012; 36(4):1085-7.
• Article: Transitioning from traditional: pollution, diet and the development of children.

  Lawrence M Schell
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  ABSTRACT: Indigenous people in virtually all parts of the world have transitioned from a traditional way of life to incorporate western culture to some degree. The forces driving these transitions are varied although there are some common features. Today, some traditional communities are exposed to pollution from nearby industries that have been located in undeveloped areas to take advantage of natural resources, inexpensive labor, lax regulations, or other features. Avoiding sources of pollution can safeguard health, but may have untoward consequences. When exposure to pollutants is through components of the traditional diet, people must alter their diet to avoid the pollutants, and in so doing, they transition away from traditional culture. Further, avoiding local, contaminated food involves eating commercial, mass produced foods that can contribute to obesity which is a growing problem worldwide. The choice between eating uncontaminated food from stores or maintaining traditional ways including a traditional diet, is a stressful one adding to the overwhelming stress of acculturation.
  Collegium antropologicum 12/2012; 36(4):1129-34.
• Article: Nutritional habits of Croatian Island populations--recent insights.

  Sasa Missoni
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  ABSTRACT: Although Croatia is divided into continental and insular subpopulation which practice different dietary habits, a general shift in nutritional habits has been observed in the direction of globalization, including considerably higher intake of red meat, saturated fatty acids, milk, dairies etc. and accompanied by a decrease in physical activity. These relatively abrupt changes have had an especially significant impact on the insular populations, known for their traditional Mediterranean diet and have led to the increased prevalence of hypertension, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart diseases etc. on Croatian islands. Since the expression of genes responsible for the occurrence of complex diseases can be enhanced in isolated populations due to the effect of evolutionary forces, genetic-epidemiological research in population isolates is of great importance, giving us insight into the interplay between intrinsic (genes) and extrinsic risk factors (diet) for disease development.
  Collegium antropologicum 12/2012; 36(4):1139-42.
• Article: Psychometric properties of the Albanian language version of the OHIP-ALB49 Questionnaire in the Republic of Kosovo.

  Venera Bimbashi, Asja Celebić, Agim Islami, Flurije Asllani-Hoxha, Nikola Petricević
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  ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to develop and to test psychometric properties of the Albanian language version of the Oral Health Impact Questionnaire (OHIP-ALB49) in the new typical cultural context. The construct validity was tested: the convergent validity was tested on 389 subjects (general population (n = 119), removable prosthodontic patients (n = 213) and students (n = 57)), and the discriminative validity was tested in edentulous patients wearing dentures (CDWs) (n = 180) and edentulous patients having no dentures at all (n = 33). The test-retest reliability was tested on 57 subjects (27 dental students and 30 complete denture wearers), the internal consistency on 389 subjects, and the responsiveness on 33 patients with a treatment demand (complete dentures). The significant association between the OHIP summary scores and the self-reported oral health (p < 0.001) confirmed the convergent validity. The discriminative validity was confirmed by significant difference between the CDWs and the edentulous subjects without any dentures. The test-retest reliability was confirmed by high intraclass correlation coefficients and no significant differences between the two administrations (p > 0.05). The internal consistency showed high Cronbach's alpha (0.94 in general population and in prosthodontic patients, 0.96 in the student group). The responsiveness was confirmed by the statistically significant difference between the mean OHIP score at the baseline and the follow-up (p < 0.001) and by the high effect size (2.19 for the OHIP Summary Score) in the edentulous patients with a treatment demand). The psychometric properties of the OHIP-ALB49 prove that the instrument is suitable for the assessment of the Oral Health Related Quality of Life in Kosovo.
  Collegium antropologicum 12/2012; 36(4):1189-95.
• Article: Transfer of learning on a spatial memory task between the blind and sighted people.

  Selcuk Akpinar, Stevo Popović, Sadettin Kirazci
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  ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of two different types of feedback on a spatial memory task between the blind and blindfolded-sighted participants. Participants tried to estimate the predetermined distance by using their dominant hands. Both blind and blindfolded-sighted groups were randomly divided into two feedback subgroups as "100% frequency" and "10% bandwidth". The score of the participants was given verbally to the participants as knowledge of results (KR). The target distance was set as 60 cm. Sixty acquisition trials were performed in 4 sets each including 15 repetition afterwards immediate and delayed retention tests were undertaken. Moreover, 24 hours past the delayed retention test, the participants completed 15 no-KR trials as a transfer test (target distance was 30 cm). The results of the statistical analyses revealed no significant differences for both acquisition and retention tests. However, a significant difference was found at transfer test. 100% frequency blind group performed significantly less accurate than all other groups. As a result, it can be concluded that different types of feedback have similar effect on spatial memory task used in this study. However, types of feedback can change the performance of accuracy on transferring this skill among the blind.
  Collegium antropologicum 12/2012; 36(4):1211-7.
• Article: Connection of depression and bone loss in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

  Ivana Ljubicić Bistrović, Ika Roncević-Grzeta, Zeljka Crncević-Orlić, Tanja Francisković, Rudolf Ljubicić, Anamarija Orlić, Miljenko Kapović
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  ABSTRACT: Depression has been implicated as a possible risk factor for low bone mineral density (BMD). However, there is still no solid evidence that could connect these two different illnesses. This research examined the association between self-reported depression and low BMD in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. This research screened 130 female patients who were 44 to 72 years old and registered at the densitometry clinic of KBC Rijeka during a three month period. Densitometry was performed in order to establish their BMD and according to the results two groups of participants were formed: normal BMD - 38 participants with normal BMD at hip and spine and reduced BMD - 75 participants with lower BMD at hip and spine. Depression was assessed using Beck depression inventory. Both groups of participants were compared regarding their depression scores. There were no significant differences between the groups with normal and reduced BMD regarding mean age, age of menopause, length of menopause and number of births (p = 0.001). Difference regarding depressiveness between the two groups was not significant (t = 0.73; p = 0.468). Also, there were no differences between the groups regarding the frequency of certain levels of depression. (chi2 = 2.27; p = 0.52). Results of this research suggest that self-reported depression is not associated with low BMD in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
  Collegium antropologicum 12/2012; 36(4):1219-23.
• Article: The influence of bodily activity on retaining the functionality of the hand in aged persons.

  Marijana Ljubić
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  ABSTRACT: Degenerative changes of the hands is one of the leading problems of the elderly because of the inability to perform daily activities. This study aimed to determine whether the application of physical activities and exercises was effective in maintaining and/or improving hand function and the overall quality of life of older people in the institution. The instruments applied were: SF-36, keeping a diary for each subject in certain categories (exercise, creative therapy, communication, cognitive, motor and sensory abilities), Barthel Index, vigorimeter, test of hand function, satisfaction with life scale. Research has shown that the program of physical activities that are conducted throughout the year can maintain and improve hand function in older persons who are placed in an institution which contributes to the quality of their lives in terms of performing daily activities. As a conclusion from the results, it is proposed to introduce a model of physical activity into the institutional form of care for the elderly.
  Collegium antropologicum 12/2012; 36(4):1225-30.
• Article: The effect of spinal versus general anesthesia on postoperative pain and analgesic requirements in patients undergoing peripheral vascular surgery.

  Visnja Nesek-Adam, Zarko Rasić, Dragan Schwarz, Elvira Grizelj-Stojcić, Domagoj Rasić, Zoran Krstonijević, Ana Markić, Marko Kovacević
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  ABSTRACT: The optimal anesthetic technique for peripheral vascular surgery remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of spinal versus general anesthesia on postoperative pain, analgesic requirements and postoperative comfort in patients undergoing peripheral vascular surgery. A total of 40 patients scheduled for peripheral vascular surgery were randomly assigned to two groups of 20 patients each to receive general anesthesia (GA) or spinal anesthesia (SA). In GA group, anesthesia was induced using thiopental and fentanyl. Vecuronium was used for muscle relaxation. Anaesthesia was maintained with isoflurane and nitrous oxide. In the SA group, hyperbaric 0.5% bupivacaine was injected into the subarachnoid space. Postoperative pain was assessed for 24 hours by a visual analog scale during three assessment periods: 0-4, 4-12 and 12-24 h as well as analgesic requirements. Patients were also asked to assess their postoperative state as satisfactory or unsatisfactory with regard to the pain, side effects and postoperative nausea and vomiting. Visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score was significantly lower in the group SA compared with group GA. This effect was mainly due to the lower pain score during the first study period. The patients received general anesthesia also reported a significantly higher rate of unsatisfactory postoperative comfort than those receiving spinal anesthesia. We conclude that spinal anesthesia is superior to general anesthesia when considering patients' satisfaction, side effects and early postoperative analgesic management.
  Collegium antropologicum 12/2012; 36(4):1301-5.