Background: Croatia and Slovenia are neighboring countries with marked differences in high school and undergraduate nursing curricula. The aim was to assess and compare attitudes toward the elderly among undergraduate nursing students in Croatia and Slovenia and identify factors associated with positive/negative attitudes.Subjects and methods: This was a cross-sectional survey conducted between September, 2017 and July, 2018 among undergraduate nursing students at five higher education institutions: three in Slovenia and two in Croatia. The following data were gathered: age, sex, year of study, previous education, employment status, previous education in gerontolgy, desired professional role after graduating, previous experience with the elderly. Kogan`s Attitude Towards Old People Scale (KATOPS) score was the primary outcome measure. Pairwise comparisons were conducted between Croatian and Slovenian students. KATOPS score was dichotomized with values above the 3rd quartile considered excellent - the dichotomized score was used as the dependent variable in a binary logistic regression model.Results: Overall, 825 students completed the questionnaire, 85.5% were women, 417 from Slovenia, 408 from Croatia, and 80% were under 22 years of age (80%). The average score on the KATOPS was 127.4, 95% CI 126.6-128.2. Variables associated with excellent scores on the KATOPS, based on the binary regression were: studying in Slovenia (OR=2.05, 95% CI 1.39-3.03), age group 28-32 years (OR=3.9, 95% CI 1.53-9.98); previous education gerontic nursing (OR=2.45, 95% CI 1.34-4.47), and full-time study (OR=2.12, 95% CI 1.38-3.55). Variables not associated with excellent scores were: being married (OR=0.44, 95% CI 0.22- 0.92) and having previous experience in working with the elderly (OR=0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.86). Conclusion: Attitudes toward old age are mildly positive in Slovenian and Croatian nursing students. Slovenian students have significantly more positive attitudes toward old age and these differences are most probably due to marked differences in undergraduate nursing curricula between the two countries.

Chemical characteristics of raw and processed Istarski pršut (PDO) produced from two different pig genotypes were studied with special emphasis on amino and fatty acid composition and factors of lipid stability. Raw hams of Large White (LW)xLandrace (L), and (LWxL)xDuroc (D) pig genotypes were used in the study (20 hams of each genotype). All left raw hams from each carcass were processed in accordance with the PDO specification of Istarski pršut, and other half (the right ones) of LWxL)xD genotype were used for analyses of raw hams (fresh muscles). Istarski pršut was evaluated on the basis of the chemical parameters of the raw and matured lean ham. The process of dry curing significantly influenced the chemical properties of Istarski pršut. Despite the higher content of intramuscular fat and polyunsaturated fatty acids, the fat of (LWxL)xD ham was much more resistant to hydrolysis and oxidation, suggesting that fatty acid profile and other factors, also play a significant role. Significant differences between pig genotypes in the amino acid and fatty acid profiles were found. The analyzed Istarski pršut may be distinguished by prints of multivariate chemometric statistical analysis, based on their amino acid and fatty acid compositions.

BackgroundThe role of brain metabolites as biological correlates of the intensity, symptoms, and course of major depression has not been determined. It has also been inconclusive whether the change in brain metabolites, measured with proton magnetic spectroscopy, could be correlated with the treatment outcome.MethodsProton magnetic spectroscopy was performed in 29 participants with a first episode of moderate depression occurring in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left amygdala at baseline and after 8 weeks of antidepressant treatment with escitalopram. The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and the Beck Depression Inventory were used to assess the intensity of depression at baseline and at the endpoint of the study. At endpoint, the participants were identified as responders (n=17) or nonresponders (n=12) to the antidepressant therapy.ResultsThere was no significant change in the N-acetyl aspartate/creatine ratio (NAA/Cr) after treatment with antidepressant medication. The baseline and endpoint NAA/Cr ratios were not significantly different between the responder and nonresponder groups. The correlation between NAA/Cr and changes in the scores of clinical scales were not significant in either group.ConclusionThis study could not confirm any significant changes in NAA after antidepressant treatment in the first episode of moderate depression, or in regard to therapy response in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or left amygdala. Further research is necessary to conclude whether NAA alterations in the first episode of depression could possibly be different from chronic or late-onset depression, and whether NAA alterations in stress-induced (reactive) depression are different from endogenous depression. The potential role of NAA as a biomarker of a treatment effect has yet to be established.

Zavod za hitna i krizna stanja s Nacionalnim centrom za psihotraumatologiju od 2016. g. razvojno ujedinjuje nekoliko jedinica Klinike za psihijatriju i psihološku medicinu Kliničkog bolničkog centra Zagreb (KBC Zagreb) i Nacionalni centar za psihotraumatologiju. Povijesno, preteča ovog zavoda je Centar za krizna stanja (CKS), osnovan 1986. g., u formacijskoj organizaciji Klinike za psihijatriju KBC-a Zagreb, kao zajednički projekt bolnice i grada Zagreba. Za osnivanje CKS-a bila je značajna inicijativa i vizija prof. dr. sc. Mire Jakovljevića, koji je autor priručnika "Krizna stanja" i prof. dr. sc. Jovana Bamburača, prvog voditelja CKS-a.RAZVOJ CENTRA ZA KRIZNA STANJA U prvom razdoblju, od 1986. do 1991. g. CKS pruža bolničku (4 kreveta) i polikliničku psihijatrijsku, psihološku i socijalnu skrb te 24-satnu kriznu telefonsku liniju za osobe koje trebaju pomoć u kriznom

IntroductionElectroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been considered a treatment option for the treatment resistance, mania, depression, suicidality and schizophrenia. It has been still controversial due to the lack of controlled clinical trials and unknown biological basis but also because of the negative image from the history of the treatment.ObjectiveSpecifics of the clinical judgement on when and for which patients’ indications, ECT was a treatment choice.Aim of the study was to evaluate indications for the ECT treatment in the hospitalized psychiatric patients at the psychiatric department.MethodFor all the patient cases in the last 7 years at the department (n = 326), data was analyzed regarding age, gender, number of hospitalizations, age of first episode, diagnose, previous treatment, leading indication for ECT and outcome after the ECT, regarding following treatment.ResultsThe leading indication for ECT was psychosis and/or pharmacological treatment resistance, followed by suicidality. Patients with psychosis were younger than patients with other diagnoses when receiving ECT treatment. Regarding the results, indications for ECT had been partially differentiated from expected guidelines. Outcomes after the ECT were favorable in terms of better controlling the symptoms, lowering exacerbation frequency and intensity and partially, functioning.ConclusionStudies on ECT indications and outcome could provide further insight on efficacy of the treatment, and possible improvements in clinical assessment on eligible patients who could benefit from the ECT treatment.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.