Introduction: Serum uric acid (SUA) is the final product of purine metabolism in humans. Aim: The present study aimed to identify a potential association between serum UA and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels and to find out whether uric acid could differentiate patients presenting with the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and unstable angina pectoris (UAP) in hyperuricemic and normouricemic acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Methods: Eighty ACS patients, aged 50-83 years, were enrolled in the study, 40 of them presenting with AMI and 40 with UAP. Frequency of patients with serum uric level over threshold for hyperuricemia was investigated and two groups of patients were formed such as hyperuricemic and normouricemic groups (A and B groups, respectively) independently of type of ACS. Those groups of patients were also subjected to cTnI measurement. Results: Levels of SUA are associated with the type of ACS in the hyperuricemic ACS patients (AMI versus UAP, 499(458-590), 425(400-447) mmol/L, p=0.007, respectively). Uric acid correlated significantly with cTnI, moderate positively in the group A (rho=0.358, p=0.038) and moderate negatively in the group B (r=-0.309, p=0.037) of ACS patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that cTnI and age were independently associated with the SUA levels in the group A of ACS patients. Conclusions: Serum uric acid differentiates AIM and UAP patients in hyperuricemic group of acute coronary syndrome. Therefore it can be used as nonspecific parameter for evaluation of the myocardial lesion extent only in hyperuricemic ACS patients. This is supported by finding that cTnI along with age predicts SUA level in hyperuricemic ACS patients.

ABSTRACT Emergency contraception (EC) in Serbia is available in two products: Levonorgestel, which has nonprescription status, and Ulipristal acetate, which is a prescription-only medicine. Considering their dispensing statuses, gynecologists and pharmacists are health care professionals (HCPs) with the widest impact on EC use. Yet little is known about their beliefs and practices regarding these medicines. We surveyed 166 gynecologists (during October 2012—October 2013) and 452 community pharmacists (during January–April 2014). Results showed significant differences between these two groups, suggesting that provision of EC to users may be inconsistent. Gynecologists were more convinced than pharmacists that EC would reduce the abortion rate (86% versus 53%, p < .001). However, they were more concerned than pharmacists that easy access to EC would cause less regular contraceptive use (66% versus 29%, p < .001) and risky sexual behaviors, including initiating sexual activity at a younger age (37% versus 19%, p < .001) and having more sexual partners (33% versus 12%, p < .001). Additionally, more pharmacists than gynecologists (12% versus 2%, p < .001) said they would not provide EC to anyone under any circumstance, even to victims of sexual assault. These results indicated a need for reevaluating and establishing official guidelines for dispensing practices.

1Travnik General Hospital, Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2Clinical Center University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina KeYWORdS: patent foramen ovale, management. citAtiON: Cardiol Croat. 2019;14(3-4):92-3. | https://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2019.92 *AddReSS FOR cORReSPONdeNce: Alma Sijamija, J.U. Bolnica Travnik, Kalibunar bb, 72270 Travnik, Bosna and Herzegovina. / Phone: +387-61-780-085 / E-mail: alma.sijamija@hotmail.com ORcid: Alma Sijamija, http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2818-0501 • Nermir Granov, http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6228-6230 Alma Agačević, http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4671-0991 • Omer Perva, http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2645-1558 Nedžad Hadžić, http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7186-7803

Objective: Irrational use of antimicrobials is a major driver of antimicrobial resistance, exacerbated by dispensing antibiotics without a prescription. Our previous study suggested this was a problem in the Republic of Srpska despite legislation. Since then, a number of activities have been initiated. Consequently, the study aimed to ascertain whether these multiple initiatives had reduced this. Methods: Patients visiting all community pharmacies in the Republic from October 2014 to July 2015 presenting with symptoms typical of an acute, viral, and mostly uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infection, with results compared to the previous study. If an antibiotic was suggested, the maximum allowance was €3/pack. Findings: Self-medication with antibiotics significantly decreased from 58% to 18.5% of pharmacies. In both studies, most patients were offered over-the-counter medication. The most common reason for not dispensing an antibiotic was “antibiotics can be dispensed with a prescription only.” The penicillins were the most dispensed antibiotic. Fewer patients than the previous study were given instructions about antibiotic use and no discussion on their side effects. Conclusion: While encouraging that self-medication decreased significantly, 18.5% were disappointing given recent initiatives. Fewer instructions about antibiotics if an antibiotic was dispensed were also disappointing. This suggests the need for even stronger enforcement of the laws as well as further training of pharmacy personnel to ensure the future appropriate use of medicines.

Krom, üç değerlikli Cr(III) ve altı değerlikli Cr(VI) formlarında yaygın olarak bulunan, doğal olarak oluşan bir ağır metaldir. Cr(VI) bileşikleri potansiyel kanserojenler olarak sınıflandırılmıştır. Çalışma, Japon bıldırcınlarının (Coturnix japonica) hematolojik parametrelerinde Cr(III)’ün CrCl3 (krom klorür) ve Cr(VI)’nın CrO3 (krom oksit) olarak etkisinin analizini kapsamaktadır. Krom yiyeceklere ve içeceklere ilave edilmiş ve deneyler 20 gün boyunca sürdürülmüştür. Kan hücrelerinin sayısında azalma eğilimi ile heterofiller ve lenfosit değerlerinde belirgin farklılıklar elde edilmiştir. Eritrositlerin, trombositlerin ve heterofillerin yüzeyi önemli derecede küçülmüştür (p<0.05). Lenfosit yüzeyi, Cr(VI) uygulaması sırasında önemli ölçüde küçülmüş (p<0.05), Cr(III) uygulandığında ise artmıştır. (p <0.05). Krom, bağışıklık sisteminin baskılanmasına, lökopoezin azalmasına ve mikrositer anemi gelişimine neden olmuştur.

This paper presents and analyzes the applicability of three linearization techniques used for solving multi-objective linear fractional programming problems using the goal programming method. The three linearization techniques are: (1) Taylor’s polyno-mial linearization approximation, (2) the method of variable change, and (3) a modification of the method of variable change proposed in [20]. All three linearization techniques are presented and analyzed in two variants: (a) using the optimal value of the objective functions as the decision makers’ aspirations, and (b) the decision makers’ aspirations are given by the decision makers. As the criteria for the analysis we use the efficiency of the obtained solutions and the difficulties the analyst comes upon in preparing the linearization models. To analyze the applicability of the linearization techniques incorporated in the linear goal programming method we use an example of a financial structure optimization problem.

<p style="text-align: justify;">In the paper stress analysis of rotary kiln support rollers is conducted. Stress state in the support rollers is caused by temperature gradient, shrinkfit connection between shaft and roller and by the contact with kiln ring. The stress analysis is done analytically and numerically, and the results obtained are compared.</p>

The paper analyzes the memory usage and consumption of processor time when the user interacts with the application. We have analyzed the workload of the processor depending on the number of loaded data for different technologies of transfer (AMF, JSON or XML) from the server to the client. Apart from that, we have analyzed the occupation of memory depending on the number of loaded data and instantiated objects, the percentage of availability of memory that the class instances occupy. The change in the memory occupation is displayed graphically and numerically