INTRODUCTION Large population-based observational trials have shown atrial fibrillation (AF) to be an independent risk factor for increased mortality. OBJECTIVE To examine all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality of patients with AF compared to corresponding mortality in general population of Serbia. METHODS This longitudinal observational study included patients with nonvalvular AF as the main indication for in-hospital and/or outpatient treatment at the Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade, during the period 1992-2007, if the latest date of the first diagnosed AF was early January 2003, so that the total follow-up could last at least 5 years (minimum 1 year prospectively), or until death. Patients with acute causes of AF, advanced left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVEF < or = 25%), preexcitation, known malignancy or any advanced chronic disease and patients with poorly documented history of previous AF were not included. To compare mortality of study population with mortality of general population, we used standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and chi-square test, p < 0.05. RESULTS Out of 1100 patients (389 females, 35.4%), aged 52.7 +/- 12.2 years, with total follow-up 9.94 +/- 6.05 years (prospective 5.75 +/- 4.28, retrospective 4.21 +/- 5.51), 40% had no underlying disease; others most frequently had arterial hypertension. AF was paroxysmal in 665 (60.5%), persistent in 225 (20.5%) and permanent in 210 patients (19.1%). Newly diagnosed AF was documented in 1058 patients (96.2%). Until the end of the study, 85 patients died (7.7%). Cardiovascular death was noted in 62 patients (72.9%), most frequently in form of sudden death (27/85, 31.7%), death from congestive heart failure (18/85, 21.2%) and stroke (14/85, 16.5%). Most patients (67/85, 78.8%) had AF at the time of death. SMR for all-cause mortality was 2.43 (p < 0.0001) and for cardiovascular mortality 3.03 (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION All-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality of AF patients are higher than corresponding mortality in general population of Serbia, despite active treatment.

Summary Introduction: XXII European Congress of Medical Informatics (MIe 2009) took place in Sarajevo from August 30th to September 2nd 2009. Assessment of quality of papers presented at MIe 2009 was a process of observation, measurement, comparison and evaluation of the quality of orally presented papers. Methodology: For this study, and for the first time since EFMI founding (1976) and MIE congresses, the authors introduced a specially created quality assessment form with five relevant paper quality variables (methodological approach, international influence, scientific content, language quality, technical features) which the first author of this article used in peer-review process of papers submitted for publication in the journal Acta Informatica Medica (as Editor-in-Chief for last 18 years). The survey was conducted on the principle of random sampling of participants of MIE 2009 Conference in Sarajevo, where specially trained interviewers (final year students of medicine and engineering at the University of Sarajevo) interviewed 33 session’s chairs and 110 participants/listeners of MIE 2009 paper presentations in 33 sessions (of total 40). Data was collected, entered into a specially created database, analyzed and presented. Results: From the total of 150 oral presentations at the MIE 2009, 110 oral presentations were graded by both chairs and participants/ listeners. Grading results were compared and we found that in 60% of cases (66 papers) session chairs gave higher ratings than other participants of the congress. The highest rating was 10, and the lowest 3. Only 3 of the papers received all four grades 10 from the session chairs. The most common grade given by chairs of the session was 8 (26.36%), followed by 7 (20%), 9 (19.32%), 6 (13.18%), 10 and 5 (7.50%), 4 (5%) and 3 (1.14%). Significant differences in quality assessment of papers done by chairs and those done by other participants/listeners are observed. Conclusion: This work should demonstrate the importance of introducing universal (uniform) scale for assessment of articles at conferences that would provide objective and relevant assessment, which has not been the practice. Results obtained using a single standardized scale can be compared to each other and thus improve the quality of the articles and the congress. Future congresses can be organized in this manner and become leading events in certain fields of medical science.

Radi specificnih drustveno-politickih i socio- ekonomskih prilika u regiji, problematika udruživanja privatnih sumoposjednika u interesne udruge do sada nije bila predmetom sireg istraživanja. Na osnovi navedenoga 2008. godine pokrenuto je istraživanje stanja privatnog sumoposjeda i formiranja udruga privatnih sumoposjednika u zemljama regije, u kojima se povijesno razvijao podjednak model vlasnistva. U radu su analizirani stavovi privatnih sumoposjednika prema međusobnoj suradnji i udruživanju u cilju boljeg gospodarenja svojim posjedom, sa posebnim naglaskom na izgradnju sumskih cesta u Hrvatskoj, Srbiji i Bosni i Hercegovini. Provedeno istraživanje ukazuje spremnost privatnih sumoposjednika na suradnju u aktivnostima gospodarenja sumoposjedom, te ukazuje na željene usluge koje bi trebale pružiti udruge privatnih sumoposjednika.

BackgroundStride interval persistence, a term used to describe the correlation structure of stride interval time series, is thought to provide insight into neuromotor control, though its exact clinical meaning has not yet been realized. Since human locomotion is shaped by energy efficient movements, it has been hypothesized that stride interval dynamics and energy expenditure may be inherently tied, both having demonstrated similar sensitivities to age, disease, and pace-constrained walking.FindingsThis study tested for correlations between stride interval persistence and measures of energy expenditure including mass-specific gross oxygen consumption per minute (), mass-specific gross oxygen cost per meter (VO2) and heart rate (HR). Metabolic and stride interval data were collected from 30 asymptomatic children who completed one 10-minute walking trial under each of the following conditions: (i) overground walking, (ii) hands-free treadmill walking, and (iii) handrail-supported treadmill walking. Stride interval persistence was not significantly correlated with (p > 0.32), VO2 (p > 0.18) or HR (p > 0.56).ConclusionsNo simple linear dependence exists between stride interval persistence and measures of gross energy expenditure in asymptomatic children when walking overground and on a treadmill.

This research aimed to evaluate the sassafras (Ocotea odorifera) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus viminalis) essential oils on the control of larvae and adults of lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), comparing their insecticide potential. The essential oils were produced through water vapor extraction in a semi industrial scale. Contaminated paper filter technique was applied to evaluate the insect mortality. In the current experiment twelve concentrations were included for evaluation and among them one control (solvent) in order to settle the mortality rate and LC50 of the two tested essential oils. The larvae were more susceptible then the adults to sassafras essential oil exposure and less susceptible than the adults, when exposed to eucalypt essential oil. Larvae as well as adults of A. diaperinus were more susceptible to the sassafras (LC50 adults 0.26mL l-1 and larvae 0.12mL l-1) than the eucalyptus essential oil (LC50 adults 1.37mL l-1 and larvae 1.72mL l-1), by contact intoxication (Ocotea odorifera: Larvae y=3,3916+1,4699logx; Adult y=0,9486+2,8576logx; e Eucaliptus viminalis: Larvae y=1,3643+1,6254logx; Adult y=1,4487+1,6623logx). It is concluded that the essential oils of sassafras and eucalyptus can be used to control lesser mealworm and used as a new integrated strategy for management of this pest.

BackgroundElectrodermal reactions (EDRs) can be attributed to many origins, including spontaneous fluctuations of electrodermal activity (EDA) and stimuli such as deep inspirations, voluntary mental activity and startling events. In fields that use EDA as a measure of psychophysiological state, the fact that EDRs may be elicited from many different stimuli is often ignored. This study attempts to classify observed EDRs as voluntary (i.e., generated from intentional respiratory or mental activity) or involuntary (i.e., generated from startling events or spontaneous electrodermal fluctuations).MethodsEight able-bodied participants were subjected to conditions that would cause a change in EDA: music imagery, startling noises, and deep inspirations. A user-centered cardiorespiratory classifier consisting of 1) an EDR detector, 2) a respiratory filter and 3) a cardiorespiratory filter was developed to automatically detect a participant's EDRs and to classify the origin of their stimulation as voluntary or involuntary.ResultsDetected EDRs were classified with a positive predictive value of 78%, a negative predictive value of 81% and an overall accuracy of 78%. Without the classifier, EDRs could only be correctly attributed as voluntary or involuntary with an accuracy of 50%.ConclusionsThe proposed classifier may enable investigators to form more accurate interpretations of electrodermal activity as a measure of an individual's psychophysiological state.