Double jeopardy; What happens when an epidemic is followed by an earthquake?

A crisis is an immediate threat to the functioning of society, while disaster is an actual manifestation of a crisis. Both are now even more critically socially constructed. In the middle of battle with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Republic of Croatia's capital of Zagreb was afflicted with another disaster - two severe earthquakes. Restrictive public health measures were already in place, including restriction on public transport, travel between regions, closure of educational and other public institutions, alongside measures of physical distancing. Most previous cases of COVID-19 were centered in Zagreb, leading to concern of spreading the disease into disease-free communities. It seems that earthquakes did not have an effect on disease transmission - the number of COVID-19 cases remained stable through the 14-day incubation period, with a linear pandemic curve in Croatia in April, and flattened in May. This leads to a conclusion that the earthquake did not have a direct effect on disease spread. Despite the fact that the current pandemic and its responses are unique, this paradox can have interesting repercussions on how we conceptualize and approach notions as vulnerability and resilience.

Sharing of prescription analgesics amongst patients in family practice: Frequency and associated factors.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the frequency of nonrecreational prescription analgesic sharing, associated factors and differences between lenders and borrowers. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 outpatient family medicine practices in Croatia amongst 1000 patients to whom their physicians have prescribed analgesics at least once in their lives. A questionnaire was used to collect data about patients' pain intensity, prescription analgesic sharing habits, factors associated with this behaviour, perception of risks associated with the conduct and demographic data. Logistic regression was conducted to analyse independent factors associated with lending and borrowing prescription analgesics. RESULTS: We found that 61% of patients in family medicine practices engage in sharing prescription analgesics, whether it was lending (42%) and/or borrowing (54%). Independent predictors of lending prescription analgesics were as follows: history of sharing prescription medication other than analgesics, providing information regarding the medication alongside the prescription medication itself, not reading package insert that accompanies medication, subjective perception of personal health and decreased awareness of personal harm associated with prescription analgesic sharing. Independent predictors of prescription analgesic borrowing were as follows: younger age, communicating details regarding the medication that was given, scanning of package insert accompanying the medication, biased subjective perception of personal health and perceiving alternative medicine as a safer option over conventional medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Sharing prescription analgesics is highly prevalent amongst patients in family medicine. Healthcare providers should remain alert by routinely questioning patients regarding such behaviours. Preventive interventions should be conceived and established. SIGNIFICANCE: Sharing of prescription analgesics is a highly prevalent behaviour amongst pain patients, and there exist independent factors associated with such conduct. This information can be useful in the design of interventions aimed at mitigating analgesic sharing behaviour in the future.

The genetic diversity and structure of 18 sheep breeds exposed to isolation and selection.

The phylogenetic layout of the genotyped (30 microsatellite) 18 sheep breeds in this study demands and provides the opportunity to evaluate both neutral and adaptive components of genetic diversity in a naturally and artificially selected and subdivided sheep population. Seven Pramenka strains from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia characterized by a very low intensity of artificial selection, preserved the highest neutral genetic variability. Eight central and north-western European breeds under considerable artificial isolation and selection preserved the lowest genetic variability. Only combinations of various phylogenetic parameters offer a reasonable explanation for underlying evolutionary forces working in the investigated island and mainland sheep breeds under variable natural and artificial selection. More than 60% of total genetic, diversity was allocated to virtually unselected Pramenka strains, and an additional 25% to native moderately selected Graue Gehoernte Heidschnucke and intensively selected Ostfriesische Milchschafe. Some economically very important breeds and strains did not contribute to a pool with maximal genetic diversity, while they play an important role in the cultural heritage of respective countries.

Helicobacter pylori, zinc and iron in oxidative stress-induced injury of gastric mucosa.

A number of study have suggested a relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and oxidative stress in the gastric epithelium. The oxidant- induced changes in zinc, iron, and vitamin C increase susceptibility to oxidative injury. Understanding of pathophysiologic mechanisms may provide new therapeutic strategies in treatment of oxidative injury of mucosa.