Background
The objective of this research was to evaluate the occurrence of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as the level of life contentment and coping mechanisms employed by college ...students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
A total of 588 students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Higher School of Medicine, Kraljevo, University of Kragujevac, Central Serbia, participated in an online cross-sectional survey in the period September–October 2022. Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) was used to measure the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The Coping Questionnaire—a shorter version (Brief Cope Inventories) assesses the coping strategies a person uses in stressful situations, and the 5-item Life Satisfaction Scale is used to examine the level of life satisfaction.
Results
The symptoms of depression were reported by 34.9%, of anxiety by 47.1% and of stress by 44.2%. The type of faculty (
p
= 0.001), and place of residence (
p
= 0.036) correlated with depression, gender with anxiety (
p
= 0.001) and stress (
p
= 0.015). In terms of coping mechanisms, the most frequently mentioned strategies, based on average scores, were acceptance (5.76), positive interpretation (5.55), humor (5.46).
Conclusion
The adverse impact of COVID-19 was a risk factor for depression, anxiety and stress symptoms. A negative correlation exists between the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, and the overall life satisfaction of university students. Offering the necessary assistance through psychological interventions and effective coping techniques is crucial in ensuring the optimal mental health of university students.
: Prehypertension and hypertension are the most common cardiovascular disorders worldwide and are increasingly considered one of the most serious public health problems, particularly in developing ...countries. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and demographic and socioeconomic predictors of prehypertension and hypertension in the adults in Serbia, and to examine the relationship between prehypertension and hypertension and health behavior determinants (smoking, alcohol use, physical activity) and individual aspects of health (a health self-assessment, multimorbidity, BMI, depressive symptoms).
: The research is part of the fourth National Population Health Survey conducted in 2019, which was conducted by the Republic Institute of Statistics, in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health of Serbia and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia. As a research instrument, questionnaires were used in accordance with the methodology of the European Health Survey. For the purposes of this research, data on the adult population aged 20 and over were used.
: Women are at a reduced risk for both prehypertension (OR = 0.328) and hypertension (OR = 0.349) by nearly 70%. Similarly, those aged below 60 years have a lower risk for prehypertension and those younger than 40 years have a lower risk for hypertension (OR = 0.995), whereas people with a lower education have a 4.3 times higher risk of prehypertension (OR = 4.323) and a 1.6 times higher risk of hypertension (OR = 1.614). The poor have a 1.4 times higher risk of prehypertension (OR = 1.413) and a 1 times higher risk of hypertension (OR = 1.035). People with multimorbidity have a 1.2 times higher risk of both prehypertension (OR = 1.218) and a 4.8 times higher risk of hypertension (OR = 4.867).
: Male gender, lower education, poverty, age and the presence of multimorbidity are significant predictors of prehypertension and hypertension in the Serbian adult population, so preventive strategies should be aimed at these sensitive population groups.
Using lysimeters to collect water quality samples can provide a better understanding of nutrient or other solute migration below the surface, which can inform landscape management for environmental ...protection. This 6-page publication presents the materials, construction, installation, and management of a specific drainage lysimeter design in a step-by-step format. Written by Jovana Radovanovic, Eban Z. Bean, and Alexander J. Reisinger, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, February 2021.
Objectives
The aim of this paper is to assess the association of demografic and socioeconomic determinants with utilization of dental services among Serbian adults.
Materials and methods
The study is ...a part of the population health research of Serbia, conducted in the period from October to December 2019 by the Institute of Statistics of the Republic of Serbia in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health of Serbia “Dr. Milan JovanovićBatut” and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia. The research was conducted as a descriptive, cross-sectional analytical study on a representative sample of the population of Serbia. For the purposes of this study, data on the adult population aged 20 years and older were used.
Results
Men were approximately 1.8 times more likely than women to not utilize dental healthcare services (OR = 1.81). The likelihood of not utilizing dental healthcare protection rises with increasing age, reaching its peak within the 65–74 age range (OR = 0.441), after which it declines. Individuals who have experienced marital dissolution due to divorce or the death of a spouse exhibit a higher probability of not utilizing health protection (OR = 1.868). As the level of education and wealth diminishes, the probability of abstaining from health protection increases by 5.8 times among respondents with an elementary school education (OR = 5.852) and 1.7 times among the most economically disadvantaged respondents (OR = 1.745). Regarding inactivity, respondents who are not employed have a 2.6-fold higher likelihood of not utilizing oral health care compared to employed respondents (OR = 2.610).
Conclusion
The results suggest that individual sociodemographic factors influence utilization of dental services by Serbian adults and confirmed the existence of socioeconomic disparities.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different SARS-CoV-2 strains on the functional capacity of athletes.
In total, 220 athletes underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) ...after coronavirus infection and before returning to sports activities. Eighty-eight athletes were infected by the Wuhan virus, and 66 were infected during the Delta and Omicron strain periods of the pandemic.
The CPET results showed significantly decreased maximal oxygen consumption, ventilatory efficiency, and oxygen pulse in athletes who were infected with Wuhan and Delta strains compared to athletes who suffered from Omicron virus infection. An early transition from aerobic to anaerobic metabolic pathways for energy production was observed in the Wuhan and Delta groups but not in athletes who were infected with the Omicron strain. There were no differences in the obtained results when Wuhan and Delta virus variants were compared.
These results suggest that the Wuhan and Delta virus strains had a significantly greater negative impact on the functional abilities of athletes compared to the Omicron virus variant, especially in terms of aerobic capacity and cardiorespiratory function.
Introduction. Coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) are rare disorders, especially the left main CAA. In the literature, there are several reported cases with CAAs, various localization, size, clinical ...presentation, and way of treatment. There is no unique consensus about the most adequate treatment for these patients; however, surgery is still preferable, although there are some new experiences of percutaneous treatment. The decision is made for each patient individually. We report a case of giant left main CAA, with acute coronary syndrome and heart failure presentation, surgically treated. Case report. A 66-year-old female patient was admitted to the emergency department of our clinic due to chest pain and dyspnea. Acute non-ST-elevation segment myocardial infarction (STEMI) of anterolateral localization was diagnosed (creatine kinase max 1,111 U/L, troponin T 3.754 ng/mL), complicated with acute heart failure. Heart catheterization and coronary angiography revealed a giant saccular, 3.5 ? 3.5 mm left main CAA full with thrombi, compressing the proximal segments of the left anterior descending and circumflex artery. Conclusion. Giant left main CAAs are rare pathologic findings, and there are no established principles for treatment. Although the percutaneous way of treatment is now available in selected cases, the surgical approach is still preferred for these patients.
Chemical, antioxidant, and sensory properties of bread with black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa L.) fruit powders (CP) were examined. The CP was used to substitute 1, 2.5, 5, and 10% of wheat flour. ...Total cellulose, ash, phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity of bread were increased with higher CP levels regardless of the dehydration temperature of chokeberry. Bread with 10% of CP, irrespective of the dehydration temperature of chokeberry, had the highest ratio of total cellulose (1.51%–1.69% dry weight), total ash (2.25%–2.26% dry weight), phenolics (209.30–232.47 mg Gallic Acid Equivalents/100 g dry weight), flavonoids (202.78–230.18 mg Catechin Equivalents/100 g dry weight), and antioxidant activity (41.2–54.5 mg Trolox Equivalents/100 g dry weight). The best sensory results of bread were obtained with 5% of CP. As CP replacement was increased, the color of bread became darker (L*), more reddish (+a*), and less yellowish (b*) pigmented region.
Practical applications
Traditional wheat bread has been the principal food in the World, and many wheat flour alternatives in yeast‐leavened bread making are being exploited nowadays. In this research, wheat flour was substituted with chokeberry powder. The objective was to develop a new nutritive formula of white wheat, yeast‐leavened bread enriched with phenolics, cellulose, minerals, and with pleasant sensory characteristics. The results obtained in this study showed that chokeberry powder was able to replace up to 10% wheat flour and could provide a significant health improvement as an acceptable functional product. Bread samples with 10% of chokeberry powder had the highest ratio of cellulose, ash (minerals), total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity. The best sensory characteristics were obtained with 5% substituted flour with chokeberry powder. The new nutritive bread has an increased level of active materials with positive potential for human health.
Introduction/Objective: A lung abscess is a localized purulent inflammation of lung tissue with necrosis and colliquation. We are presenting a rare case of lung abscess formation as a result of the ...COVID-19 viral infection. Case report: An 81-year-old male patient with typical complaints (fever, malaise, fatigue) was examined at a designated medical centre for COVID patients. A positive PCR test and radiology findings confirmed a COVID-19 infection. Medication was prescribed according to protocol and he was sent home. During the night, 36 hours after the onset of the first symptoms, the patient developed breathing difficulties and a persistent, irritating dry cough. He was admitted to the Covid Hospital Karaburma, where he received treatment for 35 days. On the 22nd day after being released, the patient was examined at the Emergency Medical Centre, Clinical Centre of Serbia, complaining of dyspnoea, occasional hemoptysis and fatigue. The working diagnosis was pulmonary embolism. A multislice CT scan was ordered only to reveal a pulmonary abscess at the base of the left lung. Conclusion: A lung abscess is a rare, but possible complication of a COVID-19 infection. Therefore, patients should be regularly monitored for an extended period of time following hospitalization.
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