[CHARACTERISTICS AND INCIDENCE OF HEAD AND NECK SKIN MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS IN THE POPULATION OF THE OSIJEK-BARANYA COUNTY 2004-2012]. / UCESTALOST I KARAKTERISTIKE POJAVNOSTI MALIGNIH NEOPLAZMI KOZE GLAVE I VRATA STANOVNIKA OSJECKO-BARANJSKE ZUPANIJE U RAZDOBLJU OD 2004. DO 2012. GODINE.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and characteristics of malignant neoplasms of the skin of the head and neck region in the Osijek-Baranya County during the 2004-2012 period according to gender, age, place of residence, place of work, occupation, type and location of the neoplasm, and phenotypic characteristics of patients. SUBJECTS: The study included all subjects with the diagnosis confirmed by histopathology finding and residents of the Osijek-Baranya County. The study included a total of 2952 persons, 1487 (50.4%) male and 1465 (49.6%) female, yielding an approximate annual incidence of 104/100,000. Mean age was 72 years. Respondents were mostly from rural areas (n = 1952, 66.2%). There were 2137 (72.4%) of respondents mostly working outdoors, mainly farmers (n = 907, 42.4%) and construction workers (n = 889, 41.6%). RESULTS: According to the type of neoplasm, the basal cell type was most common with 2160 (73.2%) patients. Ninety-three (3.1 %) patients had malignant melanoma. According to localization, face was the most common site of malignant neoplasms with 839 (28.7%) and nose with 643 (22.0%) patients. Squamous cell carcinoma was significantly more common in men (n = 341, 56.6%) as compared with women (n = 262, (43.4%; p = 0.005). Subjects with malignant melanoma were significantly younger, with median age of 67 years. There were no significant differences according to the type of malignant neoplasms and place of residence, place of business, and occupation with regard to working outdoors or indoors. According to localization, significantly more squamous cell malignancies were found on the ears and lips (p = 0.039 and p < 0.001, respectively), malignant melanomas on the neck, head and eyes (p = 0.004, p < 0.001 and p = 0.026, respectively), and basal cell neoplasms on the nose (p = 0.002). There were no significant differences in the type and frequency of malignant neoplasms according to hair and eye color. CONCLUSION: It is obvious that the disease occurs after a decades-long incubation period and the cumulative effect of exposure to risk factors, with direct sun exposure, seems to have a significant role. Additional research is needed.

The impacts of media messaging and age and sex variance on adolescent smoking habits in Croatia.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effects of age, sex, and media messages that encourage or discourage smoking, in conjunction with having 1 or more parents, close friends, teachers, or family members who smoke, on differences in patterns of adolescent smoking. METHODS: This research is based on Croatian responses to the 2011 Global Youth Tobacco Survey. A total of 4245 Croatian youths responded to the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, of which individuals 3551 were aged 13 to 15 years. Of this cross section, 1644 individuals were male; 1856 were female; and 51 were of unknown sex. RESULTS: There were significant differences among responses in terms of age. Older adolescents were more likely to smoke (P < 0.001) and more likely to experience the following: (1) outdoor exposure to other smokers, including teachers (P < 0.001) and fellow students (P < 0.001); (2) smoking in the presence of parents or guardians (P < 0.001) and best friends (P < 0.001). The most prominent predictor of smoking among male adolescents was the existence of a best friend who smokes, with an odds ratio of 6.38 and a corresponding 95% confidence interval of 3.69 to 11.01. Likewise, the most prominent predictor among female adolescents was also the existence of a best friend who smokes, with an odds ratio of 10.21 and a corresponding 95% confidence interval of 4.94 to 21.13. The majority of nonsmokers, 65.5% (n = 1640), and smokers, 58.8% (n = 506), have never seen advertisements for cigarettes broadcast during televised concerts, and 58.5% of nonsmokers (n = 1469) and 58.6% of smokers (n = 505) have never seen advertisements for cigarettes while attending concerts. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that there is no sex difference between the number of nonsmokers and smokers. Older adolescents tend to smoke more, and students who smoke outside reported seeing other adolescents and their teachers smoking almost daily. A majority of youths who reported that they smoke have parents who smoke at home and have close friends who smoke; having a close or best friend who smokes is the highest prediction factor that both male and female youths will begin smoking. The majority of nonsmokers and smokers have never seen pro-smoking messages when going to concerts or during other community and social events. This lack of exposure to smoking-related advertising is the result of new legal restrictions imposed in 2008 on tobacco-product producers. There is no statistical significance among smokers' and nonsmokers' perceptions of antismoking media messaging. Peer pressure has been shown to be the second-most influential factor, after having a best friend who smokes, for the likelihood that an individual will become a smoker, among both male and female adolescents.

Climatic Factors and Epidemiologic Characteristics of Head and Neck Skin Malignancies in Osijek Baranja County, Croatia.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of head and/or neck skin malignancies in Osijek-Baranja County, Croatia, and to connect them with relative climatic indicators such as the number and intensity of sunny and cloudy days over a longer period of time. METHODS: The study included patients from Osijek Baranja County with confirmed pathohistological diagnosis of the head and/or neck malignancies from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2012. The patients were analyzed according to gender, age, residence, occupation, type and location of the neoplasm, and hair and eye colour. The analysis of climatic elements (mean monthly and annual cloudiness values, mean monthly and annual sum values of sunny days) for a period of 50 years (1961-2011) based on the data of the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service for the investigated area was performed. RESULTS: The study included a total of 2,952 patients: 1,487 (50.4%) males and 1,465 (49.6%) females, representing the estimated annual incidence of 104/100,000. The mean age was 72 years. The patients were mostly from rural areas, 1,952 (66.2%); 2,137 (72.4%) worked outdoors: 907 farmers (42.4%) and 889 construction workers (41.6%). Given the type of neoplasm, the most common was a basal cell cancer (BCC) in 2,160 patients (73.2%). Malignant melanoma was found in 93 patients (3.1%). The most common localizations were face (839 cases, 28.7%) and nose (643 cases, 22.0%). Males had a significantly higher number of planocellular malignancies--341 (56.6%) than females--262 (43.4%) (p=0.005). The median age of the patients was 67 years. There were no significant differences in types of malignancies, place of residence, workplace, or occupation (with respect to working outdoors or indoors). It has been shown that the ears and lips are significantly more affected by squamous cell malignancies (p=0.039 and p<0.001) compared to the neck, eye and head with malignant melanoma (p=0.004, p<0.001, and p=0.026) and the nose where basal cell neoplasms (p=0.002) prevail. There were no significant differences in the type and frequency of malignant neoplasms in relation to hair and eye colour of the patients. The last 50 years in Osijek-Baranja County have seen a declining trend in the number of cloudy days and upward trend in the mean annual sum of sunny days. When compared, the increase in sunny days results in a higher number of patients suffering from malignant melanoma (ρ=0.695, p=0.038). CONCLUSION: It is obvious that malignant neoplasms of the skin, head and neck occur after decades of exposure, and as a cumulative effect of exposure to risk factors. A direct exposure to sun seems to play an important role, especially with regard to melanoma. Nevertheless, further research is needed.

Trace metals in the environment and population as possible long term consequence of war in Osijek-Baranja County, Croatia.

War in Croatia resulted with a significant release of contaminants into the environment as a result of the use of combat assets, mainly conventional, mostly aimed at civilian targets. The aim of the study was to investigate the concentration of metals and metalloids in the soils, water, plants (Taraxacum officinale), serum, urine and hair of the inhabitants in eastern Croatia. Overall results show minor abnormalities in presence of some trace metals in soil (As, Hg, Pb, Sb), water (As, Fe) and dandelion leaves (As) in some locations. Compared with soil samples from areas exposed to low intensity combat activity soil samples from areas exposed to heavy fighting had higher concentrations of As, Hg and Pb than allowed by national legislation for ecologic farming. Drinking water with the exceptions of the concentrations of Fe, As and Mn was in accordance with national legislation. Examinees from Dalj had mean hair Sb level 10-19x higher then examinees from any other location. However, when these data are correlated through methods of principal component analysis, presence of trace metals in some war affected areas can be followed from soil, through plants up to population proving that intense combat activities over small area leave metal presence that can be followed even 15 years after the war.

Heavy metals and metalloid content in vegetables and soil collected from the gardens of Zagreb, Croatia.

Aim of this study was to determine concentration of Pb, Cd, As and Hg in green leafy vegetables and soil in the urban area of Zagreb, Croatia and to determine if there is a connection between the contamination of soil and vegetables. Green leafy vegetables and soil samples were taken from the gardens located in the outskirts of the city. Concentrations of Pb, Cd, As and Hg were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry; showing that average concentrations of metals and metalloids in vegetables and in soil, regardless of the location of sampling were below the maximum allowed concentration (MAC). The analysis determined that metal concentrations in only nine vegetable samples (9%) were above maximum allowed values prescribed by national and European legislation (three with higher concentrations of Pb, one with a higher concentration of Cd and five with higher concentrations of Hg). Concentrations of contaminants present in the analysed samples, in general, are lower than the ones published in similar studies. The final distribution and concentration of contaminants in vegetables of Zagreb, besides industry and traffic, is affected by the dominant wind direction.

Effects of magnesium, chromium, iron and zinc from food supplements on selected aquatic organisms.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of uncontrolled environmental disposal of food supplements containing magnesium (Mg), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) on selected aquatic organisms including freshwater algae Scenedesmus subspicatus and Raphidocelis subcapitata, water flea Daphnia magna and duckweed Lemna minor. Thirty different food supplements containing Mg, Cr, Fe and Zn were analyzed. Results were expressed as effective concentration 50 (EC50), i.e. growth inhibiting Mg, Cr, Fe and Zn (mg/L) concentration immobilizing 50% of treated organisms. Particular metal EC50 differed significantly (p < 0.001) among study organisms, as follows (in ascending order): Scenedesmus subspicatus EC50 Fe (median 46.9 mg/L) < Zn (59.8 mg/L) < Mg (73.0 mg/L) < Cr (88.1 mg/L) (KW-H(3;120) = 36.856; p < 0.001); Raphidocelis subcapitata EC50 Fe (median 44.9 mg/L) < Zn (52.6 mg/L) < Mg (62.2 mg/L) < Cr (76.8 mg/L) (KW-H(3;120) = 44.0936; p < 0.001); Daphnia magna EC50 Zn (median 59.4 mg/L) < Cr (79.2 mg/L) < Fe (80.8 mg/L) Mg (82.0 mg/L) (KW-H(3;120) = 39.2637; p < 0.001); and Lemna minor EC50 Zn (median 131.0 mg/L) < Fe (186.8 mg/L) < Mg (192.5 mg/L) < Cr (240.4 mg/L) (KW-H(3;120) = 58.6567; p < 0.001). Uncontrolled environmental disposal of food supplements containing Mg, Cr, Fe and Zn exerts adverse effects on aquatic organisms. Therefore, legal provisions should regulate both the utilization and disposal of food supplements into the environment.