National public health information system

Information production and its communication being a key public health activity, developing modern information systems is a precondition for its fulfilling these assignments. A national public health information system (NPHIS) is a set of human resources combined with computing and communication technologies. It enables data linkage and data coverage as well as undertaking information production and dissemination in an effective, standardized and safe way. The Croatian Institute of Public Health LAN/WAN modules are under development. Health Safety System, Health Workers Registry, and Digital Library are among the Institute's developmental priorities. Communication between NPHIS participants would unfold over the Internet by using every relevant data protection method. Web technology-based applications would be run on special servers. Between individual applications, use would be made of the transaction module of communication through an exchange of the HL7 standard-based xml messages. In the conditions of transition, the health system must make an optimal use of the resources, which is not feasible without applying modern information and communication technologies.     

Immunogenic and antigenic properties of the COOH-terminal hexapeptide of substance P

Substance P (SP) and its COOH-terminal fragment (6-11) were coupled to bovine serum albumin by glutaraldehyde and used to elicit antibodies. Anti-SP and anti-SP6-11 antibodies bound to the same extent 125I-[Tyr8]-SP and 125I-[T-Lys6]-SP6-11. The latter was obtained after conjugation of the [Lys6]-SP6-11 with cold Bolton-Hunter reagent and then labelling by the chloramine-T method. In contrast to 125I-[Tyr8]-SP, 125I-[Tyr8]-SP6-11 was poorly bound by both anti-SP and anti-SP6-11 antibodies. Synthetic fragments of SP shorter than SP7-11 did not react with anti-SP6-11 antibodies. It is concluded that the antigenic determinant is within the COOH-terminal pentapeptide, and that Phe7, Phe8, Leu10 and Met11 contribute significantly to both anti-SP and anti-SP6-11 immunoreactivity.     

News in the treatment of rheumatic diseases

Rheumatic diseases are frustrating issue for the rheumatologists because ethiologic remedy is still missing and much more, they are great socio-economic burden for patients and society. In the last 10 years there was bustling endeavour in creating new products with exact known action. This article deal the new options to treat rheumatoid arthritis with leflunomide, infliximab, etanercept and anakinra and osteoarthritis with hyaluronan, diacerhein, glucosamino sulphate, chondroitin sulphate and avocado/soya unsaponifiables. In particular patients all mentioned products have their place in the treatment plan but critical risk-benefit assessment is needed.     

The Art of Building Decision Trees

Decision support systems that help physicians are becoming a very important part of medical decision making. They are based on different models and the best of them are providing an explanation together with an accurate, reliable, and quick response. One of the most viable among models are decision trees, already successfully used for many medical decision-making purposes. Although effective and reliable, the traditional decision tree construction approach still contains several deficiencies. Therefore we decided to develop and compare several decision support models using four different approaches. We took statistical analysis, a MtDeciT, in our laboratory developed tool for building decision trees with a classical method, the well-known C5.0 tool and a self-adapting evolutionary decision support model that uses evolutionary principles for the induction of decision trees. Several solutions were evolved for the classification of metabolic and respiratory acidosis (MRA). A comparison between developed models and obtained results has shown that our approach can be considered as a good choice for different kinds of real-world medical decision making.Art (from Latin ars meaning skill) is the skill in doing or performing that is attained by study, practice, or observation     

Possibilities of x-ray methods in diagnosis of an acute pancreatitis and its local complications

The ray methods of investigation were applied in 182 patients with an acute pancreatitis (AP). In 28% of patients local complications of AP were revealed: pseudocyst, abscess, pancreatic gland phlegmon, the gastric wall infiltration and ulceration, paracolic infiltrate and colonic obstruction, biliary hypertension, portal hypertension, subcapsular and parenchymatous splenic hematoma.