"It Bothered Me": The Mental Burden of COVID-19 Media Reports on Community-Dwelling Elderly People

Background and Objectives: Elderly people may have difficulties understanding the quality and quantity of information about the COVID-19 epidemic, which can put an additional mental strain on their health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to explore the processing of COVID-19 information among older people. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study was carried out in summer 2021. The sampling was based on the snowball method. This approach allowed us to communicate with the next potential participants relatively freely and without reservations. Two female researchers (both MD, PhD) conducted the interviews. All interviews were held in Serbian. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: The interviews were conducted with 13 participants (average age 71 years). The analysis of qualitative content suggested that four topics could be identified: (1) sources of information, (2) information interest and need, (3) reporting of information and (4) suggestions for better reporting. The participants were troubled by the excess of information, repetitive information about death tolls, unqualified people in media discussing the pandemic and inconsistent reporting. These features caused the participants to feel the psychological burden in processing all the pieces of information. Conclusions: The elderly people in Serbia followed mainstream media to get information about COVID-19; however, they perceived a variety of problems with reporting, which made the understanding of the information difficult and psychologically burdensome. These findings should be taken into consideration when delivering health-related information to elderly people.

Knowledge and use of antibiotics among health care users in Institute of public health of Belgrade

Background

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the major global public health threats that may lead to severe illness, hospital admissions, treatment failure and increasing of the health care costs. In order to address those challenges, the aims of this study were to examine the antibiotics consumption among the population of health care consumers in the Institute of Public Health of Belgrade, and their knowledge and attitudes regarding antibiotics compared to the inhabitants of EU and Japan.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 321 respondents who visited the Institute of Public Health of Belgrade in July 2021. The basic survey instrument was a Eurobarometer questionnaire (with the permission of the Directorate General for Communication European Commission). The obtained data were analyzed by methods of descriptive statistics, which included frequency distribution with percentages. In addition, the Chi-square test was used to examine the difference in frequencies.

Results

More than half of all respondents used antibiotics in the previous 12 months (56.6%), majority of them with a doctor's prescription and 57.1% did some pre-testing (blood or urine test, swab) before or at the same time as using antibiotics. They used antibiotics most often for urinary infections (9,3%) and common cold (8,1%). We discovered that the knowledge of our respondents is somewhere in between comparing to the knowledge of the people from EU and Japan. 37.4% of our respondents knew that antibiotics are ineffective against cold and flu; 68.9% knew that unnecessary use of antibiotics makes them ineffective; 55.9% knew that taking antibiotics often leads to side effects such as diarrhea and 50.7% knew that antibiotics don't kill viruses.

Conclusions

Knowledge about the antibiotics is insufficient and interventions of education, better informing and awareness of general public are necessary to encourage rational use of antibiotics.

Key messages

• It is important to take evidence based interventions to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics.

• This is the first study about antibiotics in Serbia which used the Eurobarometer model of research.

Low-bandwidth teleconsultations for patients with complex congenital heart diseases

We have reviewed our experience with a low-bandwidth paediatric telecardiology link (using ISDN at 128 kbit/s) between a tertiary centre in Belgrade and a tertiary centre in London. Over a two-year period, 12 videoconferences were held, during which 40 case histories of 38 patients were presented from Belgrade. The patients were aged 7 days to 20 years, and most of them had complex congenital heart defects. Changes in diagnosis and/or therapy occurred in 21 cases. Clinically relevant changes in diagnosis occurred in 2/40 cases (5%). In 12 cases, there were slight differences in opinion which resulted in minor changes in therapy for 9 of the patients. In another 9 patients, major changes in therapy occurred. There were no major problems with the quality of image and sound in any of the videoconferences. Our experience suggests that when there are experienced paediatric cardiologists at both ends of the connection, transmission via a single ISDN line is safe and accurate.

Optimum load in various vertical jumps support the maximum dynamic output hypothesis

The aim was to generalize the maximum dynamic output (MDO) hypothesis [i. e., the muscle power output in vertical jumps (VJ) is maximized when loaded with one's own body mass] to variety of VJ. We hypothesized that the subjects' own body (a) would be the optimal load for maximizing the power output (i. e., the no-load condition) and also (b) reveal the maximum benefits of stretch-shortening cycle (SSC). 13 participants performed the maximum squat and various counter-movement jumps when loaded by approximately constant external force ranging from -40% to  + 40% of their body weight (BW). Regarding the first hypothesis, the differences in both the peak and mean power recorded under different load magnitudes revealed maxima close to no-load condition (i. e., from -3% BW to  + 8% BW; R2=0.65-0.96; all P<0.01). Regarding the second hypothesis, the differences in performance between VJ executed with and without SSC also revealed maxima close to no-load conditions (0-2% BW), while the same differences in the power output were observed under relatively low positive loads (14-25% BW; R² = 0.56-0.95; all P<0.01). The findings support the concept that maximal power output occurs close to one's own body mass during VJ with and without SSC, thereby providing additional support to MDO hypothesis.

Age- and gender-associated variation in maximal-intensity exercise performance in adolescent rowers

We aimed to (1) characterize the 30-s maximal-intensity exercise performance using a Wingate rowing test in 12- to 18-year-old female rowers grouped by age, and (2) to compare the obtained performance indicators (i. e., mean- and maximal power output) with those of male rowers (n=297) of the same age. 193 female rowers (mean±SD: 14.9±1.9 years; range: 12.0-18.9 years) completed a maximal 30-s test on a rowing ergometer. An ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc analyses was used to compare the performances among the age groups, and age-related increases in performance up to age 15 with a plateau in performance thereafter, were observed. The age-related increases in performance were reduced by approximately one half when the effects of body mass were statistically removed with the use of ANCOVA. Gender-associated differences in Wingate rowing test performance were observed from age 13 (p<0.05, +19-22% in favour of males) and increased thereafter. Between the ages of 16 and 18, these differences appeared to change very little and ranged between ∼50-60% (all p<0.001). This pattern of gender-associated differences was similar, although the differences were reduced in relative terms by about one third, when the body mass of rowers of both sexes was statistically removed using ANCOVA analyses.

The relationship between gait transition speed and the aerobic thresholds for walking and running

We studied the relationship between the speed at the gas exchange thresholds for walking and running and the preferred gait transition speed (PTS), and the correspondence of PTS and energetically optimal transition speed (EOTS). Twenty-two men (age: 21.4+/-2.4 years, mass: 78.1+/-8.2 kg) performed four tests during which we determined VO (2max), walking/running gas exchange thresholds, walk-to-run/run-to-walk PTS, and EOTS. There were no significant differences ( P>0.05) between PTS, and the speed at the aerobic threshold for walking (AeT (w)) and running (AeT (r)). Both walk-to-run and run-to-walk PTS significantly correlated to AeT (r) (r=0.82 and 0.79; P<0.01) but not to AeT (w) (r=-0.03 and 0.06; P>0.05). Finally, EOTS and the corresponding VO (2) were significantly higher ( P<0.05) than the speed and VO (2) at PTS. Our results indicate that running rather than walking dynamics determines gait transitions in men.

Can greater muscularity in larger individuals resolve the 3/4 power-law controversy when modelling maximum oxygen uptake?

BACKGROUND

The power function relationship, MR = a.m(b), between metabolic rate (MR) and body mass m has been the source of much controversy amongst biologists for many years. Various studies have reported mass exponents (b) greater than the anticipated 'surface-area' exponent 0.67, often closer to 0.75 originally identified by Kleiber.

AIM

The study aimed to provide a biological explanation for these 'inflated' exponents when modelling maximum oxygen uptake (max), based on the observations from this and previous studies that larger individuals develop disproportionately more muscle mass in the arms and legs.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND SUBJECTS

A cross-sectional study of 119 professional soccer players from Croatia aged 18-34 was carried out.

RESULTS

Here we confirm that the power function relationship between max and body mass of the professional soccer players results in an 'inflated' mass exponent of 0.75 (95% confidence interval from 0.56 to 0.93), but also the larger soccer players have disproportionately greater leg muscle girths. When the analysis was repeated incorporating the calf and thigh muscle girths rather than body mass as predictor variables, the analysis not only explained significantly more of the variance in max, but the sum of the exponents confirmed a surface-area law.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings confirm the pitfalls of fitting body-mass power laws and suggest using muscle-girth methodology as a more appropriate way to scale or normalize metabolic variables such as max for individuals of different body sizes.

Validity of the Modified Conconi Running Test

The aim of this study was to assess the validity of a fast ramp treadmill protocol for determination of the heart rate deflection point (HR (dp)) and speed of deflection (S (dp)) in trained runners. Fifty-one trained male runners performed a standard (T (stand); speed increase 1 km . h (-1) every 60 s) and a fast (T (fast); speed increase 1 km . h (-1) every 30 s) incremental treadmill test until volitional exhaustion. Heart rate was continuously recorded, and the HR (dp) was estimated after data averaging as the point of deflection in the linear speed/HR relationship. The HR (dp) and S (dp) recorded in T (fast) were compared with the corresponding values obtained in T (stand) by examining the Student's T-test, correlation coefficient (r), and limits of agreement (LoA). The HR (dp) recorded during standard and fast treadmill protocol were highly correlated (r = 0.92, p < 0.001) and similar to each other (p = 0.79). In contrast, S (dp) was highly correlated (r = 0.91, p < 0.001), but increased significantly with the faster ramp function (p < 0.001). No evidence of systematic bias was evident in the HR (dp) (95 % LoA of 0.2 +/- 7.3 bpm), while a uniform, systematic bias was evident for S (dp) in the T (fast) (95 % LoA of 1.6 +/- 1.5 km x h (-1)). We conclude that a fast ramp treadmill protocol (speed increase 1 km x h (-1) every 30 s) may be used for determination of the HR (dp) in trained runners, while S (dp) is protocol dependent and caution is warranted regarding its practical applicability.

Acute mastoiditis in infants

We present a retrospective study of 37 infants who were operated for acute mastoiditis during the period 2000-2004 in Mother and Child Health Care Institute, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro. About 23 patients (62.2%) were male and 14 (37.8%) were female. Acute mastoiditis developed just after the first infection of the middle ear in 26 patients (70.3%). All patients had local and general symptoms. The most common local symptoms were blurred tympanic membrane in all patients, painful tenderness of mastoid in 21 (57%) and redness of tympanic membrane in 13 (36%). General signs of infection were loss of body weight in 28 (75.7%) patients, fever in 21 (56.8%), vomiting in 19 (51.3%), diarrhea in 19 (51.3%) and severe anemia that requested red blood cell transfusion in 6 (16.2%). Suppuration did not appear in any of the patients. Tympanocentesis had been performed prior to surgery in all patients. The most frequently isolated causative microorganism was Streptococcus pneumoniae which was found in 12 (32.5%) patients, Staphylococcus aureus was found in 8 (21.5%) and Hemophilus influenzae in 2 (5.5%). In 15 (405%) patients there was no bacterial isolation. Eleven patients (29.7%) who had previously had acute otitis media were implanted ventilation tubes during the surgical intervention. All patients were treated with antibiotics prior and after the surgical intervention. The finding on mastoidectomy was positive in all cases. According to the results of our study the combination of antibiotic and surgical treatment is optimal in treating acute mastoiditis. Making a diagnosis of acute mastoiditis might not be easy since there are no specific symptoms. We emphasize that it should always be considered as a differential diagnosis in cases of prolonged acute otitis media with no improvement after 10 days of antibiotic treatment, especially when accompanied with weight loss and general condition worsening.

Evaluation of tests of maximum kicking performance

AIM

Despite the important role of kicking in various athletic activities, the reliability of tests of maximum kicking performance has not been evaluated. The aim of the present study was to assess the reproducibility of performance of standing kick, instep kick and drop kick.

METHODS

Male physical education students (n=77) were tested on maximum kicking performance by means of a standard Doppler radar gun.

RESULTS

The maximal ball speed in the standing kick, instep kick and drop kick (averaged across the subjects and trials) were 19.8+/-1.9 m s(-1), 26.7+/-2.7 m s(-1) and 25.3+/-2.2 m s(-1), respectively. There were no significant differences in the tested performances among the consecutive kicking trials of each test. The intraclass correlation coefficients ranged between 0.94 and 0.96 (95% confidence intervals 0.93-0.97). The limits of agreement for maximum ball speed in all three tests ranged from 0.2+/-1.4 m(-1) to 0.3+/-1.3 m s(-1), suggesting that in 95% of repeated trials the ball speed might be from 1.2 m s(-1) less to 1.6 m s(-1) greater than the original estimate. The coefficients of variation for all kicking tests were between 2.6% and 3.3% (95% confidence intervals; 2.2-3.9%) suggesting a low intra-subject variability.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to a high reliability, relative simplicity, and a small number of participants needed to detect worthwhile changes, the evaluated kicking tests could be highly recommended for sport specific profiling and early selection of young athletes, as well as for the assessment of training procedures and other interventions applied on individual teams of elite soccer, rugby or American football players.

Determination of some insect repellents in cosmetic products by high-performance thin-layer chromatography

A simple and reliable thin-layer chromatographic method for the determination of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) and dimethyl phthalate (DMP) in raw material and cosmetic products was developed and validated. A benzene-diethyl ether-cyclohexane (5:3:2, v/v/v) solvent system was used for quantitative evaluation of chromatograms. The chromatographic zones corresponding to the spots of DEET and DMP on the silica gel plates were scanned in the reflectance/absorbance mode at 230 nm. The method was found to be reproducible and convenient for the quantitative analysis of DEET and DMF in raw material and cosmetic products.