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Professor Ivo Horvat, a world-renowned Croatian scientist, botanist, and university teacher, was born in Čazma on October 7, 1897. After finishing the Classical Gymnasium in Zagreb in 1916, he graduated from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Philosophy in 1920 and obtained his Ph.D. in botany on July 31, 1920. From his invaluable scientific and educational heritage, we have selected out for this occasion only a small part dedicated to the period from June 11, 1947 to April 23, 1963, in which Prof. Horvat worked at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb. He worked in a wide range of both natural and biomedical veterinary sciences: from systematic botany, ecology, and environmental protection to the study of phylogeny, floristic, and vegetation research, including vegetation mapping and scientific-organizational work. Following the bibliographic and archival sources of the original documents, the given data represent a brief overview of Prof. Horvat’s contribution to phytocoenological work and an overview of scientific and educational heritage with an emphasis on the years spent at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Laboratories accredited according to ISO 15189 standard which have two or more different analyzers or procedures for examinations, should define mechanism for comparison of results. The objective of this study was to present the model for comparison of emergency tests on two different types of automated general biochemistry analyzers. Materials and methods: General biochemistry emergency tests were measured in serum and urine on two automated analyzers Olympus AU2700 and Olympus AU640 (Olympus, Hamburg, Germany) during 60 day period. Olympus AU2700 was used as the reference analyzer and Olympus AU640 as a backup system. Control samples on two levels were used for result comparison. Results: Average 60-day period bias was within acceptance criteria for all analyzes included in this model of comparability assessment. Only low control concentrations for some tests were exceeding allowable biases in less than 2% cases and high level controls were never exceeding allowable biases. Conclusions: This model of results comparison ensures continuous analytical quality of laboratory reports and improves overall efficiency of laboratory services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Malnutrition in patients on haemodialysis represents an important factor of mortality. The aim of the study was to estimate the influence and predictive significance of malnutrition on mortality of patients on haemodialysis. Material and methods There were analyzed the outcomes of treatment of patients on outpatient program of haemodialysis who were hospitalized in Clinical Centre "Kragujevac" for different reasons. The study included the analysis of demographic characteristics, duration of dialysis, body mass index, indications for hospitalization, result oj the treatment and biochemical parameters. Results 39.2% of the examined patients had the elements of protein-energetic malnutrition; 36.8% of patients with malnutrition died; the difference between the groups was statistically significant (p<-0.0006) regarding the results of treatment. Statistically significant difference(p<0.0001) was also obtained concerning the body mass index with its value of 17.1±1.55 kg/m2 in patients with malnutrition. Cardiovascular diseases were statistically more common in patients with malnutrition (p-0.037). In correlation of the group of patients with and the group without malnutrition a statistically significant difference in number of erythrocytes was found (2.87±0.71 vs. 3.26±0.5 x 1012; p-=0.04), concentration of hemoglobin (85±15.7 vs. 104±15.7; p<0.0001), level of creatinin (874±229.3 vs. 998±237.8 ĕmol/L; p=0.04), total proteins (66.5±5.4 vs. 70±4.47 g/L; p=0.001), albumin (30±3.7 vs. 38±4.38; p<0.0001), total cholesterol (3.05±1.14 vs. 4.31±1.2 mmol/L; p<0.0001). C-reactive protein (9.5±6.8 vs. 2.9±5.09 mg/L; p<0.0001) and concentration of fibrinogen (4.96±0.91 vs. 4.22±0.91 μmol/L p=0.00l). Survival time in patients with malnutrition was statistically shorter - 18 months (p<0.0001). Conclusions A third of the examined patients in our study were malnourished with lower survival rate. More than two thirds of patients with malnutrition died. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2008, it will be 70 years from the publication of our first comprehensive world history of medicine by one of the most outstanding Croatian physicians from the first half of the 20th century. Namely, in 1938, publisher Minerva issued a book by Dr Lujo Thaller Od vrača i čarobnjaka do modernog liječnika (From Medicine Man to Modern Physician). It was a first-class event, not only for medical science, but also for the general culture of Croatia. Dr Lujo Thaller, specialist in internal medicine, can be taken as a model historian of medicine. His work and writing, however different they may seem at first sight, have turned out to be an excellent blend. Dr Thaller has marked an era in Croatian history of medicine, raising it from an incidental and amateur affair to an independent academic discipline, and giving it the dignity of a serious scientific profession, equal to other branches of medicine. The book Od vrača i čarobnjaka do modernog liječnika (From Medicine Man to Modem Physician) synthesizes enormous knowledge; it is the crown of Thaller's erudition, and, as Vladimir Bazala aptly put it, this book ‘speaks, in fact, about the history of human culture from the medical point of view’. The book is also the history of human destiny, opposition to nature, disease, pain, ageing, and death. It is a story of numerous great men in medicine and their discoveries, of human wisdom, goodness, charity, and sacrifice. Even today, this massive work has not lost its vigour and credibility, thanks to the author's narrative skill in presenting his encyclopaedic knowledge. In an impressive story on over 360 pages he interweaves science, art, politics, philosophy, and religion of individual historical ages , starting from prehistory up to the unsurpassed discoveries of the twentieth century medical science. When issued, the book was an appropriate and relevant compendium of history of medicine and it certainly could have served as the first textbook of the kind, had history of medicine taken its rightful place in the medical curriculum in Croatia. What makes Thaller a modern author is his holistic approach to issues. He sought to show the inter-relatedness of cultural, sociological, philosophical and religious factors that conditioned the development of culture and medicine, and paved the way for other Croatian researchers of the history of medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]