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“unCoVer-Unravelling data for rapid evidence-based response to COVID-19” is a Horizon 2020-funded network of 29 partners from 18 countries. Formed with the aim to collect and use real-world data (RWD) resulting from response and provision of care to COVID-19 patients by health systems across Europe and elsewhere, unCoVer exploits the full potential of this information to rapidly address clinical and epidemiological research questions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. These heterogeneous datasets comprise from information on over 22 000 hospitalized patients, as well as registry data on over 1 900 000 COVID-19 cases across Europe, with continuous updates. So far, the datasets have been described, harmonized and integrated into a multi-user data repository operated through OpalDataSHIELD, an interoperable open-source server application. Federated data analyses, without sharing or disclosing any individual-level data, is being performed to resolve various research questions emerging from dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Croatia, is one of the partners on the unCoVer project, together with our related third-party – Dubrava University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia, providing clinical data on COVID-19 patients. Special emphasis will be given to our specific experience and lessons learned from participating in this project (data acquisition, ethical and GDPR issues, data analyses, influence of restrictions related to COVID-19 pandemic).

Introduction: Since its beginning, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts numerous aspects of our everyday lives, including diet. Despite the aforementioned, little is known about the impact of the pandemic on the motives that determine our food choices, especially in regard to COVID-19 infection and vaccination status. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the differences in the food choice motives before and during the COVID-19 pandemic depending on COVID-19 infection and vaccination status in a sample of Croatian adults. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted from 16 June 2021 until 30 June 2021 using an anonymous online questionnaire designed in Google Forms®. Changes in health and non-health food choice motives before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were evaluated using a validated 36-items (9 factors) Western Balkan Countries version of the Steptoe et al.’s Food Choice Questionnaire. Results: The final sample consisted of 890 women and 339 men from Croatia, aged ≥ 18 years. At the time of the data collection, 228 women (25.6%) and 114 men (33.6%) reported having been infected with SARS-CoV-2, while 445 women (50.0%) and 187 men (55.2%) were vaccinated. One-way analysis of variance revealed that mood, convenience and familiarity were significantly more important to men who have reported being infected with SARS- CoV-2, when compared to those not being infected, both before (p = 0.014, p = 0.008, p = 0.009, respectively) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (p = 0.021, p = 0.003, p = 0.013, respectively). Of the nine factors, only price was significantly more important to unvaccinated men, when compared to vaccinated ones, also both before (p = 0.001) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (p = 0.003). No statistically significant differences in food choice motives were found in women depending neither on infection or vaccination status. Conclusion and Implication: According to the results of the present study, statistically significant differences in the importance of certain food choice motives were observed in regard to COVID-19 infection and vaccination status. Knowledge related to non-intentional change of these motives could have practical implications in dealing with future similar pandemics. Keywords: COVID-19, food choice motives, Food Choice Questionnaire, Croatia Acknowledgments: This cross-sectional study formed part of an international project entitled “The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the determinants of food choice in the adult population of Croatia and Belgium (CFC CRO-BE)” conducted by the Centre for Applied Bioanthropology of the Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Croatia in cooperation with the Psychiatric Hospital Ugljan, Ugljan, Croatia and the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.

LA-ICP-MS was proposed as an effective method for characterization of antimicrobial polymers that contain nanoparticles

Adequate dietary habits are believed to have a substantial positive influence on both the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection. The aim of the present study will be to examine the differences in food choice determinants before and during COVID-19 pandemic in the adult population of Croatia and Belgium. It is planned for the research to involve ≥ 1, 000 participants of both genders aged 18 years and older from Croatia, and the same target of participants from Belgium. A self-administered online questionnaire, distributed via e-mail and social media networks, will be used to assess all the necessary data from the study participants. The questionnaire consists of three parts (15 questions about participants’ general characteristics, 36 questions about food choice determinants before COVID-19 pandemic, and 36 questions about food choice determinants during COVID-19 pandemic). All participants will have to provide an informed consent before completing the questionnaire. The results are expected to show significant changes in food choice determinants during COVID-19 pandemic, when compared to the period before the pandemic, indicating the amelioration in the overall dietary habits of both the Croatian and Belgian adults during these challenging times.

The relationship between gut microbiota and human health is complex, and the role of gut microbiota in pathogenesis of various diseases has been in the focus during the last decade. There is accumulating evidence that dysbiosis can be linked to different diseases, such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). Still, there is no consensus on the most appropriate tools and approaches for microbiota analyses. Numerous factors - diet, lifestyle, chemical microenvironment etc. influence the composition of gut microbiota. We aimed to analyze the current state of the knowledge on complex interplay between gut microbiota and development of MetS, as a basis for future research. The permanent interplay between immune system, metabolism, and gut microbiota plays a significant role in the homeostasis control and potential obesity development. Increased energy harvest from the diet, changes in gene expression, energy expenditure and storage are mentioned to lead to inflammation, insulin resistance and MetS. Most of the data on its mechanisms were from mouse models, so the question of their informativeness for human microbiota research arose. Current state of the literature (using PubMed database), including GWAS studies of obesity in mice, suggests that they are relevant for human studies of microbiota composition change in response to diet. Besides the role of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in predisposition to obesity, its difference in obese and lean humans and its decrease with weight loss, confirms the dominating role of nutrition in shaping gut microbiota composition and functions. There is an increasing evidence that microbiota can inflict their reach on physiological functions outside the gastrointestinal tract, and can therefore possibly manipulate our eating behaviour, using metabolic, neural, immune and endocrine pathways. Our findings implicate a deeper host-microbiota relationship than previously realized, which may contribute to broader and multilayer approaches in future research of gut microbiota and shaping of prevention strategies for tackling MetS.

There are only a few studies so far on IMP3 role as a potential diagnostic biomarker in the laryngeal carcinogenesis. Therefore, it makes sense to analyze IMP3 together with other biomarkers of carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression patterns of IMP3, Ki-67, p53 and cyclin D1 in laryngeal carcinogenesis. The study included 153 patients divided into three groups: 68 operated for primary invasive laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) ; 41 with precancerous lesions of atypical and abnormal hyperplasia and 44 with hyperplastic laryngeal nodule without atypia. Tissue microarray technique was used for immunohistochemical analysis. As for the IMP3 staining pattern, a cytoplasmic staining of low intensity in a few cells of superficial layers was found in both control and precancerosis groups. On the other hand, in tumor cells of LSCC there was a high percentage of cytoplasmic staining against IMP3 of high intensity. Additionally, IMP3 staining showed significant intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity in different cases of LSCC. In well- differentiated LSCC with present keratinization we noticed that negative areas of the tumor alternate with areas of cytoplasmic staining of low intensity. In tumor cells of moderately differentiated LSCC there was a pattern of combined focal cytoplasmic staining of strong intensity with cytoplasmic staining of low intensity, while a diffuse cytoplasmic staining of moderate to strong intensity was found in tumor cells of poorly differentiated LSCC. Ki67 staining showed a low percentage of nuclear staining of medium to high intensity against Ki-67 in parabasal and a few suprabasal layers of samples from both control and precancerosis groups. High percentage of nuclear staining of high intensity was found in samples from the LSCC group. p53 staining showed different patterns in all three groups. In control group, there was a low percentage of nuclear staining of moderate to strong intensity in parabasal and few suprabasal layers, while in precancerosis group it was medium percentage of nuclear staining of moderate to strong intensity in basal, parabasal and few suprabasal layers. In the LSCC group there was a high percentage of nuclear staining of moderate to strong intensity in tumor cells. Cyclin D1 showed a high percentage of nuclear staining of moderate to strong intensity in parabasal and few suprabasal layers of samples from the control group and in tumor cells of LSCC. However, in the precancerosis group there was a medium percentage of nuclear staining of moderate to strong intensity in a few basal, parabasal and several suprabasal layers. Immunohistochemical expressions of Ki-67 and pronouncedly IMP3 generally follow the same pattern where control and precancerosis are similar and LSCC significantly differs, as opposed to p53 and cyclin D1. In that sense, IMP3 expression increase and difference in LSCC, as opposed to control and precancerosis, is especially pronounced, which points toward its possibly important diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic value.Further studies on the exact molecular mechanisms behind these differences are, of course, needed.

Proceedings contains 1 review paper, 6 original scientific papers, and 4 professional papers presented at 12th International Scientific and Professional Conference WITH FOOD TO HEALTH, organised in following sections: Nutrition, Dietetics and Diet Therapy, Functional Food and Dietary Supplements, and Food Analysis

Depression, an increasing public health problem, is often related to unhealthy dietary habits. The aim of this study was to examine the association between processed food dietary pattern and depression in adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 132 adult participants, aged 18 – 65. The intake of processed food was assessed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, while depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies – Depression scale. Depression was determined in 14 participants (10.6%) with no significant differences regarding age (p=0.378), sex (p=0.602), body mass index (p=0.114), educational level (p=0.311), number of people in the household (p=0.753), and physical activity (p=0.689) between participants with and without depression. On the other hand, there were significantly more current smokers among the participants with depression (p=0.004). Pastries (p=0.003), French fries (p=0.033), half-fat cheese (p=0.037), and cream cheese (p=0.025) were consumed more frequently among the participants without depression. There were no significant differences between the studied groups in consumption frequencies of other processed food items. Although the results of the present study did not show significantly increased consumption of processed food among depressed participants, for better understanding of potential relationship between these two factors, further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed.

The search for Marija Krucifiksa Kozulić’s remains has been an ongoing effort that has required the skills of many experts in the field, including forensic molecular biologists, anthropologists, and pathologists. Sister Kozulić was a pious and charitable nun who dedicated herself to helping the poor and less unfortunate. Due to her generous and virtuous life, Kozulić is currently being considered for the sainthood by the Vatican, requiring the identification of her 20th century skeletal remains. Kozulić was buried in a tomb with her biological sister, Tereza Kozulić, along with the commingled remains of other nuns from the Society of Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rijeka, Croatia. Previous analysis of the mitochondrial (mt) genome and control region revealed high levels of bacterial contamination and only produced common haplotypes that prohibited discrimination between the remains analyzed. A whole mtgenome capture approach developed by the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory (AFDIL) was applied to the remains prior to massively parallel sequencing (MPS). This method removed a majority of the bacterial contamination by isolating the target mtDNA with the use of biotinylated RNA baits and washing away any foreign DNA. Using this technique, two sets of right and left femurs were identified as having the same mtgenome haplotype with a shared site of heteroplasmy at position 13327A (28-29% vs 12-13%), as well as an unshared heteroplasmic site at position 12337.1C (32-34%). These samples were extracted in duplicate at the Pennsylvania State University as well as sent to AFDIL to confirm the findings, and in all cases identical results were obtained. Given the consistency of the DNA results and the fact that the sisters were the only maternally related individuals within that closed population, these two sets of skeletal remains are believed to belong to Sisters Marija and Tereza Kozulić. It is now up to experts in anthropology and pathology to determine which set of remains belongs to Sister Marija.

anthropometry, dietary habits, glucose levels, high blood pressure, adolescents, Croatia

The exposome concept was initiated within the field of epidemiology in 2005 as “the totality of human environmental exposures from conception onwards, complementing the genome”. In the context of birth cohort studies and as- early-as-possible complex disease’ pre-vention, our focus is on the influence of maternal exposome on the offspring early growth and development as well as health outcomes in adulthood. Birth cohort can be used as a pow- erfull tool in exposing the transgenerational propagation of maternal exposome effects.

The main goal of this study was to test the association of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and fasting glucose level in pregnancy on birth size of newborns. The sample consisted of 177 healthy pregnant woman and their newborns from the islands (Hvar and Brač) and the mainland (Split- Dalmatian County) who are participants in the Croatian Islands Birth cohort Study (CRIBS). Anthropometric variables (body weight, height and waist circumference) were measured according to the International Biological Program. Peripheral blood of pregnant women was taken between 22nd and 26th week of gestation, and fasting glucose values >5.1 mmol/L were considered elevated. Statistical analyses were done by SPSS10.0 for Windows. There was a significant positive correlation between pre-pregnancy BMI and fasting glucose levels during pregnancy as well as between pre- pregnancy BMI and birth weight, length, and head circumference of the newborns. Hyperglycemic women gave birth to significantly heavier newborn girls then normoglycemic women (p

The exposome concept was initiated within the field of epidemiology in 2005 to encompass “the totality of human environmental exposures from conception onwards, complementing the genome”. In the context of birth cohort studies and as- early-as-possible complex disease’ pre-vention, our focus is on the influence of maternal exposome on the offspring early growth and development as well as health outcomes in adulthood. As an example on how birth cohort can be used as a pow-erfull tool in exposing the transgenerational propagation of maternal exposome effects, we are presenting data of 150 mother-child dyads collected within the longitudinal CRIBS study focusing on relationships between maternal (such as physical activity, nutritional and lifestyle habits) and child parameters (early growth and development). Also, additional strategies regarding toxicological burden and epigenetic modifications (e.g. glycosylation) will be proposed.

Health benefits of physical activity during pregnancy include reduced risk of excessive gestational weight gain and conditions such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and preterm birth. The ongoing CRoatian Islands Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS) is the first cohort study in the South-Eastern Europe with an aim to assess the prevalence of risk factors (biological, environmental and behavioral) for the Metabolic Syndrome in populations from Dalmatian islands of Hvar and Brač and coastal Split city with its surroundings. At the time of writing, Over 350 pregnant women and 220 of their newborns have been involved in the study. Here we present the preliminary results of testing the association of mothers` self- estimated physical activity during pregnancy with newborns` anthropometric characteristics (birth weight, length and head circumference) using the data from questionnaires and obstetric records of 116 mother – newborn pairs. The difference in weight-at-birth was detected between newborn girls whose mothers were from Low vs. Intensive physical activity categories, as well as from Moderate vs. Intensive physical activity categories. In addition to that, the significant difference in weight-at-birth and height/length-at-birth was detected between newborn boys whose mothers were from Moderate vs. Intensive physical activity categories (p

During the last decade it has become increasingly evident that genetic variants can explain only a portion of individual's susceptibility to non-communicable complex diseases. The spotlight of research therefore shifted to mechanisms of epigenetic modifications as central players in gene- environment interplay. The transgenerational propagation of both genetic variants and epigenetic programming can contribute to an increased risk of complex diseases. In this work we are presenting data of 150 mother-child dyads collected within the longitudinal CRIBS study focusing on the main constituents of the metabolic syndrome (cardiovascular diseases and obesity), but also other diseases that emerge in family history. We show incidence of diseases in mother’s families, biochemical parameters of mothers related to diseases and a plan of risk prediction and possible interventions based on environ-mental exposure and hereditary factors in mothers and their offspring.

Ciljevi istraživanja: Ispitati, utvrditi i analizirati toksikološke, demografske i sudsko-medicinske značajke samoubojstava koja nisu povezana s predoziranjem, kako bi se dokazalo ili opovrgnulo postojanje njihova međusobnog odnosa, te ispitati značaj utjecaja toksikoloških značajki samoubojstava koja nisu povezana s predoziranjem na izbor načina i sredstva počinjenja. Ispitanici i metode: Studija uključuje 80 umrlih osoba, nad kojima je pri Zavodu za sudsku medicinu u Rijeci u trogodišnjem razdoblju (2007- 2009.) izvršena sudsko-medicinska obdukcija, te je utvrđeno samoubojstvo kao način smrti, a kod kojih se nije radilo o predoziranju psihoaktivnim tvarima. Svaki slučaj je pojedinačno analiziran, a uzorci krvi i mokraće izuzeti tijekom obdukcije analizirani su metodom plinske kromatografije kako bi se u njima utvrdila koncentracija etilnog alkohola, te plinske kromatografije s masenom spektrometrijom kako bi se u njima utvrdila prisutnost ostalih psihoaktivnih tvari. Rezultati: Samoubojstva češće počine muškarci prosječne dobi od 53,3 godine. Najveći broj samoubojstava utvrđen je u travnju i svibnju, te u ponedjeljak i utorak. Samoubojstva se češće zbivaju izvan grada Rijeke. Kod većine počinitelja utvrđena je prisutnost barem jedne psihoaktivne tvari. Prosječna koncentracija alkohola u krvi počinitelja samoubojstava iznosila je 0,417 g/kg. Najčešće utvrđene opojne droge su tetrahidrokanabinol, a slijede psihostimulansi. Najčešće utvrđeni psihoaktivni lijekovi su benzodiazepini i antidepresivi. Muškarci češće od žena biraju brže smrtonosne i drastičnije metode za počinjenje samoubojstva, uključujući samoubojstva vatrenim oružjem i eksplozivnim napravama, kao posebno drastične metode počinjenja samoubojstva. Počinitelji kod kojih je utvrđena stimulacija (ekscitacija) središnjeg živčanog sustava češće biraju brže smrtonosne i drastičnije metode počinjenja samoubojstva. Zaključak: Toksikološke, demografske i sudsko-medicinske značajke samoubojstava su nedvojbeno u međusobnom odnosu, a posebice je značajan utjecaj toksikoloških značajki na izbor načina i sredstva počinjenja., Objectives: To examine and analyze toxicological, demographic and forensic features of suicides other than overdose, in order to prove or refute the existence of their relationship. Also, to examine the influence of toxicological features on the choice of methods of committing suicides other than overdose. Patients and Methods: The study included 80 death persons examined at the Rijeka Department of Forensic Medicine in a three-year period (2007-2009) with suicide other than overdose as a manner of death. The circumstances of each case were analyzed, and blood and urine samples taken at the autopsy underwent toxicological analyses, using gas chromatography for ethanol concentration and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for other psychoactive substances. Results: Suicides are more frequently committed by men, with the average age of 53.3. Most of the suicides happened in April and May, as well as Monday and Tuesday. Suicides are more frequently committed outside the city of Rijeka. With most of the suicides, toxicological analysis revealed at least one psychoactive substance. The average blood alcohol concentration found in this study was 0.417 g/kg. The most frequently found illicit drugs were tetrahydrocannabinol, followed by psychostimulant drugs. The most frequent psychoactive medications found were benzodiazepines and antidepressants. Men more frequently than women choose more immediately fatal and drastic methods of committing suicide, including suicides by firearms and explosives as especially drastic methods. Suicides in which the stimulation (excitation) of the central nervous system was found, more frequently choose more immediately fatal and drastic methods of committing suicide. Conclusion: Toxicological, demographic and forensic features of suicides are undoubtly related, and especially important is the influence of toxicological features on the choice of methods of committing suicide.

Chronic exposure to mercury, even at low concentrations, is known to represent an environmental risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases. Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of symptoms associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus type 2. As a toxic metal, mercury may induce oxidative stress, inactivate several antioxidant mechanisms, and induce a chronic low-grade inflammation. Studies of mercury exposure and blood pressure have so far yielded contradictory results. Some authors confirmed the association between elevated blood and hair mercury with the increase of hypertension risk, but some other reported no association between mercury and hypertension. Sørensen et al. have found that prenatal exposure to 62 Anthropology in the Service of Global Health methylmercury led to the increased blood pressure in children of a highfish consuming population. Regarding the relationship between mercury exposure and dyslipidemia, more consistent data were obtained. Apart from most other, the results from Park et al. in 2016 showed a significant positive association between higher mercury concentration and higher HDL cholesterol in MetS men. The negative association might be explained by the fact that fish contain high level of PUFAs, which may decrease triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol, eventually attenuating the effects of low dose mercury on the lipid profile. A great number of conducted research demonstrated interaction between mercury levels and obesity. However, Barbosa et al. in their 2001 Brazilian natives study, showed that BMI was not associated with mercury exposure from fish consumption. Several large population-based have concluded that blood mercury could be a potential risk factor for insulin resistance, while a 2013 cross-sectional study conducted by Moon et al. among members of Korean population has shown no significant relationship between the levels of toxic heavy metals (lead, cadmium and mercury) and diabetes mellitus.