Background: Correct measuring of blood and urine creatinine level is necessary for identification and tracking of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Objective: The aim of this study is a comparison of Jaffe and enzymatic methods for measuring creatinine in serum and in urine, in order to determine whether there are any statistical significant differences between them, and whether they are reflected on creatinine clearance calculation and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Methods: Creatinine in serum and urine was measured for the group of patients (N=60; female=34, male=26) from 24 to 69 years of age by using Jaffe’s method on Dimension RxL biochemical analyzer, and enzymatic method on integrated biochemical and immunochemical analyzer Architect ci8200, and obtained levels are used for creatinine clearance calculation and eGFR. Results: The methods correlate well, both in measuring serum creatinine (r 1 = 0.990) and in measuring urine creatinine (r 2 =0.974). There are no statistically significant differences between them (p=0.57). Measuring creatinine using different methods showed no statistically significant differences in the calculated clearances (p=0.93), they significantly correlate (r=0.9722). eGFR, using the MDRD and CKD-EPI formulas, were not statistically significantly different, regardless of the used method. Conclusion: Apart from significant correlations between the used methods, the results of using the Jaffe and enzymatic methods showed no significant differences at measuring serum creatinine level, or creatinine clearance and glomerular filtration rate.

Introduction: Laboratory personnel (LP) represent a high-risk group of healthcare workers for whom the primary laboratory environment and specific work activities are a major source of potential exposure to health hazards. This study aimed to evaluate the developed matrix and assess risk based on self-assessment. Methods: This multicenter, qualitative, and cross-sectional study was conducted on LP employed in biomedical laboratories. The respondents were divided into groups according to their territorial affiliation. The data collection tool used was a six-area questionnaire distributed online through a network of professional associations. For the risk assessment, a matrix was developed with scores ranging from 0 to 650, dividing the risk level into four categories. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used for the statistical analysis. Results: The developed model combined the classification of risk and risk factors with a certainty of p < 0.001. The regression analysis showed that working conditions had the greatest influence on overall risk, followed by physical, biological, and physical hazards. Of the 640 respondents, the medium risk category was the highest in European Union (EU) countries (81.2%). Comparing the values in the high-risk category between the Bosnians and Herzegovinians (BiH) group and the Republic of Serbia, Republic of Northern Macedonia, and Montenegro (SCM) group with the EU group, a doubling (16.6%: 36.7%) and tripling (16.6%: 52.1%) of the proportion was found, respectively (p < 0.001). Overall, 1.7% of the LPs from BiH fell into the high-risk category. Conclusions: The designed matrix provides a reliable basis for identifying risk predictors in the study population and can serve as a useful tool for conducting risk assessments in biomedical laboratories. The results of the risk assessment indicate significant differences between the studied groups and highlight the need for increased control of BiH workplaces through new regulatory requirements.

Food safety is a story that unites all civilizations, cultures, and nations, and it is interlaced with various methods for making food safer. Concern for nutritious and safe food is as ancient as humankind itself, and many of the food safety issues that persist today are not new. Diverse records from the ancient world, as well as the religious writings of the three monotheist religions, actually refer to food, its intake, and prohibitions, as well as pathological diseases that may follow from inappropriate intake. Over time, food safety has evolved into a scientific discipline concerned with the handling, preparation, transport, and distribution of food to avoid the transmission of illnesses. The current state of food safety knowledge is the result of past discoveries, innovations, and laws. In modern times, the right to consume safe food is a fundamental human right. It contributes to and promotes sustainable development while supporting the economy, trade, and tourism. Nevertheless, despite significant improvements, we still know relatively little about food-borne illnesses and how infections affect humans.

Tobacco is both toxic and addictive. Mounting evidence shows that tobacco use has a detrimental impact on almost every aspect of human health, causing or worsening deadly public health crises from the cancer epidemic to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while tobacco use is a threat to both personal and public health, it continues to surge across the world, especially in China and other low- and middle-income countries. To this end, this article argues in favor of using a ban on the sale of all tobacco products as a practical solution to the global tobacco use epidemic. It is our hope that insights provided by our work will inspire swift policy actions in countries such as China and beyond to curb the tide of rising tobacco consumption, so that populations around the world could be better shielded from the pervasive and long-lasting damage that tobacco products cause or compound.

War could be traumatic. War trauma could often lead to severe and sustained health consequences on people’s physical and psychological health. War trauma is often prevalent in people who either participated in the war or lived near conflict zones, such as military professionals, refugees, and health workers. Advances in information and communication technologies, such as the speed, scale, and scope at which people worldwide could be exposed to the near-time happenings of the war, mean that an unprecedented number of people could face media-induced war trauma. Different from war experienced in person, which could be limited in scope and intensity, media-induced war trauma can be substantially more extensive and comprehensive—news reports on the war often cover all aspects and angles possible, possibly paired with disturbing, if not demoralizing, images, repeatedly 24/7. Although media-induced war trauma could have a profound influence on people’s mental health, particularly factoring in the compounding challenges caused by the pandemic, there is a dearth of research in the literature. To shed light on this issue, in this article, we aim to examine the implications of media-induced war trauma on people’s health and well-being. Furthermore, we discuss the duties and responsibilities of the media industry amid and beyond the current conflicts in Ukraine.

Introduction: Energy drinks (EDs) are products in the form of a beverage or concentrated liquid designed to increase both mental and physical stimulations. Their popularity has grown tremendously, especially among children and adolescents, regardless of the growing number of undesirable health consequences associated with their consumption. This study aimed to evaluate the content of additives in EDs available in the Bosnian and Herzegovinian (B&H) markets. Methods: Twenty-two EDs from 15 brands were analyzed. The contents of quinine (QUIN), caffeine (CAF), benzoic acid (BZA), and sorbic acid (SA) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: The median value of QUIN, CAF, SA, and BZA was 0.15 ppm, 309.05 ppm, 75.35 ppm, and 90.80 ppm, respectively. The highest CAF content variation was found in EDs of brand 4, and the lowest was in brand 6. A statistically significant difference was found between the obtained values in relation to the recommended daily intake of CAF for adolescents by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The CAF content in EDs deviates by 10% from the content stated in the product declaration. All EDs on the B&H market should carry a clear warning: “High CAF content must not be mixed with alcohol and is not recommended for children, pregnant and/or lactating women, and CAF-sensitive individuals.” Given the behavioral trends associated with the potential risks of excessive CAF consumption, particularly among youth, national agencies in B&H should recognize areas of intervention such as responsible marketing and advertising, and education and awareness-raising. Further research and monitoring would be needed to determine the effectiveness of the various aspects of the proposed risk management approach.

Background: Carbohydrates are mainly substrates for energy metabolism and can affect satiety, blood glucose levels, insulin secretion, and fat metabolism. Their amount and type in the diet affect metabolic responses. High-carbohydrate diets, particularly high sugar consumption, are considered particularly harmful because of their specific characteristics related to postprandial metabolism, effects on hunger and satiety, and thus on caloric intake and energy balance. The European Food Safety Authority has suggested that the reference intake for carbohydrates should be between 45 and 60% of total energy requirements and less than 10% should be added sugars, especially for children. Objective: Investigate the proportion and type of carbohydrates in the diets of children in early adolescence in two territorially distinct areas, the continental and the Mediterranean. Methods: The study was conducted as part of a longitudinal cohort study. The survey was conducted in elementary schools in two regions: continental and Mediterranean. The School Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey was used for research purposes. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests were applied for data analysis. Results: A total of 1,411 respondents of both sexes aged 12-15 years, 729 boys and 678 girls, participated in the study. The intake of carbohydrates in the total sample is represented in the daily intake of 59%. The proportion of natural sugar in the diet of boys is statistically significantly higher in the continental compared to the Mediterranean region at the age of 12-13 years (p = 0.002), 13-14 years (p = 0.049), and 14-15 years (p = 0.002). Added sugars in total carbohydrate intake are statistically significantly higher in girls in the Mediterranean region compared to the continental region at ages 12-13 years (p = 0.048), 13-14 years (p = 0.001), and 14-15 years (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The high intake of added sugars in children in the Mediterranean region is of concern, although the intake in the continental area is well above current recommendations. Therefore, one of the public health goals is to promote proper nutrition as well as the availability of healthy foods in schools, especially during early adolescence when proper eating habits are adopted.

Abstract COVID-19 both creates and complicates public health challenges. Yet the pandemic also provides a unique lens for dissecting complex issues in global health that could benefit society in the long run. In this paper, we discuss the underlying reasons that can help explain the divergent COVID-19 control outcomes between Beijing and Shanghai—two advanced metropolitans that are similar in their municipal capacity, administrative capability and pandemic strategy. We hope insights of this investigation contribute to the development of disease prevention systems, such as context-specific and data-driven public health strategies that could yield optimal pandemic control outcomes with minimal unintended consequences, both amid and beyond COVID-19.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.795841.].

Abstract Introduction: To curb the COVID-19 pandemic, countries across the globe have adopted either a mitigation or anelimination policy, such as the zero-COVID-19 strategy. However, further research is needed to systematically investigate the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy in the literature. To bridge the research gap, this study examines the zero-COVID-19 strategy in terms of its advantages as a global anti-pandemic framework. Methods: A literature review was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus to locate academic articles that discussed the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy. Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis approach was adopted to guide the data analysis process. Results: The findings of our study show that the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy range from short-term (e.g., limited virus infections, hospitalizations, and deaths), to medium-term (e.g., reduced presence of other infectious diseases), and long-term (e.g., low incidence of long COVID-19). While local residents mainly leverage these advantages, they also impact the global community (e.g., stable global supply of essentials, such as COVID-19 vaccines). Conclusions: COVID-19 is catastrophic, yet controllable. Our study examined the advantages of the zero-COVID-19 strategy from a nuanced perspective and discussed how these advantages benefit both the local and the global community in pandemic control and management. Future studies could investigate the shortcomings of the zero-COVID-19 strategy, especially its unintended consequences, such as adverse impacts on vulnerable populations’ mental health, so that society could more efficiently, economically, and empathetically capitalize on the potential of the zero-COVID-19 strategy for the betterment of personal and public health.