Croatian medical journal
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Croatian medical journal · Apr 2001
Editorial CommentGood editorial practice: editors as educators.
There may be valuable research going on in the developing and financially less-privileged countries, but it usually does not reach international visibility, in spite of a large number of scientific journals in these countries. Such journals are not only invisible but, by perpetuating a vicious circle of inadequacy, may be directly damaging to the local science and research culture. We call for an international action to help journal editors in less privileged countries. ⋯ Editors can teach the authors study design, statistical analysis, precision, punctuality, research integrity, style and format of writing, and other aspects of scientific communication. The editors of "big", mainstream scientific journals can act as global educators, teaching and providing guidance to editors of small journals. The editors from developed countries as leaders, and editors from less advantageous environments as teachers are the key figures in shaping research communication in less privileged scientific communities.
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The grouping of symptoms into "somatic" or "physical" on the one hand and "mental", "somatoform", or "psychological" on the other are vestiges of an era in medicine when it seemed useful to divide all the phenomena of disease into two groups - one related to the soma and other to the psyche. Today, this division is becoming obsolete and is harmful. Obsolete, because we are discovering changes in the tissues or in biochemical and immunological functions of the body in people with mental disorders, and because psychological complaints are frequent in all physical illnesses. Harmful, because the labels "psychological", "psychogenic", or "somatoform" are so loaded with connotations of being simulations or complaints about nothing that patients are unlikely to recive the help they need.
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Croatian medical journal · Feb 2001
Antibiotic-resistance patterns of Helicobacter pylori in Croatia: cohort study.
To provide information on regional sensitivity of H. pylori to antibiotic treatment by investigating the rate of H. pylori eradication in Croatia. ⋯ Optimal therapy for the eradication of H. pylori infection is the RBAAz treatment, whereas metronidazole cannot be recommended because of the high rate of resistance of H. pylori to that antibiotic.
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Croatian medical journal · Feb 2001
Influence of high intensity training on menstrual cycle disorders in athletes.
To estimate the influence of intensive training on menstrual cycles in female athletes. ⋯ High-intensity training before menarche postpones its onset. Type of training may be related to a significantly higher prevalence of secondary amenorrhea in runners than in basketball players.
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Croatian medical journal · Feb 2001
Comparative Study Clinical TrialAnterior decompression and fixation versus posterior reposition and semirigid fixation in the treatment of unstable burst thoracolumbar fracture: prospective clinical trial.
To compare the anterior and posterior surgical approach in the emergency treatment of unstable burst thoracolumbar fracture. ⋯ Both surgical techniques were equally effective in neurological improvement and functional outcome. Posterior surgery can be recommended in emergency neurodecompression and fixation of unstable thoracolumbar fractures because of the shorter operation time and smaller blood loss.