Southern Croatia Research Articles

Physical Activity, Body Mass, and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Preschool Children: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in the Split-Dalmatia County (Croatia).

Physical activity, body mass, and dietary habits are known to be important determinants of overall health status, but there is an evident lack of studies that examine these issues specifically in preschool children. The aim of this study was to identify associations that may exist between adhering to the Mediterranean diet (MD), levels of physical activity (PA), and body composition indices in apparently healthy preschool children from southern Croatia. Participants were 5- to 6-year-old preschoolers from the Mediterranean part of the country (the Split-Dalmatia County; n = 260, 126 females). Adherence to the MD was observed by the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED), PA level was evaluated by the Preschool-age Children’s Physical Activity Questionnaire (Pre-PAQ), and responses were collected from the parents. The participants’ waist circumferences (in cm), waist-to-hip ratios, and body mass index (in kg/m2, and in a z-score calculated relative to the normative value for age and sex) were used as indicators of body composition. All children were of the same age and tested over a one-month period of the same year as a part of the regular examination undertaken before attending elementary school. With only 6% of the children having a low KIDMED score, adherence to the MD was high. MD adherence was higher in girls (Chi-square = 15.31, p < 0.01) and children who live on the coast of the Adriatic Sea (Chi-square = 18.51, p < 0.01). A mixed effects logistic regression (with kindergarten as random factor) identified sedentary activity to be negatively associated with MD adherence (OR per point: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.44–0.91). High adherence to the MD in the studied sample may be attributed to regulated feeding in kindergarten. Considering that most Croatian elementary schools do not provide food to their students, MD adherence should be investigated later in life and also in other parts of the country where the MD is culturally less prevalent.

Molecular and morphological survey on Campanula cremnophila (Campanulaceae), a new isophyllous species from Croatia

Within the isophyllous group of Campanula ser. Garganicae, represented by species of prevalent Adriatic and Ionian distribution, a rare new endemic species named C. cremnophila is described and illustrated from Peljesac Peninsula and the nearby Elaphite islands of Olipa and Jakljan (southern Croatia). It is a chasmophyte growing on calcareous rocky crevices near the sea, showing close relationship with C. garganica from southern Italy. Phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ITS and chloroplast trnL–trnF data emphasized that C. cremnophila is distinct from other species of this group, forming a subclade with C. garganica and C. poscharskyana. The morphology, SEM microstructure of seeds and pollen grains, taxonomical relationships, ecology, conservation status of C. cremnophila, as well as an identification key including the species of the ser. Garganicae, are provided.

Diversity of plant-eating invertebrates as potential prey of carabid beetles in olive groves and vineyards in southern Croatia

Predatory arthropods, among them carabid beetles (fam. Carabidae), play a key role in regulating the plant eating invertebrates in different agroecosystems. Croatian part of Mediterranean is extremely reach in biodiversity, and poorly investigated. Especially, studies on impact of different agricultural practices and use of various pesticides on diversity of beneficial predatory fauna and their trophic interactions have been scarce. Prior to molecular trophic analyses, we sampled invertebrate fauna, as a potential food for predatory arthropods, including carabid beetles, in olive groves and vineyards, both in ecological (EPM) and integrated (IPM) productions, and in pristine natural habitat, typical for that part of karst area. The knowledge on diversity and phenology of potential prey groups is important for developing molecular assays for detecting consumed species, and for better taxonomic resolution of consumed prey species accessed via DNA metabarcoding analysis of stomach content. During vegetation season in 2018 in hinterland of Zadar county “Ravni Kotari”, in southern Croatia, a survey in the canopy and the ground layer was done using yellow sticky traps Plantella©, beating net, pitfall traps and Tullgren funnels. Diversity indices were calculated for each collecting method and for each type of agroecosystem. Results showed that with betting net at least 16 groups, with Tullgren funnels at least 11 and 8 groups of potential invertebrate prey with yellow sticky trap was found. In olive groves 2 and in vineyards 3 of found plant eating groups, respectively could be economically important for production. Diversity and phenology on sites will be presented and discussed in details. This survey contributes to understanding diversity and phenology of different invertebrate prey groups in Mediterranean agroecosystems that could help in sustaining predatory carabids in the field under different pest control practice. The study was conducted under the project activity of HRZZ – Mediteratri and EU INTERREG CBC Pescar.

ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE LATTICE BROWN, KIRINIA ROXELANA (CRAMER, 1777) IN SOUTHERN CROATIA (LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE)

New observations of lattice brown, Kirinia roxelana (Cramer, 1777) in southern Croatia are presented. The species has been recorded at 11 new localities across the mainland part of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. As the species inhabits mostly rural areas, more targeted surveys in such habitats are needed to provide additional records. The specificity of this habitat is also the main reason why the species has so rarely been observed in Croatia. New records represent an important addition to the knowledge of the distribution of this species and illustrate the lack of faunistic research in the region.

Effectiveness of treatment of newly diagnosed hypertension in family medicine practices in South Croatia

BackgroundUncontrolled blood pressure remains an urgent issue in clinical practice worldwide. This study aimed to compare the characteristics and effectiveness of hypertension control in family medicine pratice in the first treatment year, in relation to the geographical position, socio-economic standard, and access to medical services and public pharmacies in urban, rural and island environments (city of Split vs. Dalmatian Hinterland vs. islands in Southern Croatia).MethodsA historical cohort study included 213 patients diagnosed from 2008 to 2014 with essential arterial hypertension (AH) and without related complications or diabetes mellitus. Each patient was followed up for 365 days from the visit when the diagnosis of hypertension was ascertained. Normotension was defined as arterial pressure < 140/90 mmHg. The annual cost of drugs prescribed for treating newly diagnosed hypertensive patient and the total price for defined daily dose per patient were also evaluated.ResultsMore than half patients achieved normotension within a year from the initial diagnosis in all family medicine practices (57.3%), without significant differences among the three geographic regions (P = 0.981). Higher initial systolic blood pressure was a positive predictive prognostic factor on achieveing normotension (odds ratio (OR) 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.95–0.98). ACE inhibitors were the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive agents in monotherapy (35.1%), as well as considering overall prescriptions (25.2%). Calcium channel blockers were the most commonly prescribed initial BP-lowering single agents in urban areas (28.6%), whereas angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were more common in rural (28.0%) and island areas (22.7%) (P = 0.037). The median annual antihypertensive drug cost was 169.4 (95% CI 151.5–201.8) Croatian kunas and was similar across the study sites.ConclusionMultiple antihypertensive drugs, prescribed in accordance with the guidelines, lead to similar pharmacological effects. Primary care physicians seem to be able to overcome potential interfering socio-economic factors and successfully achieve normotension in newly diagnosed patients with uncomplicated AH after 1 year of treatment.

Lasting personality pathology following exposure to severe trauma in adulthood: retrospective cohort study

BackgroundEarly exposure to trauma is a known risk factor for personality disorder (PD), but evidence for late-onset personality pathology following trauma in adults is much less clear. We set out to investigate whether exposure to war trauma can lead to lasting personality pathology in adults and to compare the mental health and social functioning of people with late–onset personality problems with those with PD.MethodsWe recruited patients who scored positively on the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE) in southern Croatia 15 years after the Croatian war of independence and used a semi-structured interview to establish when the person’s personality-related problems arose. All participants also completed Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, and measures of mental health and social functioning.ResultsAmong 182 participants with probable personality disorder, 65 (35.7%) reported that these problems started after exposure to war-trauma as adults. The most prevalent personality problems among those with late-onset pathology were borderline, avoidant, schizotypal, schizoid and paranoid. Participants with late-onset personality pathology were more likely to have schizotypal (75.4% vs. 47.3%) and schizoid traits (73.8% vs. 41.1%) compared to those with PD. Participants with late-onset personality pathology were three times more likely to have complex personality pathology across all three DSM-IV clusters compared to those with PD (OR = 2.96, 95% CI 1.54 to 5.67) after adjusted for gender and marital status. The prevalence of depression and social dysfunction were as high among those with late-onset personality pathology as among those with personality disorder.ConclusionRetrospective accounts of people with significant personality pathology indicate that some develop these problems following exposure to severe trauma in adulthood. Personality-related problems which start in adulthood may be as severe as those that have an earlier onset. These findings highlight the long term impact of war trauma on the mental health and have implications for the way that personality pathology is classified and treated.

The lost and rediscovered holotype of Alyssum austrodalmaticum (Brassicaceae) is in line with the latest taxonomic treatment

Alyssum austrodalmaticum was originally described as an endemic species from southern Croatia. It has been considered a dubious taxon because its holotype specimen got lost and because of the scant information contained in the protologue. To settle the interpretation of the name and its application to other Western Balkan populations, a neotype was recently designated. Soon after, the lost holotype specimen was accidentally rediscovered. It is in agreement with the (now superfluous) neotype and the most recent circumscription of the species. Here we present the holotype, summarize the previous uncertainty surrounding this taxon and list all its herbarium specimens from Croatia and adjacent regions deposited in the herbaria CNHM, ZA, ZAHO and ZAGR.

Vitamin D Status and Analysis of Specific Correlates in Preschool Children: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Croatia.

Vitamin D deficiency is a globally important problem, particularly in children, but there is a lack of information regarding this deficiency in preschool children from southeastern Europe. This study aimed to establish the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and associations of gender, time spent outdoors, physical activity (PA), and body mass index (as predictors) with the 25(OH)D level (outcome) in healthy preschool children. The participants were preschoolers (all 5–6 years of age) from southern Croatia. All the participants were tested during their mandatory medical examination 6–7 months prior to school enrollment. The PA was obtained using the preschool-age physical activity questionnaire (Pre-PAQ), which categorizes PA into five levels (from sedentary to vigorous PA). The prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency was high: 58% of the children had 25(OH)D levels of <50 nmol/L (deficiency), and an additional 29% had an insufficient level of 25(OH)D (50–75 nmol/L). Boys had higher levels of 25(OH)D than girls. A multinomial regression using 25(OH)D categories as the outcome and a sufficient level (>75 nmol/L) as the reference value identified gender as the only significant predictor of 25(OH)D status, with boys being at lower risk for 25(OH)D deficiency than girls. These results showed a high prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency in preschoolers from the southern part of Croatia, which is additionally alarming based on the geographical position of the studied region (42° N) and its high number of sunshine hours (>2600 h per year). Future studies examining other potential correlates of 25(OH)D in the region are warranted.

Lithic Assemblages from Nakovana (Croatia)

A large and complex lithic collection from Pelješac, a peninsula on the eastern Adriatic seaboard of southern Croatia, provides extensive information about raw materials, formal typology, and technology of flaked stone artifacts from the Early Neolithic up to the Iron Age. Most of the evidence comes from two stratified sites: a cave named Spila and the hillfort of Grad, both located on the Nakovana Plateau. The most conspicuous characteristic of the Nakovana lithic collection is continuity, both in production technology and in the choice of raw material. Changes are manifest in frequencies of lithic artifact classes, rather than in kinds of lithic artifacts. Virtually all the lithics are made of cherts imported from the Gargano Peninsula, which testifies to persistent trans-Adriatic connections throughout post-Mesolithic prehistory. Prismatic blades were brought to Nakovana as finished products. They are present from the Early Neolithic, their frequencies peak during the Copper Age, and they disappear from the record soon after the transition to the Bronze Age. An ad hoc flake-production technology is present throughout the sequence, but its importance diminishes as the prismatic blade technology takes over. After the disappearance of prismatic blades, Bronze Age lithic assemblages consist mainly of flakes and expedient flake-based tools. While the Nakovana sites did not yield any Mesolithic finds, comparison with other eastern Adriatic sites indicates that raw material procurement patterns changed radically at the time of the transition from the Mesolithic to the Neolithic, which also coincided with the introduction of prismatic blade technology.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Congenitally Missing Permanent Teeth among Orthodontic Patients in Southern Croatia.

BackgroundCongenitally missing permanent teeth (CMPT) was recognized as a clinical and public health problem in pediatric dentistry.AimTo determine the prevalence of CMPT among orthodontic patients in Southern Croatia.Materials and MethodsIn a retrospective study, we analyzed CMPT in patients from three different regions in Southern Croatia (SC). Two orthodontic practices from each region were selected and a total of 4649 records of patients aged 6 - 15 years, who were clinically examined for orthodontic treatment between 2008 and 2015, were evaluated. We excluded 219 patients and 4430 patients remained for further analysis.ResultsThere was no difference in prevalence of CMPT among regions in Southern Croatia, and the whole sample was evaluated. CMPT was found in 345(7.8%) patients. The highest proportion of CMPT was with one or two missing teeth 122 (81.9%) and 158 (80.6%), followed by those with three to five missing teeth or moderate hypodontia, 25(16.8%) and 35(17.9%), in males, and females respectively. Bilateral hypodontia of the lower second premolars and upper second incisors was more common than unilateral hypodontia.ConclusionsThe obtained results of high prevalence of CMPT in Southern Croatia reinforce the need for a timely diagnostics and treatment of moderate and severe cases.

Fragment Size Distribution of Blasted Rock Mass

Rock mass is a heterogeneous material, and the heterogeneity of rock causes sizes distribution of fragmented rocks in blasting. Prediction of blasted rock mass fragmentation has a significant role in the overall economics of opencast mines. Blasting as primary fragmentation can significantly decrease the cost of loading, transport, crushing and milling operations. Blast fragmentation chiefly depends on the specific blast design (geometry of blast holes drilling, the quantity and class of explosive, the blasting form, the timing and partition, etc.) and on the properties of the rock mass (including the uniaxial compressive strength, the rock mass elastic Young modulus, the rock discontinuity characteristics and the rock density). Prediction and processing of blasting results researchers can accomplish by a variety of existing software’s and models, one of them is the Kuz-Ram model, which is possibly the most widely used approach to estimating fragmentation from blasting. This paper shows the estimation of fragmentation using the "SB" program, which was created by the authors. Mentioned program includes the Kuz-Ram model. Models of fragmentation are confirmed and calibrated by comparing the estimated fragmentation with actual post-blast fragmentation from image processing techniques. In this study, the Kuz-Ram fragmentation model has been used for an open-pit limestone quarry in Dalmatia, southern Croatia. The resulting calibrated value of the rock factor enables the quality prognosis of fragmentation in further blasting works, with changed drilling geometry and blast design parameters. It also facilitates simulation in the program to optimize blasting works and get the desired fragmentations of the blasted rock mass.

Essential and toxic element concentrations in monofloral honeys from southern Croatia

The concentrations of 24 elements in seven honey types (multifloral, heather, common heather, bearberry, sage, mandarin orange-blossom and honeydew) collected in southern Mediterranean regions of Croatia were determined using ICP-MS. Significant differences were found in the concentrations of Ag, As, Ba, Cu, Co, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Se, Sb, U and Th (p<0.05, all) among honeys. The highest element concentrations were determined in honeydew honeys, with the exception of multifloral (Ca, Cr, Mo, Se), common heather (Mg, Na), bearberry (Ba, Fe, Pb) and sage (Ag) honeys. Among the floral honeys, the highest concentrations were found in multifloral honey (Al, As, Be, Ca, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, Th and U), common heather (Co, K, Mg, Na, V), sage (Ag, Cd, Cu), and bearberry (Ba, Fe, Pb, Sb, Zn). The results contribute to the evidence supporting the role of botanical origin on the elemental composition of honey.

Severe war-related trauma and personality pathology: a case-control study

BackgroundExposure to war-related trauma has long been recognised to have an adverse effect on mental health. We attempted to investigate whether people who have clinically significant personality-related problems 15 years after a war are more likely to have been exposed to severe war-related trauma than those who do not have significant personality difficulties.MethodsA case –control study was conducted in southern Croatia, fifteen years after the 1991–1995 war. We recruited 268 participants: 182 cases who scored positively on the International Personality Disorder Examination scale (IPDE), and 86 controls who were IPDE negative. Severity of war-related trauma was assessed according to the 17 items on the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) trauma event scale, which were considered to be of severe (catastrophic) nature based on the ICD-10 description of catastrophic trauma and the opinion of trauma experts. All participants also completed measures of mental health (depression, anxiety and PTSD), social functioning and current substance misuse.ResultsCases (IPDE positive) were eight times more likely to report exposure to severe war-related trauma than controls. This association increased after adjustments for demographic factors (OR = 10.1, 95% CI 5.0 to 20.4). The types of severe trauma most frequently reported were either the participants’own life being in direct danger or witnessing extreme violence inflicted on others or the result of violence towards others (murder, torture, seeing burned or disfigured bodies). Prevalences of depression, anxiety and PTSD were high among IPDE positive participants 15 years after exposure to war trauma. Their level of interpersonal dysfunction was considerably higher than that in controls (OR = 10.39, 95% CI 3.51 to 30.75). Alcohol consumption in cases was significantly higher with a mean of 14.24 units per week (sd = 11.03) when compared to controls whose mean number of alcohol units was 9.24 (sd = 7.25), t (73) = 2.16, p < 0.05, mean difference 4.99 (95% CI = 0.39 to 9.60). Similarly, a significantly higher number of cases reported current substance misuse (8.2% vs. 0.0%) X2 (1, n = 268) = 7.51, p < 0.05).ConclusionExposure to severe war-related trauma is a risk factor for interpersonal dysfunction15 years after people were exposed to an armed conflict. These findings have implications for assessing and meeting the long-term mental health needs of people in war-affected regions. Further research needs to be done to increase our understanding about the relationship between severe war trauma and personality related problems.

Late Cretaceous palynoflora from the central part of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform (Islands of Hvar and Šćedro), southern Croatia

This paper provides the first palynological data from four Upper Cretaceous localities from the Islands of Hvar and Šćedro (southern Croatia), in the central part of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform. Studied material represents palynomorphs produced by coastal vegetation and transported to the shallow marine platform areas. Determined vegetation includes diverse hygrophilous, understory vegetation, range of evergreen needle trees attributable to Pinaceae and Podocarpaceae, as well as Araucarian conifers; ginkgo, cycads and/or bennettites. Flowering plants were likely represented by herbaceous forms. The palynoflora is generally indicative of a temperate, warm and humid climate. The occurrence of the Normapolles group with the presence of Plicapollis sp. and Pseudoculopollis sp. point to Turonian or probable Turonian–Coniacian age, and represent the southernmost record of occurrence within the Normapolles palynological province. Dominance of angiosperms and low abundance of ferns suggests an early-Late Cretaceous age. These findings are supported by the micropaleontological analyses and previously determined age of the sauropod dinosaur footprints described on the Island of Hvar. Based on the paleobotanical and palynological data, the dinosaur diet probably included araucarian conifers, ginkgo and angiosperms, and ferns to a lesser extent.

Lorenzo Licini (1725-1802) surveyor of Dalmatia and Count of Poljica as Rubcich

Very little is known about the Great County of Poljica, the autonomous Croatian community in twelve counties on the Adriatic Sea situated mostly in modern Southern Croatia in eastern Dalmatia which had been long and voluntarily under the rule of the Republic of Venice at the border with Ottoman Bosnia. Now Venetian years could be reconstructed in the light of original documents in the State Archives of Zadar and Venice. The author inquires into the proper manner of signing one's name to documents and maps as a pathway into higher research degrees. Focusing on representations of maritime Dalmatia by the hand of one of the twelve Poljica's counts – Lorenzo as 'Licini' of Venetian nationality in the State of Dalmatia and as 'Licini Rubcich' by Croatian affiliation to Rupčići village for the Poljicans living in Poljica, Kotor and Zadar – the analysis demonstrates that maps made for the Grimani Cadastre collection in Zadar can be virtually investigated to reveal the broader organizational devices and patterns through which Venice actually structured and controlled this pivotal land in such a way as to support the economy of a rapidly modernizing State.

Spatial patterns and drivers of fire occurrence in a Mediterranean environment: a case study of southern Croatia

Wildfires are an important factor of landscape dynamics in fire-prone environments of the world. In the Mediterranean, one of the most fire-susceptible environments globally, between 45,000 and 50,000 wildfires are recorded every year, causing disturbances in forest and grassland ecosystems. As a Mediterranean country, Croatia faces these problems, averaging over 1000 registered wildfires annually, with the coastal areas dominated by forest fires and continental Croatia by fires on agricultural lands. This research combines various landscape and socio-economic factors in the analysis of fire occurrence in Croatia’s southernmost region of Dalmatia. Around 275 of the largest fires (encompassing 98% of the total burnt area) registered in 2013 were investigated using OLS, and different spatial indices were employed to analyse regional variability in fire distribution. The results revealed that areas more prone to fires are the northern inland areas of Dalmatia and its entire coastal zone. Altitude and vegetation type demonstrated a correlation with fire occurrence, but an increase in population in the study area was also correlated with wildfire occurrence. Regarding vegetation, the grasslands and Mediterranean shrubland (maquis) were found to be the most fire-prone vegetation types in the study region, the distribution of which can be linked to different socio-economic and demographic processes occurring in the Eastern Adriatic.

Palynofacies and paleoenvironment of the Upper Jurassic mud-supported carbonates, southern Croatia: Preliminary evaluation of the hydrocarbon source rock potential

Despite the vast research on various aspects of its stratigraphy, relatively little is known about the source-rock potential of the Upper Jurassic Adriatic platform, southern Croatia. Here a case palynological study has been provided to determine the kerogen type, quality, and thermal maturity, and assess its relative hydrocarbon generative potential. Palynofacies characteristics indicate a low-energy, shallow-marine oxygen-depleted setting. The deposited mud-supported carbonates contain organic matter that is almost entirely composed of a fluorescent amorphous organic matter of planktonic and bacterial origin. A high phycomata/dinocyst ratio suggests relative hydrographic stability in an environment favorable for motile-stage dinoflagellate community with reduced production of dinocysts. The lack of anaerobic degradation and very good preservation of lipoid palynomorphs indicates dysoxic conditions; the latter also is suggested by a low proportion of algal-phytoplanktic carbohydrates. The lack of oxygen-deficient zone within the water column, coupled with well-preserved lipoid sediment components, suggests that the boundary between the oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor levels was likely located at/near the sediment-water interface. The palyno-organic facies analysis suggests that the organic matter corresponds to the type II (possibly I/II) kerogen (VRo ∼0.3–0.4%) that was protected from degradation before, during and after sedimentation. Well-preserved lipoid components suggest a good hydrocarbon-generative potential, but the low TOC values (<0.1%) of studied outcropping Upper Jurassic carbonates prevent their designation as source rocks. Given the known source-rock potential of the Upper Jurassic succession in the wider region, further studies of subsurface samples are needed to exclude the Oligocene-recent subaerial weathering as a culprit for the low TOC values.

Phylogenetic relationships inKerkiaand introgression betweenHauffeniaandKerkia(Caenogastropoda: Hydrobiidae)

Freshwater truncatelloidean gastropods include numerous minute cryptic species, displaying simple morphologies, all of which hampers their taxonomic research based on morphology. Phylogenetic relationships among all but one extant species of the genus Kerkia from five localities in Croatia and one in Slovenia were therefore analysed based on one mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) and three nuclear markers (18S, 28S and H3). Kerkia kusceri (Bole, 1961), K. jadertina Kuscer, 1933, K. j. sinjana (Kuscer, 1933), and K. kareli Beran, Bodon et Cianfanelli, 2014, were collected from their type localities. Our analysis confirmed their distinctness, recovering two additional clades that may represent yet undescribed species from Croatia. Apart from Kerkia, Hauffenia media Bole, 1961, H. subpiscinalis (Kuscer, 1932) and H. erythropomatia (Hauffen, 1856) from Slovenia were analysed. Their distinctness together with the rejection of the eligibility for separate genus Erythropomatiana for the latter species was proven. Interestingly, its sequence divergence exceeded all previous estimates for species-level divergence within the Truncatelloidea, implying a species-level separation both for the COI and for nuclear loci. High p-distances for the COI/nuclear loci (0.128/0.027, respectively) confirmed also the uniqueness of both genera. A comparison of their COI sequences with the reference sequences of Alzoniella Giusti et Bodon, 1984, Avenionia Nicolas, 1882, Fissuria Boeters, 1981, and Agrafia Szarowska et Falniowski, 2011, has shown that Kerkia and Hauffenia are not sister clades. The most striking, however, was the apparent introgression of the ‘Hauffenia’ mtDNA type from central Slovenia (cave Babja luknja) into two Kerkia clades from central (Ljubac) and southern (Podgrađe) Croatia, that are located 210 km and 360 km away, respectively. The introduced ‘Hauffenia’ mtDNA type and the closest Hauffenia erythropomatia COI differed by 0.8%. Secondary loss of isolating mechanisms between phylogenetically distant organisms and the severe lack of information on distribution of these underground taxa were postulated as possible explanations of this interesting phenomenon.

Mediterranean diet in the southern Croatia - does it still exist?

AimTo assess the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the population of Dalmatia in southern Croatia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed within the 10 001 Dalmatians cohort, encompassing 2768 participants from Korčula and Vis islands and the City of Split, who were recruited during 2011-2014. Using the data obtained from food frequency questionnaire we calculated the Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the characteristics associated with the adherence to the Mediterranean diet, with age, sex, place of residence, education attainment, smoking, and physical activity as covariates.ResultsThe median MDSS score was 11 out of 24 points (interquartile range 8-13), with the highest score recorded on the island of Vis. Participants reported a dietary pattern that had high compliance with the Mediterranean diet guidelines for consumption of cereals (87% met the criteria), potatoes (73%), olive oil (69%), and fish (61%), moderate for consumption of fruit (54%) and vegetables (31%), and low for consumption of nuts (6%). Overall, only 23% of the participants were classified as being adherent to the Mediterranean diet, with a particularly low percentage among younger participants (12%) compared to the older ones (34%). Men were less likely to show good adherence (odds ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.42-0.65).ConclusionThis study revealed rather poor compliance with the current recommendations on the Mediterranean diet composition in the population of Dalmatia. Public health intervention is especially needed in younger age groups and in men, who show the greatest departure from traditional Mediterranean diet and lifestyle.

Authigenic siliceous-carbonate concretions in Cenomanian–Turonian carbonates of southern Croatia; geochemical and biotic record

Numerous regular and irregularly shaped concretions were discovered in southern Croatia within the Upper Cretaceous carbonate deposits, which consist mostly of bioclastic wackestones and packstones. The size of the concretions varies from 2 to 25 cm in diameter for the regular, and up to 40 cm in length for the irregular ones. The concretions have different internal structures and compositions, which vary from those of the host rocks. Some concretions are entirely siliceous, while others exhibit alternating opal silica and carbonate-rich zones. Silica is derived from opal-A secreting marine biota, mostly sponges, whose spicules can be found within the concretions and in the surrounding limestones. The regular shape and alterations of zones are the result of the diffusive supply and fast “consummation” of silica at the growth site. Determined fossil community and bitumen found in the surrounding limestones indicate deposition in the oxygen-depleted deep-marine environment of the Adriatic Carbonate Platform, which belongs to the Sveti Duh Formation (latest Cenomanian–Early Turonian). The carbon isotope composition of the concretions corresponds to the globally known Cenomanian–Turonian ‘Oceanic Anoxic Event’ (OAE 2).