Background/Aim. The aim of the study was investigating the significant difference in: a) the dosimetric calculation of the radiotherapy treatment planning system (TPS) in relation to the values obtained by measuring on the linear accelerator (Linac), b) the accuracy of the dosimetric calculation between the calculating algorithms Anisotropic Algorithm (AAA) and AcurosXB in various tissues and photon beam energies. Methods. For End-to-End test we used the heterogeneous phantom CIRS Thorax002LFC, which anatomically represents the human torso with set of inserts known relative electron density (RED) for obtaining a CT calibration curve, comparable to the “reference” CIRS 062M phantom. For the AAA and AcurosXB algorithms and for 6 MV and 16 MV photon beams in the TPS Varian Eclipse 13.6, four 3D conformal (3DCRT), and one intensity modulated (IMRT) and volumetric modulated arc (VMAT) radiotherapy plans were made. Measurements of the absolute dose in the Thorax phantom, by PTW-Semiflex ionization chamber, were carried out on three Varian-DHX Linacs. Results . The difference between "reference" and measured CT conversion curves in the bone area is 3 %. For 476 phantom measurements, the difference between measured and TPS calculated dose of (3-6) %, we had in 30 (6.3 %) cases. According to regression analysis, the standardized Beta coefficient for relative errors, 6 MV vs 16 MV, was 0.337 (33.7 %, p < 0.001). Mean relative errors for AAA vs AcurosXB, using Mann-Whitney test, for bones were 1.56 % and 2.64 % (p = 0.004). Conclusion. The End-to-End test on Thorax002LFC phantom proved the accuracy of TPS dose calculation in relation to the one delivered to the patient by Linac. There is a significant difference for photon energies relative errors (higher values are obtained for 16 MV vs 6 MV). A statistically significant minor relative error in AAA vs. AcurosXB was found for the bone. test, heterogeneous phantom, calculating algorithms.

Background/Aim: The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the spread of a novel disease COVID-19 as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. As of 12 June, there have been more than 7.4 million COVID-19 cases and more than 418,000 COVID-19 deaths globally. This paper represents epidemiological analysis of the first 100 days of COVID-19 epidemic in the Republic of Srpska. Methods: Data of all COVID-19 cases confirmed in the Republic of Srpska between 4 March and 12 June were collected from epidemiological and laboratory testing reports obtained from the Public Health Institute of the Republic of Srpska. This cross-sectional analysis was carried out on a sample of 1,607 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases, which included: summary of patient characteristics, examination of age distributions and sex ratios, calculation of case fatality and mortality rates, incidence rates analysis, epidemiological curve construction and subgroup analysis. Results: Over 100 days after the first case was confirmed, the total number of infected patients in the Republic of Srpska rose to 1,607 (31,471 persons had been tested). As of 12 June, 69.9 % of those cases has recovered. During that period there were 117 confirmed deaths (average age 72 years; 60.7 % males; 86 % older than 60 years; 94 % with at least one comorbidity). The sex ratio among the confirmed cases was 0.95:1 (48.7 % men vs 51.3 % women). Infections were less common in persons below 20 years of age (7.3 % of all confirmed cases) and the majority of the affected persons were in the group 40-69 years of age. As much as 86 % of all death cases occurred in persons older than 60 years (average age 72 years) and 94 % of all death cases had at least one underlying condition (mostly cardiovascular diseases, 79.5 %). Conclusion: Evaluating the clinical data of COVID-19 patients, finding the source of infection and studying the behavior of the disease is crucial for understanding of the pandemic.

This paper presents new records and noteworthy data on the following taxa in SE Europe and adjacent regions: the diatom alga Eunotia boreoalpina; the saprotrophic fungus Clitocybe truncicola; the liverwort Haplomitrium hookeri; the moss Leptodon smithii: the monocots Epipactis purpurata, Stipa tirsa, Typha laxmannii and T. shuttleworthii; and the dicots Krascheninnikovia ceratoides, Polygonum albanicum and Sorbus latifolia.

Leaf and shoot characteristics of the following four European barberry taxa from the Balkan Peninsula and Sicily were investigated in the present study: Berberis croatica, B. vulgaris, B. aetnensis and B. cretica. Analyses were based on 10 populations of B. croatica, five of B. vulgaris and two populations of both B. aetnensis and B. cretica. Populations were randomly selected within the natural distribution area of these species. Eight leaf traits, three shoot traits and the blade length/width ratio were analysed. Multivariate analysis (principal component analysis, canonical discriminant analysis and cluster analysis) distinguished B. cretica and B. aetnensis populations and, to a lesser extent, the populations of B. croatica and B. vulgaris. ANOVA showed that the analysed populations of both B. aetnensis and B. cretica were homogeneous within the species. All populations of both B. croatica and B. vulgaris showed different degrees of intraspecies variability. Lack of complete separation, the observed grouping of populations and high intraspecies variability in B. vulgaris and B. croatica may reflect the fact that the sampled B vulgaris and B.croatica populations were located at environmentally variable sites (unlike B. aetnensis and B. cretica), resulting in high phenotypic plasticity in those populations. Even though the observed patterns of morphological variation support the idea of four barberry taxa on the Balkan Peninsula and in Sicily, because of suspected adaptive phenotypic plasticity of the analysed Berberis taxa, the true taxonomic status of these taxa needs to be additionally confirmed by molecular methods.

This article presents the third part of data on selected new and noteworthy taxa ensuing from the revision of Herbarium collection of the Institute for Nature Conservation of the Vojvodina province (PZZP). Selected taxa include 11 species, three subspecies, three varieties, one infraspecific taxon with indetermined status [stat. indet.] and one nothospecies placed within seven genera (Filago L., Ludwigia L., Luzula DC., Lycopus L., Lythrum L., Phlomis L. and Silene L.). Two varieties (Luzula campestris subsp. campestris var. elata, Silene flos-cuculi subsp. floscuculi var. latifolia) and one infraspecific taxon with indetermined status (Luzula multiflora subsp. multiflora [stat. indet.] b. uliginosa) are new for a flora of Serbia. Additionally, one species (Ludwigia palustris) and one nothospecies (Lythrum ×scabrum) are confirmed for Serbia.

Pharmacy activity in Bosnia and Herzegovina was regulated in 1879 by an Order of the Provincial Government, at the beginning of the Austro-Hungarian occupation. The pharmacy owner had to have a doctorate in chemistry or a master's degree in pharmacy obtained at an Austro-Hungarian faculty. The Law on Pharmacies was adopted in 1907. The first modern pharmacy in Banja Luka was opened by Moritz Brammer in 1879. The pharmacy was inherited by his son Robert, who had sons, Ernest, Hans and Alfred, pharmacists. Ernest inherited father's pharmacy, where he worked as of 1921. Hans, also a writer and a publicist, worked in this pharmacy (1921-1930). He emigrated to Israel in 1949. Before World War II, Alfred owned a pharmacy and a drugstore in Zagreb. The Brammer family, a well-known one in Banja Luka, contributed greatly to the cultural and social development of the city in the time in which they lived.

Introduction: Stress is currently ubiquitous in the modern world and dentists are very susceptible to stress. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate subjective perception of stress in dentists, confirm known correlations between stress and various factors, such as gender, age, socioeconomic level, work seniority, and specialization. Material and methods: The research was conducted through an electronic survey, which was sent via email to 800 addresses of actively working dentists in the Republic of Croatia. The survey was completed by 432 respondents. Results: 91.9% of participants considered dentistry a stressful occupation, 46.1% of respondents believed that practicing dentistry may cause problems in mental health, 93% of participants thought that practicing dentistry can endanger their general health. Regarding working experience, the participants’ group with less than 10 years of experience identified fear of unsuccessful outcomes more frequently compared to their colleagues with more experience. Specialists perceived their health risks as lesser than expected. We found that 77.1% of participants were smokers. Conclusions: Chronic stress remains one of the principal factors contributing to the decline in overall health and mental health among dental professionals. No association was found between gender and stress, or stressor perceptions. In regard to working experience, we found that younger dentists with up to 10 years of experience presented with more fear from unsuccessful outcomes. It was also found that general dentists perceived health risks as greater in contrast to specialists. Male participants reported a much greater frequency of consumption of alcoholic beverages than female counterparts. Also, specialists reported consuming strong alcoholic beverages more than expected.

Primary Healthcare Centre Modriča, Modriča, the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Centre for Biomedical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Emergency Department, Primary Healthcare Centre Banja Luka, the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Introduction: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is one of the m ost common and most dramatic manifestations of ischaemic h eart disease and distinguishing of ACS from non-cardiac chest pain represents a diagnostic challenge. Objective: Determine the frequency of ACS types: NSTEMI, STEMI and unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and examine the frequency and significance of risk factors and cardiospecific enzymes in patients with ACS. Methods: The analysis included patients who were referred from the prehospital level of the Banja Luka Primary Healthcare Centre (Emergency Department and Family Medicine Department) and treated under the ACS diagnosis in the coronary unit of the Cardiovascular Diseases Clinic of the Banja Luka University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska (UCCRS) in the first 6 months of 2011. The study included patients older than 18, with recorded information on their gender, age, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and family burden. Values of cholesterol, triglycerides, serum potassium, creatine kinase (CK), CK-MB, cardiac tro - ponin T (cTnT) were measured. Results: The total of 192 patients were referred under the referral diagnosis of ACS and treated in the coronary unit of the CVD Clinic of the Banja Luka UCCRS. At the same time, ACS was confirmed in 178 cases. STEMI was confirmed in 86 patients (48.31 %), NSTEMI in 55 (30.90 %) and UAP in 37 (20.79 %). ACS was statistically significantly more common in men (112 men and 66 women), in particular younger men (average age for men was 62.7 and 69.2 for men and women, respectively) (U = 2.472 x 103, p NSTEMI > UAP. Conclusion: Half of patients with ACS did not have STEMI (which is presumably easy to diagnose). Third of patients with ACS reported atypical symptoms, which further complicates the early recognition of MI without ST elevation. Precaution is needed in women and in elderly. Determination of cTnT should be available in every examination room.

1Academy of Medical Sciences of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 Clinic of Urology, University Clinical Center of Republika Srpska, Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 Medical Faculty, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4Primary Health Care Center, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina 5Day Oncology Hospital ZU Estetic, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

In Issues 1 and 2 the scientific biomedical journal Scripta Medica devoted a total of six articles to the aetiological, epidemiological and clinial aspects of serious acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease caused by this virus coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The present Issue 2 also contains an obituary on the occasion of demise of Professor Folke Sjöqvist, one of the founding fathers of clinical pharmacology as a discipline and several other articles from the fields of quality assurance in healthcare, experimental and clinical medicine.

This editorial presents the analysis of volumes 50 (2019) and 51 (2020) of Scripta Medica. Original articles made 53 % of 80 articles published in these two volumes. Article rejection rate was 38 %. Mean duration of period until reaching the first decision on an article was 20 days, while mean time until reaching the final decision was 31 days. Mean time needed for accepting the revised manuscript was 3 days, reflecting a significant decrease from 5 days in 2019 to 2 days in 2020. Mean time needed for reaching a decision to reject an article was 7 days. Coverage of the journal included both basic and clinical research and a considerable space was devoted to articles on COVID-19. Further efforts will be made in order to reach a more international recognition of the journal.