The main objective of this study was to determine the content of heavy metals Cd, Pb, Hg and metalloid As in samples of date mussels Lithophaga lithophaga L., 1758 in order to evaluate the health risks for mussel consumers. Samples of shellfish were obtained from commercial sources and fishery in the area of Sarajevo. The content of heavy metals and arsenic is determined in a total of 46 samples. Samples were prepared by microwave digestion. For the analysis of total As, cadmium and lead, an atomic absorption spectrophotometer with graphite furnace was used, while mercury content was determined using a direct Hg analyser. In all samples, the content of heavy metals and arsenic was above the quantification limit of the given methods. The content of all analysed metals and metalloid was below the limits of their maximum allowable concentration in food, according to the current regulations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. Evaluation of the public health risks associated with date mussels' consumption indicates that there is no evident risk for a moderate adult consumer.

Introduction: Ramadan is the holy month of Muslims including fasting sometimes more than 20 hours. Even diabetes patients can be exempted from fasting it has been shown that almost 80% of diabetes type 2 patients intend and do fasting. To avoid acute complications during fasting, different recommendations on diabetes management are available. Considering the fact that there are more than 226 thousand diabetics in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is important to provide structured support and healthcare service to those who are practicing fast during Ramadan. Aim: To evaluate knowledge, practice and attitudes of physicians treating diabetes (diabetologists and endocrinologists) in Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding management of diabetes in fasting patients during Ramadan. Methods: A 32 questions survey has been developed, validated and disseminated to the 27 specialists treating diabetes in Bosnia and Herzegovina through online form examining demographic characteristics, current practices and attitudes and knowledge on diabetes management during Ramadan. Results: All surveyed physicians deal with patients who are fasting during Ramadan. The majority of surveyed physicians 23 (85,2%) proactively initiate a discussion about planned fasting. More than 63,0% are following their experience and only 18,5% ADA/EASD guidelines on diabetes management during Ramadan. There are no significant differences between gender of the physicians, place of work and specialization when it comes to specific knowledge related to treatment guidelines, but some differences are observed. Conclusion: Although overall physicians` knowledge of diabetes management during Ramadan is satisfying there is opportunity in additional specialized education and measures introduction into the practice in order to improve treatment outcomes and standards of care.

Abstract Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, tree of heaven, is an exotic tree introduced as a horticultural tree in Europe and America in 18th Century. Now it is aggressively invading ecosystems. This study was aimed to estimate phytotoxic potential of essential oils (EOs) from fourteen industrial, aromatic and medicinal crops, such as Thymus sp., Pinus sp., Origanum sp. etc. against this invasive species. The phytotoxic potential was assessed through three different doses of EOs by a germination bioassay and the effects on seedling growth. Analysis of seedling growth revealed that seven EOs (Petasites hybridus, Thymus serpyllum, Thymus vulgaris, Rosmarinus officinalis, Helichrysum italicum, Matricaria chamomilla, Origanum vulgare) exhibit high phytotoxic effect resulting in 95–100% seedling mortality. Moreover, detailed GC-MS analysis of these oils showed that they are mostly comprised either of oxygenated monoterpenes or sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, which are already known as compounds with allelopathic effects. Presented results indicate these essential oils might be used as natural herbicides by foliar application of oils on young plants of Ailanthus altissima.

Temperature-stable dissolving film eliminates cold-chain storage and successfully immunizes mice sublingually and buccally. A novel, thin-film platform that preserves live viruses, bacteria, antibodies, and enzymes without refrigeration for extended periods of time is described. Studies with recombinant adenovirus in an optimized formulation that supports recovery of live virus through 16 freeze-thaw cycles revealed that production of an amorphous solid with a glass transition above room temperature and nitrogen-hydrogen bonding between virus and film components are critical determinants of stability. Administration of live influenza virus in the optimized film by the sublingual and buccal routes induced antibody-mediated immune responses as good as or better than those achieved by intramuscular injection. This work introduces the possibility of improving global access to a variety of medicines by offering a technology capable of reducing costs of production, distribution, and supply chain maintenance.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a concept of the modern, interconnected world. Over 50 billion devices, globally-connected, make up the largest network that is stepping towards the fourth industrial revolution, and which will significantly change the system of values and business systems. In the world of heterogeneous communication technologies, choosing the optimal one is a challenge for system architects, which is not an easy task often. The paper presents a comparative analysis of widespread communication technologies in the domain of IoT, and the conclusions presented based on the performed analysis, provide a better insight into the choice of the optimal solution depending on the problem domain and therefore better quality of solutions based on the concept of IoT.

Breast cancer is one of the major causes of mortality in women worldwide. The most aggressive breast cancer subtypes are human epidermal growth factor receptor-positive (HER2+) and triple-negative breast cancers. Therapies targeting HER2 receptors have significantly improved HER2+ breast cancer patient outcomes. However, several recent studies have pointed out the deficiency of existing treatment protocols in combatting disease relapse and improving response rates to treatment. Overriding the inherent actions of the immune system to detect and annihilate cancer via the immune checkpoint pathways is one of the important hallmarks of cancer. Thus, restoration of these pathways by various means of immunomodulation has shown beneficial effects in the management of various types of cancers, including breast. We herein review the recent progress in the management of HER2+ breast cancer via HER2-targeted therapies, and its association with the programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) axis. In order to link research in the areas of medicine and mathematics and point out specific opportunities for providing efficient theoretical analysis related to HER2+ breast cancer management, we also review mathematical models pertaining to the dynamics of HER2+ breast cancer and immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Before even opening the book, Democracy by Decree: Prospects and Limits of Imposed Consociational Democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina captures the reader’s attention with its intriguing and provocative title. But what author Adis Merdzanovic delivers in its pages is equally engaging. Merdzanovic illustrates how the consociational power-sharing arrangements in Bosnia and Herzegovina were imposed by the international community following the wars in the 1990s, rather than genuinely initiated from inside a country, and have, perhaps unsurprisingly, largely failed.

Although around the globe numerous studies have been conducted on the nutritional composition of blueberry/bilberry and its effect on human health, very little is known about the fruit in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is the first report regarding the physical and chemical characteristics of the cultivated highbush blueberry and bilberry harvested in the same climatic conditions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this paper we present the physical weight and chemical soluble solids content, total sugars, titratable acidity, pH, and total phenols properties of the wild bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus L. and cultivated highbush-'Earliblue', 'Bluegold', 'Bluecrop', 'Goldtraube'-blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum L. . Among the highbush blueberry cultivars, 'Bluegold' 2.07-2.11 g and 'Bluecrop' 2.08-2.11 g had the highest weight. 'Bluecrop' had the highest soluble solids content 13.3-13.7 °Brix and total sugars 9.73%?9.94% , but the lowest content of titratable acidity 0.70-0.72 g/100 g , which was highest in 'Goldtraube' 0.92-0.93 g/100 g . This cultivar also had the highest content of total phenols 289-309 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g of fresh weight . In the case of wild bilberry, the following values were obtained: average weight 0.28-0.32 g, soluble solids content 11.1-11.3 °Brix, total sugars 7.23%-7.37%, titratable acidity 0.99%-1.02%, and total phenols 431-455 mg/100 g. Blueberry and wild bilberry also had a fairly uniform pH 3.2-3.6 . All samples had a valuable composition and so it is advisory to expand their production in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to increase their consumption.

The steady increase in electricity demand has led to more installed generation capacity in wind farms, which, due to the stochastic nature of their production, may have characteristic and non-standard responses to some occurrences in the grid. The power output from the wind farm changes constantly, depending on the wind speed, so the impact of the network on the wind farm will inversely vary depending on the moment of the short circuit and the wind farm operating mode, since the values of currents and voltages in these fault systems depend on the power flows. Although wind power is known to contribute to the short circuit current / power at the point of its connection, this paper focuses on the response of the wind farm to short circuits in the network and the impact of these phenomena on the grid-wind relation. The aim of the paper is to determine the worst type of short circuit for wind turbine operation in the distribution system.

The paper presents an online web-oriented system named SOLARS, which is aimed at calculating the feasibility of building the photovoltaic (PV) systems. SOLARS currently enables potential investors to calculate the technical and financial feasibility of building the PV systems in the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Very intuitive GUI design enables investors to obtain feasibility calculations in three simple steps: (i) selection of a geographical location, (ii) specification of technical parameters, and (iii) specification of financial parameters. A usage scenario is illustrated by a real feasibility calculation example.

The effective collection and management of personal data of rapidly migrating populations is important for ensuring adequate healthcare and monitoring of a displaced peoples' health status. With developments in ICT data sharing capabilities, electronic personal health records (ePHRs) are increasingly replacing less transportable paper records. ePHRs offer further advantages of improving accuracy and completeness of information and seem tailored for rapidly displaced and mobile populations. Various emerging initiatives in Europe are seeking to develop migrant-centric ePHR responses. This paper highlights their importance and benefits, but also identifies a number of significant ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) and challenges to their design and implementation, regarding (1) the kind of information that should be stored, (2) who should have access to information, and (3) potential misuse of information. These challenges need to be urgently addressed to make possible the beneficial use of ePHRs for vulnerable migrants in Europe.