Autochthonous pig breeds are usually reared in extensive or semi-extensive production systems that might facilitate contact with wild boars and, thus, reciprocal genetic exchanges. In this study, we analysed variants in the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene (which cause different coat colour phenotypes) and in the nuclear receptor subfamily 6 group A member 1 (NR6A1) gene (associated with increased vertebral number) in 712 pigs of 12 local pig breeds raised in Italy (Apulo-Calabrese, Casertana, Cinta Senese, Mora Romagnola, Nero Siciliano and Sarda) and south-eastern European countries (Krškopolje from Slovenia, Black Slavonian and Turopolje from Croatia, Mangalitsa and Moravka from Serbia and East Balkan Swine from Bulgaria) and compared the data with the genetic variability at these loci investigated in 229 wild boars from populations spread in the same macro-geographic areas. None of the autochthonous pig breeds or wild boar populations were fixed for one allele at both loci. Domestic and wild-type alleles at these two genes were present in both domestic and wild populations. Findings of the distribution of MC1R alleles might be useful for tracing back the complex genetic history of autochthonous breeds. Altogether, these results indirectly demonstrate that bidirectional introgression of wild and domestic alleles is derived and affected by the human and naturally driven evolutionary forces that are shaping the Sus scrofa genome: autochthonous breeds are experiencing a sort of 'de-domestication' process, and wild resources are challenged by a 'domestication' drift. Both need to be further investigated and managed.

In this study, we analyzed the emotional and conative characteristics of fourth grade students of elementary school as follows: motivation for learning math, situational interest in learning mathematics during teaching, mathematics anxiety, self-esteem in relation to academic achievement and attributions of success and failure in mathematics. In a sample of 200 students and 20 teachers were analyzed emotional and conative characteristics capable of above-average and below average in math-age students. The study used the descriptive method, a questionnaire and a test. The research results are presented graphically and in tabular form with an explanation and discussion. In the conclusion are set the directions which should further improve this insufficiently studied area.

Aim: To determine the discriminatory power of penile urethral compression-release index (PCRI), clinical prostate score (CLIPS) and bladder outlet obstruction index 2 (BOON2) for the detection of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO), and the associated bladder abnormality in patients with benign prostatic enlargement (BPE). Material and methods: In study was included of 135 patients with proven BPE underwent urodynamic measurement (UDM) and PCR maneuver. PCR Index was calculated following the formula: (Qs-Qss)/Qss x 100(%). CLIPS score was calculated based on non-invasive variables (prostate volume, maximal urinary flow, residual urine and voided volume), while BOON2 was calculated using the formula intravesical prostate protrusion (IPP)-3 x Qmax-0.2 x mean voided volume. UDM results were plotted on Schaefer and URA nomograms. Results: A comparative analysis was made using ROC curves. The area under the curve (AUC) for PCRI is 0.85 (PTP 91.3%), while AUC for CLIPS and BOON2 is 0.8 (PTP 77.6%) and 0.82 (PTP 74.5%), respectively. PCRI with the cut-off point of 96% clearly distinguishes obstructed patients with normocontractile detrusor and the presence of detrusor overactivity (DO), versus those unobstructed. CLIPS (>10) shows good BOO prediction, but without the possibility of distinguishing between detrusor contractility grade and the occurrence of DO. BOON2 has shown that impaired contractility has influence on this number in obstructed patients. Conclusion: PCRI is a very good noninvasive urodynamic test for a group-wise detection of BOO in patients with BPE and associated bladder co-morbidities; it is therefore superior in comparison with to CLIPS or BOON2.

INTRODUCTION Numerous challenges and barriers have emerged since changing the minimum requirement for those interested in pursuing employment as a nurse in Europe to a baccalaureate degree. To analyze the perceptions of baccalaureate nurses regarding the current status of their profession and the issues involved in implementing the prerequisite of earning a baccalaureate degree in order to practice as nurses in Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHODS A series of six focus groups were undertaken with 49 baccalaureate nurses employed in primary health care centers and regional hospitals. The focus groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data collected were analyzed using conventional content analysis approach. RESULTS Baccalaureate nurses report dissatisfaction with their level of autonomy and anxiety over their limited career opportunities. They expressed concern over difficult working conditions, inadequate financial compensation, and ongoing resistance by physicians as the primary barriers to implementing advanced nursing education and professional reform. The global image of the nursing profession is negative. CONCLUSION The perception is that revising the legal framework regarding nursing qualifications, duties, and standards will result in reform necessary to positively affect the during profession. Progress toward implementing reform of the nursing profession is negligible. Addressing barriers such as work environment, lack of job classification, fair payment, autonomy, and interdisciplinary collaboration toward the competences of baccalaureate nurse is essential if successful reform is to occur.

The adsorption and corrosion inhibition of alkanethiols self-assembled monolayer on the copper surface in simulated acid rain were investigated by electrochemical techniques. Self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was formed by 1-octanethiol (OT), 1-dodecanethiol (DT) and 1-octadecanethiol (ODT) molecules on copper surface. The experimental results showed that inhibiton efficiency increases simultaneously with increase of concentration and chain length of thiols. At the concentration of 0.5 mmol L ─1 , 1-octadecanethiol (ODT) acts as effective corrosion inhibitor with inhibition efficiency of ~ 90%. The adsorption of alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer on the copper surface was investigated by polarization measurements. The adsorption of SAMs on the copper surface followed Langmuir isotherm and the standard Gibbs energy indicated that the adsorption mechanism of OT, DT and ODT on copper is the hybrid type of physical and chemical adsorption. Values of Gibbs energy ranging from ─24 kJ mol ─1 for OT to ─32 kJ mol ─1 for ODT indicate that the chemisorption part in the adsorption mechanism prevails with the increase of alkanethiols chain length.

We are pleased to welcome you to the NEXTA 2019 workshop session, as part of the NEXTINTUI-VV-PART Joint Workshop Day (bringing together the workshops NEXTA, INTUITTESTBEDS, VVIoT, and TAIC PART), which is organized with the 12th IEEE International Conference on Testing, Verification and Validation of Software (ICST 2019) in Xi’an, China. This will be a forum to bring together researchers and practitioners, enabling them to exchange ideas, address fundamental challenges in software test automation, testing through the GUI, testing event-driven software, V&V of IoT, and address software problems faced by the industry.

High-order harmonics generated by a linearly polarized laser field are also linearly polarized. Having in mind that for various application, such as the exploration of magnetic materials, chiral molecules etc., we need circularly polarized high harmonics which serve as coherent soft x-rays, we explore high-order harmonic generation by the so-called bicircular laser field. This field consists of two coplanar counter-rotating circularly polarized fields of different frequencies equal to integer multiples of a fundamental frequency ω. High harmonics generated by such field are circularly polarized with helicity alternating between +1 and −1. Combining a group of such harmonics, instead of obtaining a circularly polarized attosecond pulse train, one obtains a pulse with unusual polarization properties. But, if the harmonics of particular helicity are stronger, i.e., if we have helicity asymmetry in a high-harmonic energy interval, then it is possible to generate an elliptical or even circular pulse train. We theoretically investigated a wide range of bicircular field-component intensities (I1 and I2) and found regions where both the harmonic intensity is high and the helicity asymmetry is large. Particular attention is devoted to the ω−2ω and ω−3ω bicircular fields and atoms having the s and p ground states. In our calculations we use strong-field approximation and quantum-orbit theory. We show that, even in the extreme case of I2 = 8I1, for an ω−3ω bicircular field, high-order harmonic generation is more efficient than in the I2 = I1 case. The obtained results are explained analyzing the relevant electron trajectories and velocities, which follow from the quantum-orbit theory. For the atoms having p ground state the helicity asymmetry parameter is large for a wide range of high-harmonic photon energies, while for the atoms having s ground state the helicity asymmetry parameter can be large only for low harmonics. We confirm this by averaging the obtained results over the intensity distribution in the laser focus.

Introduction: The most appropriate choice of pharmacological treatment of heart rhythm disorders occurring in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular comorbidity is often a topic of debate between pulmonologists and cardiologists in clinical practice, although numerous studies and clinical trials have demonstrated evidence to support the use of selective beta-blockers (BBs) in these patients. Aim: To examine the difference in the number of exacerbations in patients treated with a combination of verapamil and digoxin or BB alone in patients with different COPD stages. Patients and methods: The study included 68 patients (n = 68) diagnosed with COPD who were followed-up during a 12-month period, and the number of exacerbations were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the stage of COPD: GOLD II (moderate), and GOLD III (severe), and in each group a subdivision was established in relation to the use of either a combination of verapamil and digoxin or the use of BBs alone in pharmacological treatment. The inclusion criteria for patients were defined as following: a) established diagnosis of COPD according to present or deteriorated relevant clinical symptoms and signs, b) the ejection fraction (EF) of a left ventricle (LV) >35%, and c) spirometric cut-points classified as GOLD II (FEV1 / FVC <0.7, FEV1 predicted 50-80%), or GOLD III (FEV1/FVC <0.7, FEV1 predicted 30-50%) stage of the COPD. The exclusion criteria were EF of LV <35% and a lethal outcome during a follow-up period (2 patients were encountered). Exacerbation was defined as functional deterioration of the COPD symptoms verified by spirometric functional testing, frequency of hospitalizations according to GOLD stage assignment or verified clinical symptoms deterioration. Results: Regardless the pharmacological treatment, there is a statistically significant increase in the number of COPD exacerbations, in a 12-month period follow-up, in the GOLD III group (severe) compared to the GOLD II group (moderate). In the group of patients taking verapamil and digoxin, a two-tailed t-test was used to analyze the results between the GOLD II and GOLD III stage groups, p = 0.01, and 2. In the group of patients taking BBs, a two-tailed t-test was also used to analyze the results between the GOLD II and GOLD III stage groups, p = 0.003). Within the COPD GOLD II stage group, there appears to be no statistically significant difference in the number of exacerbations between the patients taking verapamil and digoxin (n = 24) and the patients taking BBs alone (n = 15), although, in patients taking BBs alone, there appears to be a trend towards a decrease in the exacerbations compared to the number of exacerbations in patients taking verapamil and digoxin (p = 0.007). Within the COPD GOLD III stage group, there is no difference in the number of exacerbations between the patients taking verapamil and digoxin (n = 20), and the patients taking BBs alone (n = 9), as analyzed by a two-tailed t-test, p = 0.577. Conclusion: Use of selective BBs in the treatment of cardiovascular comorbidity in patients with COPD represents a far better choice of pharmacological approach in the treatment of patients diagnosed with COPD GOLD II (moderate) stage.

Health literacy (HL) has become an important area of research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the HL of primary healthcare patients in the Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and to identify socioeconomic and health factors associated with HL. This cross-sectional study among 768 patients was conducted in two healthcare centres between March and May 2017, using the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA). Analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics (a chi-squared test and logistic regression). Inadequate and marginal HL was found in 34,6% of respondents. Socioeconomic and self-reported health factors were significantly related to HL. An age of 55 years and over (OR 1.02), living in a rural environment (OR 2.25), being divorced (OR 3.32), being insufficiently physically active (OR 1.29), having poor income (OR 1.96), having more than three chronic diseases (OR 1.94), and poor health (OR 1.59) were significantly corelated with inadequate and marginal HL. The results of our study indicate that a low level of HL is related to the elderly, having a divorce, having a rural residence, poor income, having more than three chronic diseases, poor health, and insufficient physical activity. Further evaluation, monitoring, and activities to improve HL are of great importance for patients’ health outcomes.

Abstract Background: In recent years’ income inequality has been an economic issue. The primary instrument for redistributing income is personal income tax. However, based on economic theory income inequality concerns indicators such as wages, transfer payments, taxes, social security contributions, and geographical mobility. Objectives: The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of certain labor market indicators on personal income taxation in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H). Methods/Approach: Since personal income taxation consists of a very broad definition and for the purpose of this research only, income from dependent (employment) activity is observed. The econometric analysis is conducted using error correction modeling, as well as forecast errors variance decomposition. Results: The error correction model is estimated, and the cointegrating equation indicates that monthly wage and number of employees statistically significantly positively affect personal income taxes in FB&H in the long-run. After two years, the selected labor market indicators explain a considerable part of forecasting error variance of personal income tax revenues. Conclusions: The implementation of reforms in the labor market and tax policies of the FB&H is suggested. In order to achieve necessary reforms, efficient governance and general stable political environment are required.