Although prior research is congested with constructs intended to capture consumers’ dispositions toward globalization and global/local products, their effects appear to replicate with difficulty, and little is known about the underlying theoretical mechanisms. This investigation revisits the relationship between prominent consumer dispositions (consumer ethnocentrism, cosmopolitanism, global/local identity, globalization attitude) and perceived brand globalness as determinants of consumer responses to global brands. Drawing on selective perception and social identity theories, the authors consider several theory-based model specifications that reflect alternative mechanisms through which key consumer dispositions relate to brand globalness and affect important brand-related outcomes. By employing a flexible model that simultaneously accounts for moderating, mediating, conditional, and direct effects, we empirically test these rival model specifications. A meta-analysis of 264 effect sizes obtained from 13 studies with 23 unique data sets and a total sample of 1,410 consumers raises concerns regarding the (potentially overstated) utility of consumer dispositions for explaining consumer responses to global brands. It also reveals a need for further conceptual contemplation of their function in international consumer research and managerial practice.

In this paper, we present an implementation and analysis of the mean shift algorithm. The mean shift is a general non-parametric mode finding/clustering procedure widely used in image processing and analysis and computer vision techniques such as image denoising, image segmentation, motion tracking, etc.

Objectives: Anaerobic bacteria may cause numerous infections in different locations through human body. Those infections can be life-threatening with significant mortality. Wounds represent a suitable habitat for colonization of anaerobic bacteria. Their proliferation contributes to moist and warm environment, hypoxic and necrotic tissue.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted at the Clinical Centre University of Sarajevo from 2015-2017. The study involved wound swab samples, sampled from hospitalized patients. The anaerobic bacteria were isolated using standard procedures.Results: During the period from 01.01.2015. to 31.12.2017, 8386 samples were analyzed on anaerobic bacteria and 872 (10.4%) of specimen were positive. In 2015, 332 (15%) specimens were positive, while during 2016 and 2017, 244 (7,8%) and 296 (9.9%) respectively. Bacteroides spp. was the most common isolate during three year period: 2015-227 (55.5%); 2016-139 (48%); 2017-161 (42,5%). It was followed by Peptococcus spp.: 2015-70 (17.1%); 2016-40 (13.9%); 2017-66 (17.4%), Clostridium spp.: 2015 – 32 (7.8%); 2016-21 (7.3%); 2017- 35 (9.2%), Fusobacterium spp.: 2015 – 49 (11.9%); 2016-32 (11.1%); 2017- 45 (11.9%).VITEK 2 Compact has identified to the level of species 48 isolates which were in pure culture.The largest number of anaerobic bacteria were isolated from the samples received from the Abdominal surgery. The overview of antimicrobial sensitivity showed highest sensitivity to metronidazole (99,9%) and carbapenems (99,9%), respectively.Conclusions The most commonly isolated anaerobic bacteria was Bacteroides spp.Highest number of positive isolates was from abdominal surgery since intra-abdominal infections reflect the microflora of the resected organ. Metronidazole remains the antibiotic of choice in the treatment of anaerobic infections.

Introduction: Intensive unit microflora mainly consists of organism capable of surviving in moist media, such as gram-negative bacteria, skin-colonizing microorganisms, those with the ability to adhere to medical devices, and microorganisms resistant to conventional antibiotics. Therefore, cleansing and disinfection of intensive care units is of great importance in the prevention and control of hospital infections.Material and Methods: The use of the device was demonstrated in the isolation room of the intensive care unit after a patient colonized with hospital bacterial strains was discharged. The first sampling was carried out immediately after the patient was discharged, the second after the standard medical cleansing of the equipment and space, and the third after the disinfection with the “SterisafePro”. The analysis of the smears was performed at the OU Clinical Microbiology. Quantitative method analyses was performed according to standard operative procedure (SOP). The results of the analysis are calculated according to the formula and expressed in the values of CFU / cm2.Results: After the patient was discharged and the area cleaned mechanically, the Acinetobacter baumanii was isolated in three samples, coagulase negative staphylococci in one, while two smears remained sterile. Acinetobacter baumanii and coagulase negative staphylococci were isolated in three samples. After using the disinfecting device, all swabs were sterile.Conclusion: Disinfection of the hospital with the “Sterisafe”Pro” device has proved to be very successful. The advantages of using the “Sterisafe”Pro” device are that is uses no chemicals, has a low labor and usage costs, is harmless to the patients and staff, and is very easy to use. 

Introduction: Infectious mononucleosis is one of the most common syndromes in our clinical practice. It is characterized by elevated temperature, pharyngitis and generalized lymphadenopathy.Objectives: To describe a clinical charachteristics of infectious mononucleosis (IM) caused by the Epstein Barr virus (EBV) in splenectomized patients since in the literature we found insufficient data.Subjects and Methods: Retrospective analysis of medical documentation of the patient treated in the Clinic for Infectious Diseases of the University Clinical Center of Republic of Srpska.Results: We have described the case of infectious mononucleosis, caused by Epstein Barr virus in a splenectomized patient. In support of acute EBV viral infection were the presence of lymphadenopathy, pharyngitis, hepatomegaly, as well as the occurrence of a typical generalized maculopapulous rash, and positive ELISA EBV VCA IgM and anti EBV VCA / EA IgG, were reported. According to the aforementioned patient, it fulfilled most criteria for setting the diagnosis of acute EBV infectious mononucleosis. Our patient showed some atypical signs such as absence of fever during hospitalization, marked leukocytosis with lymphocytosis (with a maximum increase in leukocyte count at 37.3 x 109, in the differential blood sample dominated lymphocytes with 29.96 x 109 (reference values 1.1-3.35), i.e. 80.3% (Ref. 20.0-46.0). Due to the maintenance of leukocytosis with lymphocytosis, the range of clinical has been extended trials (US abdomen, US neck, CT neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis, sternal puncture, hematologists' consultation). Based on the aforementioned hematologists' consultation, and post-release and recovery monitoring it is concluded that there has been no sign of acute hematologic disease but it has been just EBV-IM.Conclusion: Because of insufficient data on clinical presentation of Epstein Barr viral infections in splenectomized this we believe that this is one of the clinical variants although the possibility of individual variation cannot be excluded. Briefly, we can conclude that the immune system in the splenectomized patient can greatly modify the clinical presentation of Epstein barr viral infection, with the pathogenic mechanism that are still unclear.. However, due to the variety of clinical syndromes and the oncogenic potency of the Epstein-Barr virus, we should be extremely cautious and sometimes expand the diagnostic range beyond conventional examinations. 

Biofuels are environmentally friendly alternative fuels produced from animal and plant raw materials. They have great significance due to limited availability of crude oil and increased ecological requirements. The development of biofuels is followed by the development of new and more efficient analytical procedures for monitoring the composition and physical-chemical properties. This paper presents the application of chromatographic and spectroscopic methods in the analysis of different types of biofuels. The results of the determination of the hydrocarbon composition and functional groups important for the application of biofuels as blending components are shown. In this paper, it has confirmed the possibility of using NMR spectroscopy, HPLC and IC chromatography in biofuel and biomass analysis.

Background: Healthcare professionals, including medical and dental students, are at high risk of acquiring hepatitis B infection.Aim: The aim of this study was to examine and compare the knowledge and attitudes of the students of medicine and dental medicine of Faculty of Medicine, University of Mostar, about hepatitis B. Subjects and Methods: The examinees in this study were students of the first and second grade of medical studies and studies of dental medicine. The sample included 105 (71.4%) students of medicine and 42 (28.6%) students of dental medicine. The study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Mostar, through the attached questionnaire. Results: Overall, the medical students and dental medicine students showed good knowledge about hepatitis B. Medical students showed much more positive attitudes towards hepatitis B positive patients than dental medicine students. Dental medicine students are more concerned about possible infections and general interactions with infected patients, and would statistically significantly reject to provide healthcare services to hepatitis B positive patients compared to the medical students.Conclusion: It was established that dental medicine students showed a little bit more understanding of the transmission patterns and symptoms of hepatitis B than the medical students. By contrast, medical students showed much more positive attitudes towards patients with hepatitis B than dental medicine students. 

ABSTRACT Background: Towards preparation for a possible influenza pandemic, investigation of the molecular characteristics of the circulating avian H5N1 influenza virus strains is of crucial importance. These H5N1 viruses continue to spread, to infect animals and humans and to evolve and diversify providing so an ever-looming pandemic threat.Aim: To identify genetic structure and molecular biological characteristics of BiH's isolates of H5N1 HPAI as well as to assess the level of pathogenicity, phylogenetic origin and host- specificity of the isolates.Material and Methods: SPF embryonated chicken eggs were used for virus isolation. Viral RNA extracted using QIAamp viral RNA kit and manufacturer’s protocol (QIAGEN®) was used for PCR amplification. cDNA synthesis and PCR amplification of the coding region, using gene specific primer sets (primer sequences available on request), were carried out for all eight viral RNA segments separately. The Prism Big Dye Terminator v1.1 cycle sequencing kit (Applied Biosystems) was used and products were analyzed on an automatic ABI PRISM 3130 genetic analyzer (Applied Biosystems). Nucleotide sequences were analyzed using Bioedit software (v. 7.0.9.0) with an engine based on the ClustalW 1.4 algorithm. MEGA software (v. 4,0), using the neighbor joining tree inference analysis with the Tamura-Nei γ-model, was used to estimate phylogenies and calculate bootstrap values from the nucleotide sequences.Results: Full-length nucleotide sequences of the A/Cygnus olor/BIH/1/2006 (H5N1) strain were deposited in EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database under accession nos. FN186008 to FN186014 and FM20943. The pathogenicity and host specificity of this strain, as polygenic traits, are determined in silico by the structure of its proteins, especially surface glycoproteins, HA and NA. Multibasic amino acid stretch PQGERRRKKR/GLF, marker of strains highly pathogenic to poultry, was present at the HA cleavage site of BiH strain. The RBS was typical for avian influenza viruses and contained Gln and Gly at positions 238 and 240 (H5 numbering) that is,226 and 228 according to H3 numbering with seven potential glycosylated sites but with increased binding to alpha2-6 sialoglycans thanks to substitutions, as follows, 110N, 171N, 171N, 172A, 205R and 251P. NA structure assigned this strain to the Z genotype, characterized also by the deletion of the five amino acid residues of the NS1 protein (positions 80-84). Amino acid residues, typical for the avian influenza viruses, were revealed in 40 out of 43 positions of M1, M2, NP, PA, PB2 and HA, determining the host range specificity. Phylogenetic analysis of the HA gene revealed that BiH isolates belonged to genetic clade 2.2., and presence of aspartic acid at the position of 403 of HA locate BiH isolates in 2.2.2. sub-clade.Conclusions: The BiH’s isolates were determined as HPAI virus with genes sequences closely related to A/Cygnus olor/Astrakhan/Ast05-2-10/2005 (H5N1). Three residues (M2 - 28V and 78K, NP - 33I), typical of human influenza viruses, were found, indicating a certain degree of intercurrent evolutionary adaptive changes in BiH isolates. Sequence comparison of HA and NA segments with relevant sequences in GenBank revealed that the BiH isolates and the ones from the southern Russia (Astrakhan region) group together phylogenetically, forming a monophyleticcluster in both genes indicating that these isolates have evolved from the same origin. Sequence derived phenotype markers of NA protein (E99, V129, D131, R136, H255 and Y256) as well as of M2 protein (26L, 27V, 30A, S31 and G34) showed that the isolates have an oseltamivir and amantadine sensitive genotype. 

Background: Colonization is the presence of bacteria in the intestines, skin, nose, throat or anywhere in the human body without any signs of infection but with increased risk for spreading bacteria to other patients and the emergence of new infections. Screening of colonized patients is used as part of the prevention and control of multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections caused by agents such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and multi-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Material and methods: Data from 169 screened respondents hospitalized at the University Clinical Center Tuzla, between October 1, 2018, and May 1, 2019, were analyzed. Swabs were taken from nostrils, throat, axilla and groin area for all patients, and also from the anorectal area for 157 of them. Identification of MDR bacteria was done by phenotypical methods, according to the recommendations of EUCAST Clinical Breakpoint Table v.8.0, 2018. Results: Out of 169 patients, negative screening test results were found in 93 examinees (55.02%), and positive in 76 (44.97%). The largest number of patients undergoing screening was hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (Surgical Block), 73/169 (43.19%). The average screening time was 2.2 days or 53 hours. In 18/76 (23.68%) of patients with positive screening, prior to screening regular microbiological testing was done, and in the remaining 58/76 (76.3%) screening was performed first. Analyzing respondents with positive screening, 27 (35.53%) had negative findings during regular microbiological testing of different biological samples and for 49 (64.47%) different/same strains of MDR bacteria were isolated.Conclusion: Knowing the phenotypic profile of bacteria colonizing patients in intensive care units is a very useful tool in preventing their spread intra- and inter-hospitals.

Construction materials have a direct impact on the environment, on people, and their health. In addition, building insulation plays a decisive role in terms of energy consumption of buildings and regarding CO2-emissions over their whole life cycle. In order to achieve a holistic concept for green building worldwide, it is necessary to develop ecological insulating materials and to scientifically examine them in terms of their technical properties, as done with particleboards from agricultural waste presented in this article. This study aims to characterize the properties’ tensile and compressive strength, modulus of rupture (MOR), and elasticity (MOE) and thermal conductivity of particleboards affected by parameters, such as waste type (rice straw or flax shives), particleboard density, resin type, and content, as well as the use of treated rice straw. Particleboards made from flax shives had superior properties compared to the rice straw particles. The mechanical properties of the boards increase with an increasing resin content, except for the MOR and MOE, which decrease with an increasing resin content, and reach their peak value at a resin content of 10%.