Mutation analysis in forensic genetics and occurrence of mutations at short-tandem repeat (STR) loci, are very important in paternity testing and precise elucidation of obtained genetic profiles. To determine these locus-specific mutations in Bosnian-Herzegovinian population and their rate, 15 or 22 autosomal loci were typed using PowerPlex 16 and PowerPlex Fusion systems. In total, 1253 individuals within 583 parenthood testing cases were profiled at the Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Sarajevo during the period from 2009-2018. Out of total cases, in 13 cases 14 mutations were discovered at 11 loci. Among all tested DNA profiles two mutations occurred at D8S1179, D18S51 and FGA loci each, and one mutation at PENTA D, D3S1358, CSF1P0, D21S11, D5S818, vWA, D16S539, PENTA E. Mutation rates were calculated for 11 loci and were in consistency with mutation rates reported for correspondent locus. In our study, one mutation at locus PENTA D derives from maternal source. Also in one trio paternity case two single-step mutations at loci D16S539 and D18S51 were observed. Our results confirmed mutation analysis is important in paternity testing and therefore much attention should be directed at their analysis

Introduction: Asthma is a global health problem that negatively affects various aspects of the quality of a person's life. The aim of the study was to examine the quality of life in children and adolescents with asthma and the correlation between the degree of asthma control and the quality of life.Methods: The cross-sectional study included 100 children and adolescents with asthma over a six-month period in 2015. The study used: Standardized Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ(S)) for the assessment quality of life and the questionnaires for the assessment of asthma control for two age groups: Asthma Control Test (ACT) for adolescents and Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT).Results: 62 boys and 38 girls aged 7−17, whose average age was 11.2 (s = 2.7) years were included in the study. The overall PAQLQ(S) score ranged between 3.30 and 7.00 with an average mean value of 5.95. The findings have showed that most children with asthma estimated their overall PAQLQ(S) on the positive end of the scale. The children reported more impairment in the domain of 'Emotion' (x = 5.84) than in 'Activities' and 'Symptoms'. The percentage of adolescents in the category of poor control (12.5 %) was significantly lower than in the group of children (25.0 %). In both groups of children, the sub-scale 'Symptoms' was in highest correlation with the degree of asthma control (r = 0.915, p < 0.01).Discussion and conclusion: In this study the children and adolescents with asthma showed an overall good quality of life. Control of asthma symptoms in children and adolescents positively influenced their quality of life.

The main goal of any DNA extraction procedure is to ensure reliable and reproducible results in a simple, fast and inexpensive manner. When it comes to plant tissues, this goal is challenging to achieve due to the presence of a variety of metabolites that interfere with DNA during isolation and downstream analysis. In this study, we compared the efficiency of three methods for DNA extraction from plum kernels: 1) the standard CTAB Soltis method which is the most common protocol for DNA extraction from various plant tissues (seeds, young leafs, mature leafs, root); 2) CTAB-based method originally described for DNA isolation from medicinal plants with high levels of secondary metabolites; 3) and one of various commercially available kits. The usefulness of the obtained DNA was evaluated by SSR analysis with seven microsatellite markers. Although the latter two extraction protocols retrieved genomic DNA that gave positive PCR results, only DNA isolated by kit produced full SSR profile

Conventional screening and diagnostic procedures in prostate complaints rely on PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) concentration which is not specific for prostate cancer and frequently leads to unnecessary invasive procedures in order to exclude malignant disease. It is estimated that approximately 50% of persons who underwent tissue biopsy did so based on false positive PSA value. Therefore a proper and timely differential diagnosis of malignant disease using non-invasive techniques remains one of the biggest challenges in medicine. Urine is the invaluable source of biological information contained in small molecules i.e. RNA that is easily accessible and detectable using molecular genetics techniques. We describe economical and fast method for relative expression analysis applicable to any target gene using urine as a sample. Efficient non-invasive method for identification of malignant or high risk cases prove useful in reduction of patient distress during the diagnostic procedure and significantly reduce healthcare costs.

Genetics, as a science of the future, is very important part of Biology teaching. Within educational system in Bosnia and Herzegovina it is studied in limited number of clasess with a minimum of practical excercises, in both elementary and secondary schools. Limited understanding of scientific facts result in prejudices or uninformed attitudes towards novel biotechnologies that are largely based on non-reviewed and non-scientific information often incorrectly or inadequately presented in mass-media. Purpose of this research was to estimate the level of knowledge about selected topics in genetics among high school students in three Mostar high school institutions and differences in the level of knowledge between students from different high school programs – grammar school and vocational medical school. The research was conducted in 2017 among students of fourth grade of three high school institutions: ''Grammar School Mostar'', ''Medical high school Mostar'' and Medical high school ''Sestre milosrdnice''. Notable differences in knowledge level between two vocational programs are observed as well as variance in learning outcomes of the same program presented in two formal languages in Bosnia and Herzegovina