Introduction Monitoring the success of treatment with inhaled corticosteroid fluticasone propionate type comparing with inbibitor of leukotriene, montelukast in preschool children is an everyday topic. Control of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most important issues today in paediatrics, especially in paediatric pulmonology. Objective Improving control of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in children at an early stage of the disease from twelve months by the age of four. Methods The study included all children between the ages of twelve months to four years of age with obstructive bronchitis in the dispensary Centre Sarajevo. Total 360 children divided into three age groups and the same number use two different drug fluticasone propionate inhaled or montelukast in the form of granules in sixty sick children in each age subgroup. Authors were excluded children with antibiotic therapy in this reasearch. Results The drug of fluticasone propionate proved slightly more effective in controlling these diseases in the percentage of 96% relative to other drug montelukast with 93% of the total of all age groups. No significant differences in age groups and in relation to sex of children. Conclusion Both drug and fluticasone propionate and montelukast have shown excellent disease control but can not be given to any advantage in monitoring chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in preschool children.

Introduction: Bosnia and Herzegovina has one of the highest unemployment rates in the Balkan region (43.2%), so unemployment is one of the most serious public concerns in our country. Aim: To analyze the influence of unemployment on mental health of the working age population who attend primary care center. Material and Methods: The study was carried out in the municipality of Bosanska Krupa, which has the highest unemployment rate in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (56%), and included 510 randomly selected working age patients (aged 23-65 years). We used the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) to evaluate mental health of the working age population. Results: There were significantly more women than men (53.5% vs. 46.5%; p=0.02). The mean age of participants was 51.04±12.84 years. The experimental group included 318 (62.35%) unemployed working age participants: 160 (50.3%) had been unemployed for more than 5 years and had had no work experience, while 158 (49.7%) unemployed participants had had a previous work experience of more than five years. The control group included 192 (37.65%) employed working age participants. Unemployment had a significant influence on mental health of the working age population. The unemployed participants had a significantly poorer mental health compared to the employed (p=0.0003). A predictor of impaired mental health was a job loss. A significantly greater mental health impairment occured in the group of unemployed participants with previous work experience of more than five years compared to the unemployed participants who had had no work experience (p=0.001) and employed (p=0.000). Conclusion: Unemployment has a negative impact and leads to impaired mental health of the working age population in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A job loss has a predictive role. It indicates that social and health policies must be developed in order to improve well-being of the working age population.

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are of immense interest for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in medicine. Design and development of new iron oxide-based MNPs for such applications is of rather limited breadth without reliable and sensitive methods to determine their levels in body tissues. Commonly used methods, such as ICP, are quite problematic, due to the inability to decipher the origin of the detected iron, i.e. whether it originates from the MNPs or endogenous from tissues and bodily fluids. One of the approaches to overcome this problem and to increase reliability of tracing MNPs is to partially substitute iron ions in the MNPs with Er. Here, we report on the development of citric acid coated (Fe,Er)3O4 nanoparticles and characterization of their physico-chemical and biological properties by utilization of various complementary approaches. The synthesized MNPs had a narrow (6-7nm) size distribution, as consistently seen in atomic pair distribution function, transmission electron microscopy, and DC magnetization measurements. The particles were found to be superparamagnetic, with a pronounced maximum in measured zero-field cooled magnetization at around 90K. Reduction in saturation magnetization due to incorporation of 1.7% Er3+ into the Fe3O4 matrix was clearly observed. From the biological standpoint, citric acid coated (Fe,Er)3O4 NPs were found to induce low toxicity both in human cell fibroblasts and in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Biodistribution pattern of the MNPs after intravenous administration in healthy Wistar rats was followed by the radiotracer method, revealing that 90Y-labeled MNPs were predominantly found in liver (75.33% ID), followed by lungs (16.70% ID) and spleen (2.83% ID). Quantitative agreement with these observations was obtained by ICP-MS elemental analysis using Er as the detected tracer. Based on the favorable physical, chemical and biological characteristics, citric acid coated (Fe,Er)3O4 MNPs could be further considered for the potential application as a diagnostic and/or therapeutic agent. This work also demonstrates that combined application of these techniques is a promising tool for studies of pharmacokinetics of the new MNPs in complex biological systems.

Activation of the STAT5 signaling pathway up‐regulates antiapoptotic protein Bcl2 and drives proliferation of autoreactive conventional CD4 T cells (Tcons). In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an increased T cell Bcl2 content and perturbed homeostasis of CD45RA−FOXP3hi activated regulatory T cells (aTregs) were described. We assessed Tcon/Treg subsets and phosphorylation of STAT5 (pSTAT5) in blood T cells from patients with SLE by using conventional and imaging flow cytometry. Forty‐one patients with SLE, 33 healthy controls, and 29 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were included. Long‐term monitoring was performed in 39 patients with SLE, which were followed longitudinally for up to 1000 d. Significantly increased Bcl2 protein content in T cells from patients with SLE was associated with IL‐7–dependent STAT5 activation, expressed as increased basal levels and nuclear localization of pSTAT5. pSTAT5 levels were significantly increased in the FOXP3 low‐expressing CD4+ T cell subsets but not in the aTreg subset, which was significantly decreased in patients with SLE. In contrast to aTreg, SLE Tcon displayed significantly increased pSTAT5 and Bcl2 levels. Moreover, the percentage of Tcon‐expressing proliferation marker Ki‐67 was significantly increased in patients with SLE and was positively correlated with CD4 T cell pSTAT5 levels. Finally, a subgroup of patients characterized by an increased Tcon–pSTAT5/aTreg–pSTAT5 ratio experienced a more aggressive‐relapsing disease course and displayed higher time‐adjusted cumulative CD4 T cell pSTAT5 levels during follow‐up, which were positively correlated with time‐adjusted cumulative disease activity. Our results indicate that imbalanced STAT5 phosphorylation, which is related to Bcl2 and Ki‐67 expression, may confer survival and proliferative advantage to Tcon over aTreg and could represent a possible marker of SLE disease severity.

Aim: To examine the morphologic variations of occipital sulci patterns in patients with schizophrenia and migraine haeadache regarding gender and laterality as well as damage of visual pathway in patients with schizophrenia using magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) and visual evoked potentials (VEPs). Methods: This study included 80 patients and brain scans and visual evoked potential responses recorded over the occipital cortex were performed to analyze the occipital region of both hemispheres. Average total volumes of both hemispheres and average values of amplitude of the healthy population for the comparasion were used. Results: There was statistically significant difference between subjects considering gender (p=0.012). Parameters of parieto-occipital fissure (p=0.0314) showed statistically significant positive correlation with P100 amplitude (p=0.05), body of the calcarine sulcus (p=0.0213) had significant positive correlation with P100 amplitude (p=0.04), retro calcarine sulcus (p=0.0516) and P100 amplitude (p=0.03) showed statistically significant difference only of left hemisphere in male patients with schizophrenia with shallower depth of the sulcus and P100 amplitude reduction. Conclusion: Schizophrenia is associated with the volume changes of the occipital lobe. Comparative analysis of morphologic differences in the gray matter of occipital lobe using MRI and VEPs revealed changes especially of the left hemisphere (shallower depth of sulcus and P100 amplitude reduction) only among a group of male patients.

Abstract Unlike the standard unidimensional poverty indices, based mostly on monetary poverty measures, multidimensional poverty indices may include numerous non-monetary poverty indicators. This study utilized fuzzy and Alkire – Foster (AF) and fuzzy methodology to assess the poverty level in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and to compare the results with official poverty assessments. In addition to consumption as a monetary measure, we constructed AF and fuzzy indices by including numerous non-monetary measures that indicate housing quality, possession of durable goods and the household structure. AF multidimensional indices for B&H are calculated based on data from Household Budget Surveys (2004, 2007 and 2011) and fuzzy poverty indices are calculated based on data from HBS 2011. This research has found the differences in the values, direction and dynamics between unidimensional and multidimensional approaches to poverty measurement. Authors state that it is not sufficient to base the creation of more efficient social policies and poverty reduction strategies exclusively on unidimensional indices that address just one dimension of poverty.

A series of new (S,S)-ethylenediamine-N,N′-di-2-(3-cyclohexyl)propanoate esters has shown cytotoxic activity towards human leukemic cell lines. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a bioanalytical method for quantification of (S,S)-O,O-diethyl-ethylenediamine-N,N′-di-2-(3-cyclohexyl)propanoate dihydrochlorides (DE-EDCP) and its metabolite, substituted propanoic acid (EDCP), in mouse serum by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC—MS/MS). Structural analog, derivative of 1,3-propanediamine, was used as an internal standard (IS). Sample preparation employed protein precipitation by acetonitrile and subsequent centrifugation. Optimal UHPLC separation conditions were set to achieve simultaneous determination of both compounds in a short run time of 6 min. Additionally, the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode developed in this method allowed a highly sensitive, accurate, and precise identification of compounds of interest. The lower limit of quantitation (...

Fourteen compounds representing ester derivatives of (S,S)-1,2-ethanediamine-N,N'-di-2-(3-cyclohexyl) propanoic and (S,S)-1,3-propanediamine-N,N'-di-2-(3-cyclohexyl)propanoic acids, expressing antiproliferative activity in vitro were examined. The objective of this study was to determinate their lipophilicity data, and also to ensure a mathematical model for prediction lipophilicity data of potential in vivo metabolites and new derivatives of (S,S)-1,2-ethanediamine-N,N'-di-2-(3-cyclohexyl)propanoic acid, based on chromatographic parameters. Experimentally, lipophilicity data were obtained by a traditional shake flask procedure and an ultra-high performance liquid chromatographic tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) method. A correlation between the partition coefficient n-octanol/water (logD7,4) and chromatographic data (CHI, 0), and also, between logD7,4 and retention time was investigated. A very good correlation (r2=0.8969) was found between lipophilicity parameters 0 and logD7,4 obtained using UHPLC-MS and shake flask methods: logD7,4 = (0.11±0.01)×0 + (1.25±0.20)×Nc - (9.19±1.18); statistical parameter F=47.84; significance of F = 3.74×10-6, Nc=number of C atoms between two amino groups (Nc=2 for 1,2-ethanediamine derivatives and Nc=3 for 1,3-propanediamine derivatives). The model predictivity power was determined by cross validation leave one out (LOO) technique, and expressed by the term Q2, was 0.89. The developed model has good predictivity power for prediction lipophilicity data of potential in vivo metabolites of the investigated compounds, such as novel 1,2-ethanediamine and 1,3-propanediamine N,N'-di-2-(3-cyclohexyl)propanoic acid derivatives. Also, the lipophilicity data obtained in the present study correlated with the antiproliferative activity of the investigated substances shown previously in in vitro studies.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) provides recommendations to improve the editorial standards and scientific quality of biomedical journals. These recommendations range from uniform technical requirements to more complex and elusive editorial issues including ethical aspects of the scientific process. Recently, registration of clinical trials, conflicts of interest disclosure, and new criteria for authorship -emphasizing the importance of responsibility and accountability-, have been proposed. Last year, a new editorial initiative to foster sharing of clinical trial data was launched. This review discusses this novel initiative with the aim of increasing awareness among readers, investigators, authors and editors belonging to the Editors´ Network of the European Society of Cardiology.