As a consequence of the current economic crisis many changes have been introduced to health systems on national levels to reduce expenditure and to introduce more cost-effective methods. Then recent developments in medical technology have led to a shift in the traditional framework of physician-patient responsibility in healthcare decision making. In this context, the health community urges, in any case, decision makers to ensure that all changes introduced are in accordance with health system values. This paper presents a new decision making platform, as a tool to facilitate shared decision making, to improve the quality and transparency of tactical and strategic decisions. This new application, based on analytic quantitative method, is a component of a wider distributed web system under development, which aims to inform the new effective health technologies supporting designers in the user need elicitation and early stage health technology assessments. A case study aiming to elicit the user needs affecting the decision of whether to adopt a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is also presented.

We are considering a semilinear singular perturbation reaction-diffusion boundary value problem which contains a small perturbation parameter that acts on the highest order derivative. We construct a difference scheme on an arbitrary nonequidistant mesh using a collocation method and Green's function. We show that the constructed difference scheme has a unique solution and that the scheme is stable. The central result of the paper is \(\epsilon\)-uniform convergence of almost second order for the discrete approximate solution on a modified Shishkin mesh. We finally provide two numerical examples which illustrate the theoretical results on the uniform accuracy of the discrete problem, as well as the robustness of the method.

Mixing of complementary tree species may increase stand productivity, mitigate the effects of drought and other risks, and pave the way to forest production systems which may be more resource-use efficient and stable in the face of climate change. However, systematic empirical studies on mixing effects are still missing for many commercially important and widespread species combinations. Here we studied the growth of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in mixed versus pure stands on 32 triplets located along a productivity gradient through Europe, reaching from Sweden to Bulgaria and from Spain to the Ukraine. Stand inventory and taking increment cores on the mainly 60–80 year-old trees and 0.02–1.55 ha sized, fully stocked plots provided insight how species mixing modifies the structure, dynamics and productivity compared with neighbouring pure stands. In mixture standing volume (+12 %), stand density (+20 %), basal area growth (+12 %), and stand volume growth (+8 %) were higher than the weighted mean of the neighbouring pure stands. Scots pine and European beech contributed rather equally to the overyielding and overdensity. In mixed stands mean diameter (+20 %) and height (+6 %) of Scots pine was ahead, while both diameter and height growth of European beech were behind (−8 %). The overyielding and overdensity were independent of the site index, the stand growth and yield, and climatic variables despite the wide variation in precipitation (520–1175 mm year−1), mean annual temperature (6–10.5 °C), and the drought index by de Martonne (28–61 mm °C−1) on the sites. Therefore, this species combination is potentially useful for increasing productivity across a wide range of site and climatic conditions. Given the significant overyielding of stand basal area growth but the absence of any relationship with site index and climatic variables, we hypothesize that the overyielding and overdensity results from several different types of interactions (light-, water-, and nutrient-related) that are all important in different circumstances. We discuss the relevance of the results for ecological theory and for the ongoing silvicultural transition from pure to mixed stands and their adaptation to climate change.

Mixing of complementary tree species may increase stand productivity, mitigate the effects of drought and other risks, and pave the way to forest production systems which may be more resource-use efficient and stable in the face of climate change. However, systematic empirical studies on mixing effects are still missing for many commercially important and widespread species combinations. Here we studied the growth of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in mixed versus pure stands on 32 triplets located along a productivity gradient through Europe, reaching from Sweden to Bulgaria and from Spain to the Ukraine. Stand inventory and taking increment cores on the mainly 60–80 year-old trees and 0.02–1.55 ha sized, fully stocked plots provided insight how species mixing modifies the structure, dynamics and productivity compared with neighbouring pure stands. In mixture standing volume (+12 %), stand density (+20 %), basal area growth (+12 %), and stand volume growth (+8 %) were higher than the weighted mean of the neighbouring pure stands. Scots pine and European beech contributed rather equally to the overyielding and overdensity. In mixed stands mean diameter (+20 %) and height (+6 %) of Scots pine was ahead, while both diameter and height growth of European beech were behind (−8 %). The overyielding and overdensity were independent of the site index, the stand growth and yield, and climatic variables despite the wide variation in precipitation (520–1175 mm year−1), mean annual temperature (6–10.5 °C), and the drought index by de Martonne (28–61 mm °C−1) on the sites. Therefore, this species combination is potentially useful for increasing productivity across a wide range of site and climatic conditions. Given the significant overyielding of stand basal area growth but the absence of any relationship with site index and climatic variables, we hypothesize that the overyielding and overdensity results from several different types of interactions (light-, water-, and nutrient-related) that are all important in different circumstances. We discuss the relevance of the results for ecological theory and for the ongoing silvicultural transition from pure to mixed stands and their adaptation to climate change.

Uvod. Pisanje predstavlja kompleksnu ljudsku sposobnost i ujedno nasjloženiji oblik jezicke delatnosti. Sam cin pisanja obuhvata znanje i vestinu pravilnog grafickog oblikovanja slova. Poremecaj u sticanju sposobnosti pisanja oznacava se terminom disgrafija. Osnovni simptomi disgrafije su lose oblikovana slova, necitak rukopis, pogresna velicina slova, nedovrsene reci, izostavljene reci, izlomljeni redovi. Pisanje se može procenjivati sa grafomotornog i lingvistickog aspekta. U fokusu ove studije jeste procena pisanja sa grafomotornog aspekta. Cilj nam je bio da na osnovu ocene zrelosti i kvaliteta rukopisa utvrdimo pojavu disgrafije kod dece mlađeg skolskog uzrasta. Metode. Procena pisanja izvrsena je pomocu: Skale za procenu zrelosti rukopisa i Skale za procenu disgraficnosti rukopisa. Istraživanjem su obuhvacena 234 ucenika treceg i cetvrtog razreda osnovnih skola „Sveti Sava“ i „Veselin Maslesa“ u Foci i 44 ucenika koja pohađaju ogranke ovih skola u naseljima Miljevina i Brod. Analizirani su uzorci rukopisa u tri modaliteta (diktat, prepis, samostalno pisanje). Na osnovu dobijenih podataka ocenjivani su zrelost i kvalitet rukopisa. Kod ocene kvaliteta, rukopisi su svrstani u cetiri kategorije: skladan, neskladan/tesko citljiv, disgrafican i izrazito disgrafican rukopis. Rezultati. Dobijeni rezultati su pokazali da 14,7% ispitanika ima infantilan rukopis. Disgrafija je identifikovana kod 12,2% ispitanika, dok je 8,3% ispitanika imalo neskladan rukopis. Pokazano je da se disgrafija znacajno vise ispoljava kod decaka nego kod devojcica. Istovremeno je utvrđen znacajno veci procenat disgrafija kod ispitanika ruralne nego urbane sredine. Zakljucak.Ispitivanje je pokazalo znacajan uticaj sredine i pola na pojavu disgrafije kod dece mlađeg skolskog uzrasta. Poređenje dobijenih rezultata sa rezultatima drugih autora ukazuje da se poslednjih godina povecao broj razvojnih disgrafija.

Uvod. Populacija muskaraca koji imaju seksualne odnose sa muskarcima (MSM) predstavlja posebno osjetljivu grupu za prenos HIV-a i drugih polno prenosivih infekcija.Vulnerabilnost se povecava usljed rizicnog ponasanja, marginalizovanja, stigmatizovanja kao i nedostupnosti zdravstveno-socijalne zastite. Cilj rada je bio da se procijeni prevalencija HIV-a i odabranih polno prenosivih infekcija te ispitaju znanje, stavovi i ponasanje u odnosu na HIV/ polno prenosive infekcije u MSM populaciji u Bosni i Hercegovini, kao i da se dobijeni rezultati uporede sa istraživanjima iz 2008. i 2010. godine. Metode. Istraživanje je provedeno kao bio-bihejvioralna studija prevalencije u MSM populaciji. Obuhvacena su ukupno 333 ispitanika, u sest gradova Bosne i Hercegovine. Istraživanje je sprovedeno u periodu septembar – decembar 2012. godine, kroz dobrovoljno, anonimno i povjerljivo anketiranje. Nakon informisanog pristanka i obavljenog savjetovanja, uzet je bioloski materijal za laboratorijsko testiranje na HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C i sifilis. Rezultati. Istraživanje je pokazalo prisutnost rizicnog ponasanja u MSM populaciji: multipli partneri (prosjecno tri razlicita slucajna partnera u proteklih mjesec dana), nezasticeni seksualni odnosi (samo 20% ispitanika redovno koristi kondom sa stalnim partnerom, 37% sa slucajnim partnerom, 4,6% pri oralnom odnosu), seksualni odnosi pod uticajem alkohola (69,6% ispitanika) i droga (26,7% ispitanika) u poslednjih sest mjeseci, seksualni odnosi i sa ženskim osobama (45,5% ). Uprkos prisutnosti rizicnog ponasanja, 14,8% ispitanika smatra da rizik od prenosenja HIV-a ne postoji, a 41,3% da je nizak. Seroloska ispitivanja pokazuju i dalje nizak nivo HIV/polno prenosivih infekcija u MSM populaciji u BiH. Zakljucak. Iako postoji porast zastitnog seksualnog ponasanja i ucestalije HIV testiranje u odnosu na ranije periode, to nije dovoljno za održavanje niskog nivoa infekcije HIV/polno prenosivih infekcija. Dobijeni podaci pružaju osnovne smjernice za buduca istraživanja i formiranje preventivnih programa.

The aim of this paper is to give a brief overview of research and the newest theoretical considerations on internet addiction classification and treatment. Over the past years we have been increasingly facing the so-called “new age” disease of internet addiction as a serious problem affecting numerous people, especially the young population who has made social networks and other internet contents a modus vivendi. A literature search was conducted for the purpose of locating information on prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of internet and computer addiction. Certain researchers and psychiatrists believe that the excessive internet use is a symptom of other disorders, such as depression and anxiety, or impulse control disorder. However, over the past few years a consensus has been reached that this constellation of symptoms is actually an addiction disorder. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has recently come up with a new definition, according to which addiction represents a chronic brain disorder. Consequently, the new American Classification of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) has introduced this form of addiction under the diagnostic category dubbed “cybernetic disorder”. The field of internet addiction is advancing rapidly through its official recognition as a separate and distinct addiction disorder. Some individuals with internet addiction are at significant risk and merit professional care and treatment. There are several treatments available, but the primary prevention is the most effective intervention. Family practitioners and psychiatrists should be taught to screen their patients for this disorder.

Oxidative stress is directly related to several diseases and symptoms, where antioxidant compounds, such as xanthenes, may become important in prevention and/or treatmant. Ten biologically active 9-aryl substituted 2, 6, 7-trihydroxyxanthen-3-one derivatives were synthesized using reliable one-pot synthesis and their structures were confirmed by IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Some of the synthesized compounds were scanned for their antioxidant potency using electrochemical method cyclic voltammetry of immobilized microparticles. Substitution of hydrogen at the phenyl ring of 2, 6, 7-trihydroxy-9-phenylxanthen-3-one with an electron-donating group affected the reducing power of the compounds by lowering the biological oxidation potential. These results signify the importance of xanthen-3-one derivatives as antioxidant agents and their further biological evaluation.

A costly search for food in subterranean rodents resulted in various adaptations improving their foraging success under given ecological conditions. In Spalax ehrenbergi superspecies, adaptations to local ecological conditions can promote speciation, which was recently supposed to occur even in sympatry at sites where two soil types of contrasting characteristics abut each other. Quantitative description of ecological conditions in such a site has been, nevertheless, missing. We measured characteristics of food supply and soil within 16 home ranges of blind mole rats Spalax galili in an area subdivided into two parts formed by basaltic soil and pale rendzina. We also mapped nine complete mole rat burrow systems to compare burrowing patterns between the soil types. Basaltic soil had a higher food supply and was harder than rendzina even under higher moisture content and lower bulk density. Population density of mole rats was five-times lower in rendzina, possibly due to the lower food supply and higher cover of Sarcopoterium shrubs which seem to be avoided by mole rats. A combination of food supply and soil parameters probably influences burrowing patterns resulting in shorter and more complex burrow systems in basaltic soil.

The medicinal significance of Ephedra is based on the sympathomimetic properties of ephedrine (E) alkaloids. Pharmacological effects depend on the phytocomposition of individual Ephedra species. The aim of this study was to measure the total alkaloids content (TAC), total phenolics content (TPC), and total flavonoids content (TFC) and determine their relationship in dry herb of Ephedra major, Ephedra distachya subsp. helvetica, Ephedra monosperma, Ephedra fragilis, Ephedra foeminea, Ephedra alata, Ephedra altissima and Ephedra foliata. Nowadays, medicinal use of Ephedrae herba is limited, but the abuse of its psychostimulants is rising. In this study, TAC, TPC and TFC were determined using spectrophotometric methods. For the first time, ultra-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (UPLC-UV) was used for separation and quantification of E-type alkaloids of various Ephedra species. The highest TPC and TFC were found in E. alata (53.3 ± 0.1 mg Gallic acid equivalents/g dry weight, 2.8 mg quercetin equivalents/g dry weight, respectively). The total content of E and pseudoephedrine determined by UPLC-UV varied between 20.8 mg/g dry weight (E. distachya subsp. helvetica) and 34.7 mg/g dry weight (E. monosperma). The variable content and ratio between secondary metabolites determined in different Ephedra species reflects their metabolic activities. Utilization of UPLC-UV unveiled that this technique is sensitive, selective, and useful for separation and quantification of different alkaloids in complex biological matrixes. The limit of detection was 5 ng. Application of UPLC-UV can be recommended in quick analyses of E-type alkaloids in forensic medicine and quality control of pharmaceutical preparations.

Republic of Srpska cannot boast of its economic system ever since the onset of the Global Economic and Financial Crisis (2008) to this day. Global Economic and Financial Crisis has produced negative effects onto a small economy like the economy of the Republic of Srpska (RS). In times of such crisis, RS has been faced with high unemployment rate (44%), reduced industrial production, enormous public debt, high deficits and colossal illiquidity. It indicates that the Republic of Srpska is characterised by poor macroeconomic indicators. The fact that RS possesses rich and diverse natural resources, which should be a key factor in its present and future development, did not help the economic system of RS in any way. The industry has been designated as a major segment of development by a long-term strategy of socio-economic development. Such long-term strategy has not given any results in terms of positive rate of economic growth, nor even the slightest improvement of any of the macroeconomic indicators so far. Urgent transformation of the economic system of the Republic of Srpska and its adaptation to the global processes is more than necessary. This can be achieved by offering investors numerous benefits and opportunities for investment under very favourable conditions, particularly in the industries and sectors representing significant natural resources. First of all, it is believed that there is great potential for the development of agriculture; exceptionally favourable conditions for the development of thermal and hydro energy sector; numerous possibilities of providing energy from renewable sources; vast areas covered by forests, mining and mineral resources; great tourist potential, etc. The above listed items are the essential ones, although there are others, which can represent a good basis for development of the economic system. Transformation of the economic system of RS will depend on many factors, primarily, of globalization that has contributed to the huge increase in trade, as well as of modern communication technologies. Globalisation has both positive and negative aspects, but it has certainly brought significant changes. The developed world is the bearer of the globalization process and it made the best use of current global circumstances. The solution is in creation of economic and political integrations, being in a cause-effect relationship with the process of globalization. Economic system of the Republic of Srpska simply has to be included in the such integrations.