The auditory brainstem response (ABR) is a measure of subcortical activity in response to auditory stimuli. The wave V peak of the ABR depends on stimulus intensity level, and has been widely used for clinical hearing assessment. Conventional methods to estimate the ABR average electroencephalography (EEG) responses to short unnatural stimuli such as clicks. Recent work has moved towards more ecologically relevant continuous speech stimuli using linear deconvolution models called Temporal Response Functions (TRFs). Investigating whether the TRF waveform changes with stimulus intensity is a crucial step towards the use of natural speech stimuli for hearing assessments involving subcortical responses. Here, we develop methods to estimate level-dependent subcortical TRFs using EEG data collected from 21 participants listening to continuous speech presented at 4 different intensity levels. We find that level-dependent changes can be detected in the wave V peak of the subcortical TRF for almost all participants, and are consistent with level-dependent changes in click-ABR wave V. We also investigate the most suitable peripheral auditory model to generate predictors for level-dependent subcortical TRFs and find that simple gammatone filterbanks perform the best. Additionally, around 6 minutes of data may be sufficient for detecting level-dependent effects and wave V peaks above the noise floor for speech segments with higher intensity. Finally, we show a proof-of-concept that level dependent subcortical TRFs can be detected even for the inherent intensity fluctuations in natural continuous speech. Visual abstract Significance statement Subcortical EEG responses to sound depend on the stimulus intensity level and provide a window into the early human auditory pathway. However, current methods detect responses using unnatural transient stimuli such as clicks or chirps. We develop methods for detecting level-dependent responses to continuous speech stimuli, which is more ecologically relevant and may provide several advantages over transient stimuli. Critically, we find consistent patterns of level dependent subcortical responses to continuous speech at an individual level, that are directly comparable to those seen for conventional responses to click stimuli. Our work lays the foundation for the use of subcortical responses to natural speech stimuli in future applications such as clinical hearing assessment and hearing assistive technology.

The gradual deterioration of articular cartilage was thought to be the central event in osteoarthritis (OA), but recent studies demonstrated the importance of low-grade synovitis in the progression of OA. The Syndecan (SDC) family of membrane proteoglycans is known to be involved in the regulation of inflammation, but there is limited evidence considering the role of syndecans in OA synovitis. Our study aimed to investigate the hip OA synovial membrane expression patterns of SDC1, SDC2 and SDC4, as well as exostosins and sulfotransferases (enzymes involved in the polymerisation and modification of syndecans’ heparan sulphate chains). Synovial membrane samples of patients with OA (24) were divided into two groups according to their Krenn synovitis score severity. The immunohistochemical expressions of SDC1, SDC2, SDC4, EXT1, EXT2, NDST1 and NDST2 in synovial intima and subintima were then analysed and compared with the control group (patients with femoral neck fracture). According to our study, the immunoexpression of SDC1, NDST1 and EXT2 is significantly increased in the intimal cells of OA synovial membrane in patients with lower histological synovitis scores and SDC4 in patients with higher synovitis scores, in comparison with non-OA controls. The difference in the expression of SDC2 among the OA and non-OA groups was insignificant. SDC1, SDC4, NDST1 and EXT2 seem to be involved as inflammation moderators in low-grade OA synovitis and, therefore, should be further investigated as potential markers of disease progression and therapeutic goals.

In accordance with consumer requirements, the water must be adequately purified, and the corresponding parameters within the defined values. Various methods are used for this purpose, of which the ion exchange method can be highlighted as the simplest, most efficient and economically profitable. Ion exchange is a reversible process of ion exchange between a solid phase and an electrolyte solution. The ion exchanger is a macromolecular insoluble material that has chemically bound electrified groups and mobile, oppositely charged ions that compensate for this electrification. Ion exchangers are usually used in the form of compact or granular beds that fill the column through which the solution with the ions to be exchanged flows.They usually contain phenolic, carboxylic, sulfonic amino and other groups, which is why the treatment also results in decarbonization, softening, demineralization and denitrification of water. As the assessment of water quality is based on the most significant physico-chemical parameters, the aim of the work is the analysis of drinking water before and after treatment with an ion exchanger.For this purpose, organoleptic parameters such as smell, taste and color were first analyzed. After that, physico-chemical parameters were analyzed: pH values, electrical conductivity, m-alkalinity, p-alkalinity, water hardness, organic matter content, chloride content, iron and manganese content. An ion exchanger based on resin was used, which after use was regenerated by washing with NaClsolution.The analysis of the water sample, before and after the ion exchange treatment, showed that the treatment process was effective and that the decarbonization and softening of the water was carried out, whereby the water was categorized as soft water (water <9⁰dH).The analyzed water is tasteless, odorless and colorless before and after treatment. The results of the analysis showed that all the values of the analyzedphysico-chemical parametersare in accordance with the Rulebook on the Healthiness of Drinking Water(Official Gazetteof Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina No.40/10) arebelow the maximum allowed values. KEYWORDS:water, ion exchange, physical-chemical parameters; water treatment

Background: this study aimed to determine the expression of RNA-binding oncofetal proteins IMP3 and LIN28A in extravillous (EVT) and villous trophoblast (VT) cells of placentas from pre-eclamptic (PE) pregnancies to better understand the pathogenesis of PE. Methods: placental tissue of 10 patients with PE with severe features, 10 patients with PE without severe features and 20 age-matched healthy pregnancy controls were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, double immunofluorescence and qPCR. Results: We found a decreased percentage of IMP3-positive EVT cells in PE with and without severe features compared to that of the healthy control (p < 0.001). IMP3 expression was significantly low in VT of PE placentas compared to that of the healthy control (p = 0.002). There was no significant difference in LIN28A expression between groups of PE and the control group. Additionally, we noticed the trend toward downregulation of IMP3 mRNA and LIN28A mRNA in severe PE compared to that of healthy controls. Conclusions: We demonstrated that IMP3 expression is decreased in EVT and VT cells of placentas from pregnancies complicated with both PE with and without severe features. However, additional functional investigations are needed to clarify the role of IMP3 as a potential therapeutic target in the management of PE.

The subject of this research wasto verify the feasibility of implementing green chemistry principles within the business company „Omorika Reciklaža“ Ltd. situated in Johovac near Doboj, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The objective of this study wasto conduct a detailed assessment of the company's facilities and operations, using environmental audits, to identify technological processes (production lines), energy and waste flows, capacities, product range, and other pertinent factors crucial for theapplication of green chemistry principles. Special emphasis was placed on analyzing each substance that constitutes a raw material, whether used individually or as part of mixtures.The assessment of safety data sheets involvedutilizing the CAS registration numbers of substances from the Chemical Abstracts Service, cross-referenced with the ECHA database (European Chemicals Agency). The outcomes, attained through an exhaustive analysis of each substance, were presented as a "chemical inspection" of the company. Through the analysis of all substances and mixtures in the technological process (chemical inspection), as well as the capacity of production flows, energy and resource flows, wastewater, and waste, the potential for enhancing the technological process wasidentified. This involvedreducing dust levels in the workspace, decreasing electricity consumption (utilizing renewable sources), and substituting particularly hazardous chemicals used in the technological process. KEYWORDS:green chemistry; chemical safety; SVHC;environmentalaudit

There is increasing evidence of neurological involvement in patients with coronavirus disease. Reports of neurological manifestations include altered mental status, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and its forms, encephalopathy, psychosis, neurocognitive (dementia) syndrome, ischemic strokes, intracerebral hemorrhage, and acute transverse myelitis. We present three patients with rare neurological manifestations of the COVID-19 disease, with a special focus on rehabilitation in a health resort setting. Outcomes were evaluated based on neurological examination and the modified Barthel index. We highlight the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to reduce disability and improve functionality and quality of life.

Teaching is a process for which its plan should contain reflection onto previous experience. With that in mind, teaching situations should be continuously researched and improved in accordance with the research results. Led by this thought and the fact that students are uncritically using visualization to solve mathematical problems, we defined the aim of this research–determine the attitude of students about the visualization of mathematical content (VMC). The subject of this research are the attitudes of students towards VMC. By analyzing our research subject, we have discovered the research problem–students use visual aid to solve problems uncritically. Based on this problem, we have set the aim of our research. Our aim was to determine the students’ attitudes (and their opinions) about VMC. Based on the aim of our research, we have set four research tasks. Based on these research tasks, we have established the main (leading) research question–What is the attitude of high school students towards the application of VMC? We divided the main research question into five questions: Do high school students consider that they understand the term ‘VMC’? Who considers they use more methods of solving mathematical problems using visual aid–high school male students or female students? Students of which grades consider that they use solving problems using visual aid more? What is the attitude of high school students about the relationship between the substantiality of the picture (the amount of data it encompasses) and the difficulty of solving the problem? What is the attitude of students about the use of software to solve mathematical problems? The research has been conducted with 1,240 high school students from Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina. For the purposes of this article, we employed a survey, questionnaire-based research. The research was created as part of a larger study conducted in the context of preparing a doctoral dissertation related to VMC. It is one fundamental research. An essential aspect of this research involves students’ attitudes toward VMC. After obtaining all necessary approvals from relevant institutions and parents, students proceeded to testing and surveying in their school classrooms, under the supervision of designated individuals who facilitated the conduct of the research. The distribution of the data was not normal, so we used the Pearson Chi-square, likelihood ratio Chi-square, and linear-by-linear association test to examine the association between student attitudes and categorical variables (gender and grade). In addition, we used frequencies and percentages. It has been concluded that the students are mostly positive towards applying visualization in their process of solving mathematical problems and these should be used in the direction of improving the students’ success, their confidence and their level of contentment in their mathematics class, as well as in other life situations that encompass mathematical content. In future research, it could be examined why students expressed such attitudes about the presented situations. Additionally, it would be significant to explore why students do not consider themselves successful in applying VMC, despite claiming to understand the term. The analysis could extend to the content presented in textbooks or instructional materials students use–how visualized the content is or whether students are required to visualize it themselves. It would also be worthwhile to investigate the extent to which teachers encourage students to visualize specific tasks or do so on their behalf. Given the fluctuation in results (we observe affirmative answers–partially or completely) observed across grades–initial decrease, subsequent increase, followed by another decrease–it might be explored whether this is related to the curriculum taught in each grade (such as content, volume, number of class hours, etc.). Regarding images leading to incorrect conclusions, it would be interesting to investigate the types of images students have in mind, how frequently they encounter such situations, where they use these images, who creates them, and similar aspects. These are just some questions for future research.

Public budgeting and finance is a discipline that encompasses communities of research and practice. Too often, however, these communities fail to engage each other, instead choosing to operate independently. The result is that the research being conducted fails to address the questions of the day and our governments’ challenges. In this article, we come together as a community of academics and practitioners to establish an agenda for where future research should be conducted. This agenda aims to align the research being undertaken within the academic community with the needs of those working in the community of practice. After establishing ten areas where research is needed, we followed a ranked-choice voting process to establish a prioritization for them. Based on the outcome of this process, the two primary areas where research is currently needed most are the fiscal health of our governments and the implementation of social equity budgeting.  

Simple Summary The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the morphology of root canals in the carnassial teeth of German shepherds and mixed-breed dogs. Knowledge of the morphology of root canals is essential for a successful endodontic procedure. It has been determined that an apical delta, which represents a complex structure that consists of multiple cavities whose purpose is to allow the passing of nerves and blood vessels from the pulp cavity to the apex of the root, was present in 247 roots. There are four main types of apical delta. The most common type in superior fourth premolars was type II, with up to 10 apical ramifications, whereas type IIIA, with 10–20 apical ramifications, was most commonly present in inferior first molars. Abstract Root canal treatment of carnassial teeth in dogs is a common endodontic technique which aims to re-establish or maintain the health of the periapical tissues. In total, 43 dogs were used in this study. Root canal morphology was evaluated in 86 superior fourth premolars and 86 inferior first molars. Apical delta was present in 247 roots, while obliteration of the root canal was found in 11 roots. The most common type of apical delta of the roots of superior fourth premolars was type II, with up to 10 apical ramifications, while type IIIA, with 10–20 apical ramifications, was most commonly present in the roots of inferior first molars. Considering that knowledge of the morphology of root canals is essential for a successful endodontic procedure, the aim of this study was to analyze and compare the morphology of root canals in the carnassial teeth of German shepherds and mixed-breed dogs. Apical resection for the purpose of endodontic therapy of the superior fourth premolar and the inferior first molar is indicated at a length of 4 to 6 mm from the anatomical tip of the roots, which would completely remove the apical delta of these two teeth.