COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) accelerated in the second half of 2021, with greater vaccine availability. In this study, we estimated the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of complete primary series BBIBP-CorV vaccine against COVID-19 in patients aged 60 years and older, during the Delta-dominant period, using a test-negative case-control design. Surveillance sites were 11 primary health care centers (PHC) collecting patient data from October 1, 2021, to January 4, 2022, retrospectively according to a common protocol. In total, we included 1711 participants in the analysis: 933 cases and 778 controls. Of the 933 cases, 508 (54.4 %) had mild and 425 (45.6 %) had moderate to severe disease presentation. We observed no effectiveness against mild COVID-19. Overall vaccine effectiveness was 65.0 % (95 %CI: 40.1-79.5) against moderate to severe COVID-19. In time since vaccination analysis, VE was 78.7 % (95 % CI: 54.8-89.9) in patients who received their last dose < 90 days before onset; 66.0 % (95 % CI: -0.5-88.5) in those 90-119 days before onset; 42.1 % (95 % CI: -88.6-82.3) in those 120-149 days before onset and 45.0 % (95 % CI: -94.0-84.4) in those ≥ 150 days before onset. In our study, two doses of BBIBP-CorV provided considerable protection against moderate to severe COVID-19 in older adults, highest within 3 months after second dose, during the Delta-dominant period. Point estimates declined thereafter, suggesting a need for additional doses.

The purpose of the present study is to simulate erosion on the aluminium plate with a cylindrical hole caused by solid particles after passing through 90° elbow, using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the Discrete Phase Model (DPM), and erosion equations. Discrete trajectories of solid particles are calculated using the Lagrangian approach, while the simulation of the fluid was obtained by solving the fluid motion equation using the Eulerian approach. Supplementary sub-models are incorporated into the software to enhance the accuracy of particle trajectory calculations within the simulated geometry. These sub-models include collisions of solid particles with walls (stochastic model) and erosion model. The numerical simulation results obtained in this paper were compared with the existing experimental results from the group of authors, demonstrating a good match. The paper provides the main characteristics of the mathematical model, along with the interpretation of results and a discussion, with the key findings highlighted in the conclusion. The findings indicate that erosion process is significantly influenced by both the particle impact velocity and impact angle, which are key parameters in many erosion equa - tions. Furthermore, it is observed that the velocity of the particles is consistently lower than the mean velocity of the air. Additionally, the angle at which the particles impact the aluminium plate is not always exactly 90° due to multiple collisions with the wall, signifying that the particles do not move exclusively vertically.

Abstract Nordic agriculture faces big challenges to reduce phosphorus (P) loss from land to water for improving surface water quality. While understanding the processes controlling P loss and seeking for P mitigation measures, Norwegian and Swedish researchers have substantially benefited from and been inspired by Dr. Andrew Sharpley's career‐long, high‐standard P research. Here, we demonstrate how Sharpley and his research have helped the Nordic researchers to understand the role of cover crops in cold environmental conditions, best manure P management practices, and ditch processes. His work on critical source area (CSA) identification and site assessment tool development have also greatly inspired our thinking on the targeting of mitigation measures and the contextualizing tools for Nordic climate, landscape, and soils. While reflecting on Sharpley's legacy, we identify several needs for Norwegian and Swedish P research and management. These include (1) tackling the challenges caused by local/regional unevenness in livestock density and related manure management and farm P surpluses, (2) identifying CSAs of P loss with high erosion risk and high P surplus, (3) obtaining more high‐resolution mapping of soils with low P sorption capacity both in the topsoil and subsoil, (4) improving cross‐scale understanding of processes and mitigation measures and proper follow‐up of applied mitigation measures, and (5) increasing collaborations of researchers with farmers and farmers’ advisory groups and watershed groups by developing high‐quality educational courses and extension materials. The needs should be addressed in the context of the challenges and opportunities created by climate change.

This qualitative study explores the evolution and implications of limiting contractual liability in Saudi Arabia, focusing on the interplay between Sharia principles, international conventions, and domestic legal reforms. Through a comprehensive analysis of primary and secondary sources, including the new Civil Transactions Law 2023 and relevant legal documents, the research aims to thoroughly understand the historical roots and contemporary dynamics shaping contractual practices in Saudi Arabia. The study uncovers the challenges and opportunities inherent in harmonizing Sharia principles with global legal norms within the Saudi legal framework. Examining the new legislation reveals notable changes in the treatment of liability in commercial contracts, signaling a shift towards modernization and alignment with international standards. Its findings highlight the complexities of balancing contractual autonomy with legal constraints in the Saudi context, emphasizing the need for ongoing dialogue and research to address emerging issues and enhance the clarity and enforceability of contractual agreements. The study underscores the importance of a collaborative approach that integrates legal, cultural, and international perspectives to strengthen the legal framework and foster a conducive environment for commercial transactions in Saudi Arabia. In doing so, it offers a nuanced analysis of the legal landscape, shedding light on stakeholders' challenges and opportunities in navigating contractual practices within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

: The escalating migration from rural to urban locales necessitates an augmented demand for the workforce, local utility services, and mechanization to sustain a balance conducive to public health. This investigation delineates the pivotal role of human resources in executing daily operations required for the upkeep of public green and asphalted areas within Doboj, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is posited that teamwork and the requisite competencies of the workforce are integral to the utility company’s efficacy and the establishment of conditions requisite for addressing business tasks delineated on weekly and monthly schedules. A cohort of 20 personnel, tasked with the aforementioned responsibilities, was segmented into three categories, predicated upon their skills and capability to fulfil the designated tasks within specified temporal bounds. A novel hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) model, integrating Improved fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (IMF SWARA) with Measurement Alternatives and Ranking according to Compromise Solution (MARCOS), was employed to appraise employees across the designated categories. Decision-makers articulated five criteria, which were quantified via the IMF SWARA methodology. Subsequently, the appraisal of worker categories through three discrete models was undertaken employing the MARCOS technique. Outcomes for each category were individually derived and subjected to verification tests, revealing that criterion significance markedly influences human resource ranking. This study underscores the crucial intersection between environmental stewardship and human resource management, advocating for a systematic approach to urban maintenance that leverages MCDM techniques to optimize workforce performance.

This study investigated the capital structure of 18 publicly traded agricultural companies over a 10-year period (2012-2022), specifically focusing on short-term debt to total liabilities (SHTDTL). Employing a dataset of 121 observations, the strategic financing decisions of these firms in the Republic of Srpska’s stock market were analyzed. The study examines the impact of various factors, including total debt to total equity (TDTC), tangible assets (TOA), company size (CS), current assets ratio (CR), current assets to total assets (CAA), return on equity (ROE), and return on assets (ROA), on capital structure choices. Results reveal that TOA, CAA, and ROE significantly positively influence the short-term debt ratio, while CS and ROA have a significant negative impact. This research sheds light on the financial decision-making of agricultural enterprises, offering insights that can inform their financing strategies and improve financial performance.

This study aims to characterize ocular manifestations of juvenile Behçet’s disease (jBD). This was a registry-based observational prospective study. All subjects with jBD from the Autoinflammatory Diseases Alliance (AIDA) Network BD Registry showing ocular manifestations before 18 years were enrolled. We included 27 of 1000 subjects enrolled in the registry (66.7% male patients, 45 affected eyes). The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age at ocular involvement was 14.2 (4.7) years. Uveitis affected 91.1% of eyes (anterior 11.1%, posterior 40.0%, panuveitis 40.0%), retinal vasculitis 37.8% and other manifestations 19.8%. Later onset (p = 0.01) and male predominance (p = 0.04) characterized posterior involvement. Ocular complications occurred in 51.1% of eyes. Patients with complications had earlier onset (p < 0.01), more relapses (p = 0.02) and more prolonged steroidal treatment (p = 0.02). The mean (standard deviation [SD]) central macular thickness (CMT) at the enrolment and last visit was 302.2 (58.4) and 293.3 (78.2) μm, respectively. Fluorescein angiography was pathological in 63.2% of procedures, with a mean (SD) Angiography Scoring for Uveitis Working Group (ASUWOG) of 17.9 (15.5). At the last visit, ocular damage according to the BD Overall Damage Index (BODI) was documented in 73.3% of eyes. The final mean (SD) best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) logMAR was 0.17 (0.47) and blindness (BCVA logMAR < 1.00 or central visual field ≤ 10°) occurred in 15.6% of eyes. At multivariate regression analysis, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B51 + independently predicted a + 0.35 change in the final BCVA logMAR (p = 0.01), while a higher BCVA logMAR at the first assessment (odds ratio [OR] 5.80; p = 0.02) independently predicted blindness. The results of this study may be leveraged to guide clinical practice and future research on this rare sight-threatening condition.

Introduction: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BHP) is one of the most common, progressive diseases in elderly men. It is very important to diagnose this disease in its early stages. The international prostate symptom score (IPSS) is a very helpful tool to be used for this purpose. Aims: The main goal of this study was to analyze the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia and its impact on a patient's quality of life. Patients and Methods: This descriptive randomized study included 112 male examinees aged 50-70 years. We used IPSS as a survey tool. Results: The average age of the examinees was 61.02 (± 6,18). 56.3% of examinees had mild symptoms, 31.3% had moderate symptoms and 12.5% of our examinees had severe lower urinary tract symptoms. Nocturia was the most common symptom. Irritative symptoms were present in 76.8% of examinees compared to obstructive symptoms which occurred in 8.9%, and 14.3% had both types of symptoms. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity (in 50.9% of cases). The majority of examinees answered that they would be satisfied with their quality of life if their symptoms do not change in the future. Conclusions: Assessment of symptoms and signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia using IPSS in clinical practice has proven to be useful in the timely approach of clinical physicians.

Canine pyometra is a common reproductive disorder of intact diestrual bitches. The disease is associated with inflammation and infection of the uterus leading to generalized illness. The varied reactions of the host to infection, inflammation, or trauma are collectively known as the acute-phase response (APR) and encompass a wide range of pathophysiological responses. One of these systemic responses to disease is an increase in the production by the liver of a number of serum proteins, which are known collectively as the acute-phase proteins (APP). The most important APPs in dogs are C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA). When diagnosed with pyometra, the preferred and most effective treatment is ovariohysterectomy, a procedure that in itself causes systemic inflammation due to the tissue trauma caused by surgery. The purpose of this study was to identify the effect pyometra and ovariohysterectomy have on acute phase proteins and routinely measured biochemistry variables in serum of affected bitches. We achieved this by evaluating concentrations of CRP and SAA, as well as of some biochemistry parameters in serum before and after ovariohysterectomy in bitches with pyometra. Blood samples were collected from the cephalic vein immediately prior to and 24h, 72h and 168 hours after initiation of surgery. The levels of CRP, SAA and some biochemistry parameters - total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLOB), as well as activity of some enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (AKLP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of pyometra and its surgical treatment, ovariohysterectomy, on acute phase proteins, specifically C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA), as well as on routine serum biochemistry variables in affected bitches. By evaluating the concentrations of CRP and SAA, alongside key biochemistry parameters before and after surgery, this research seeks to elucidate the physiological and biochemical responses to both the disease and its treatment, providing insight into the systemic effects of pyometra and the surgical stress response in dogs. Study Design:  The study design involved a cohort of twenty-seven female dogs, divided into two groups: seventeen clinically healthy intact female dogs serving as the control group, which were examined for routine health care or vaccinations, and ten female dogs diagnosed with pyometra at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sarajevo. The diagnosis of pyometra was made based on case history, clinical signs, ultrasonography, and confirmed by gross examination of the pus-filled uterus during and after ovariohysterectomy. The surgical procedure was performed using a standard mid-line approach under general inhalation anesthesia, with no post-operative complications reported. Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sarajevo, between June 2012 and September 2012. Methodology: Blood samples were collected from the distal cephalic vein into serum separating tubes (Vacutainer SST; Becton Dickinson, USA) for CRP and SAA measurement and serum biochemical evaluation just before the ovariohysterectomy (base values) as well as after 24 hours (day one), 72 hours (day three) and 168 hours (day seven). Blood samples from control dogs were collected only once. Serum samples were prepared by centrifugation (1.500 × g for 10 min) and stored in plain micro tubes (Eppendorf, Germany) at −20°C prior to analysis. Serum CRP concentrations in the dogs were measured with ELISA microplate reader (Anthos 2001 ELISA-reader, Anthos Mikrosysteme, Krefeld, Germany) using a commercial canine CRP enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (Tridelta PhaseTM Range CRP Assay, Tridelta Development Limited, County Kildare, Ireland). For SAA, the analyses were performed using also a commercially available ELISA kit (Tridelta PhaseTM Range SAA Assay, Tridelta Development Limited, County Kildare, Ireland). Total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLOB) concentrations and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALKP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were determined by using standard procedures and slides by Catalyst Dx Chemistry Analyzer, Idexx. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software package (for Windows, Version 11.5, SPSS Inc, USA). All data were shown as mean ± standard deviation. The results were analyzed using the independent t-test. A P-value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Our results indicated significantly higher concentrations of CRP and SAA in dogs with pyometra throughout the study period compared to the control group, with CRP concentrations rising up to 15-fold and SAA up to 10-fold. Notably, these increases in CRP and SAA concentrations were mostly observed before surgery, with only limited additional increases post-surgery. This suggests that while ovariohysterectomy induces a proinflammatory response, it does not significantly escalate the levels of these proteins beyond the initial disease impact. The variability observed in CRP and SAA levels points to potential interindividual differences, impacting their diagnostic value. However, on the last postoperative day, the significantly elevated levels of both proteins in dogs with pyometra suggest a persistent, though less severe, inflammatory process, with a subsequent decline as homeostasis was gradually restored. Conclusion: The role of the acute phase response is to limit inflammation, remove the damaging factor and restore homeostasis. The systemic effects of pyometra are reflected by acute phase proteins and several biochemistry parameters.

Multi-purpose reservoir Modrac is the most important water resource in Tuzla canton. Ecologically acceptable flow on dam Modrac is not adjusted with the latest Rulebook about methods of determining ecologically acceptable flow. This article shows the methods used to determine ecologically acceptable flow on the Modrac dam, respecting the fact that reservoir Modrac is declared as protected water resource. The given calculation of ecologically acceptable flow is made for II level of evaluation.

Maintaining component dimensions in metal injection molding (MIM) is difficult because of significant component shrinkage in the sintering step and shrinkage variation. Most of the shrinkage variation in MIM is due to density inhomogeneity in moldings (greens), induced in the injection molding step. Therefore, the focus of this research was to clarify the relationship between injection molding parameters and shrinkage of a ring-shaped component molded into a four-cavity split mold. Material used in research was Catamold 310N in the form of ready to mold granules. An experiment, according to a 2k factorial design, was performed to evaluate the effects of holding pressure profiling on shrinkage at different levels of coolant temperatures and fill rates. Results showed that the interaction of holding profile and coolant temperature has the most influence on the mean shrinkage. This finding offers a possibility to maintain the component dimensions in MIM by using the revealed interconnection between holding pressure profile and mean shrinkage.