Severe acute respiratory syndrome novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly progressed from an outbreak to a global pandemic, with new variants emerging rapidly. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, can lead to multiorgan damage. Due to the highly contagious and fatal nature of the virus, the priority of medical research has been to find effective treatments. Amid this search, the role of vitamin D in modulating various aspects of the innate and adaptive immune system has been debated.The aim of the work: research on the role of vitamin D in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. Although there are some conflicting results, the consensus is that vitamin D has a number of immunomodulatory effects that may be beneficial in the context of COVID-19 and that low vitamin D levels may result in dysfunction of key antimicrobial effects, potentially contributing to a poor prognosis. The aim of the paper is to investigate the impact and importance of vitamin D in patients with the corona virus.Work methods: During this retrospective study, data were taken from the Registry of those tested for the presence of the SARS-CoV2 virus, Specialist Center "Health House" in Bijeljina. The research included 30 patients positive for the presence of the SARS-CoV2 virus and 30 patients negative for the presence of the SARS-CoV2 virus. The following parameters were observed in the research: age, gender and vitamin D values, data on the body temperature of the patients and the duration of the disease, as well as the obtained results of the inflammatory parameters (Leukocytes and C- reactive protein CRP). The dana of all patients are anonymous. All patients were tested using the molecular method of polymerase chain reaction known as RT-PCR (Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction). Separate samples were tested with Arhitectt Vitamin D reagent by the chemiluminescence method (CMIA), manufactured by Abott Arhitectt and 1000sr. Reference values of Vitamin D are from 75 to 150 nmol/L.Results: The concentration of vitamin D was lower in the group of patients with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) compared to individuals with the absence of the coronavirus disease. There is a tendency towards a negative correlation between the concentration of vitamin D and the duration of the disease in the group of patients with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as like as the concentration of vitamin D and body temperature in the group of patients with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). There is also a tendency towards a negative relationship between the concentration of vitamin D and parameters of inflammation (CRP, Le) in the group of patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Genetic monitoring of populations currently attracts interest in the context of the Convention on Biological Diversity but needs long-term planning and investments. However, genetic diversity has been largely neglected in biodiversity monitoring, and when addressed, it is treated separately, detached from other conservation issues, such as habitat alteration due to climate change. We report an accounting of efforts to monitor population genetic diversity in Europe (genetic monitoring effort, GME), the evaluation of which can help guide future capacity building and collaboration towards areas most in need of expanded monitoring. Overlaying GME with areas where the ranges of selected species of conservation interest approach current and future climate niche limits helps identify whether GME coincides with anticipated climate change effects on biodiversity. Our analysis suggests that country area, financial resources and conservation policy influence GME, high values of which only partially match species’ joint patterns of limits to suitable climatic conditions. Populations at trailing climatic niche margins probably hold genetic diversity that is important for adaptation to changing climate. Our results illuminate the need in Europe for expanded investment in genetic monitoring across climate gradients occupied by focal species, a need arguably greatest in southeastern European countries. This need could be met in part by expanding the European Union’s Birds and Habitats Directives to fully address the conservation and monitoring of genetic diversity. Comparing data on genetic monitoring efforts across Europe with the distributions of areas at species’ climatic niche margins, the authors show that monitoring efforts should be expanded to populations at trailing niche margins to include genetic variation that may prove important for adaptation to ongoing climate warming.

Purpose: When carrying out prosthetic rehabilitation of edentulous and partially edentulous patients, great attention is paid to the personal attitude of the patients, their satisfaction with oral health and psychosocial interaction due to tooth loss, as well as the treatment of the resulting disorders. This attention has led to the development of various instruments for examining the quality of life related to oral health. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a reliable instrument in the Serbian language suitable for measuring oral health-related quality of life in patients who have been rehabilitated with complete or partial dentures. Мaterials and Methods: The study was unicentric and cross-sectional, and assessed the reliability and validity of a newly developed instrument for measuring the oral health-related quality of life in denture wearers (OHRQoL-DW). It was conducted on a sample of 200 adults from Serbia, wearers of various types of dentures, with a mean age 66.9 ± 10.3 years and male/female ratio of 86/114 (43%/57%). Results: The definitive version of the OHRQoL-DW scale with 28 items showed very good reliability, with Cronbach’s alpha = 0.938. Good temporal stability of the questionnaire was demonstrated, and satisfactory results were obtained for divergent and convergent validity tests. Exploratory factorial analysis revealed four domains of oral health-related quality of life in denture wearers: physical, psychosocial, environmental and aesthetic. Conclusions: The OHRQoL-DW scale is a reliable and valid generic instrument for measuring the oral health-related quality of life in patients wearing dentures, which is one of the most important outcomes of oral health in prosthetic treatment.

The decrease in overall inertia in power systems due to the shift from synchronous generator production to renewable energy sources (RESs) presents a significant challenge. This transition affects the system’s stable frequency response, making it highly sensitive to imbalances between production and consumption, particularly during large disturbances. To address this issue, this paper introduces a novel approach using Multivariate Empirical Mode Decomposition (MEMD) for the accurate estimation of power system inertia. This approach involves applying MEMD, a complex signal processing technique, to power system frequency signals. The study utilizes PMU (Phasor Measurement Unit) data and simulated disturbances in the IEEE 39 bus test system to conduct this analysis. MEMD offers substantial advantages in analyzing multivariate data and frequency signals during disturbances, providing accurate estimations of system inertia. This approach enhances the understanding of power system dynamics in the context of renewable energy integration. However, the complexity of this methodology and the requirement for precise data collection are challenges that need to be addressed. The results from this approach show high accuracy in estimating the rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) and system inertia, with minimal deviation from actual values. The findings highlight the significant impact of renewable energy integration on system inertia and emphasize the necessity of accurate inertia estimation in modern power systems.

Introduction: The positive effects of static stretching exercises (SS) on physical fitness and rehabilitation are well established, but the effect on general health and physical fitness, including muscle function, flexibility, and activities of daily living at the individual level are less well understood. The objective of this systematic review was to compile the latest research on the effects of SS on general health and different occupational groups with regards to improving or maintaining general health. Material and methods: This review followed PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINEOnline medical articles, and Science Direct databased were searched from 2010 to 2022 (including 2022) using the search string ‘static stretching effects OR muscle stretching exercises AND rehabilitation AND injury prevention’. Results: Th e database search yielded 799 articles of which 20 remained after elimination according to the selection criteria. The articles found that the effect of SS, regardless of the protocol used or whether it is active or passive, has a positive effect on the health status of the subjects. SS can reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD), improve respiratory muscle function in patients after a stroke with hemiparesis, improve lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and can be used in pregnancy to reduce the risk or pre-eclampsia. Conclusion: SS is an effective and safe method for improving flexibility and ROM, preventing muscle atrophy, enhancing physical functioning, and improving quality of life with minimal risk of injury.

Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a rare hematologic disorder with heterogeneous presentations ranging from moderate constitutional symptoms to life-threatening multiorgan system involvement. There are vastly different clinical subtypes, with some patients demonstrating thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever/elevated C-reactive protein, reticulin fibrosis/renal failure, and organomegaly (TAFRO) and others having milder/more moderate symptoms with potential for severe disease (not otherwise specified, NOS). Due to its rarity and heterogeneity, the natural history and long-term burden of iMCD are poorly understood. We investigated real-world medical data from ACCELERATE, a large natural history registry of patients with Castleman disease, to better characterize the long-term disease burden experienced by these patients. We found that iMCD-TAFRO patients face a significant hospitalization burden, requiring more time in the hospital than iMCD-NOS patients during the year surrounding diagnosis (median [interquartile range]: 36 [18-61] days vs. 0 [0-4] days; P<0.001). In addition, we found life-sustaining interventions, such as mechanical ventilation (17%) and dialysis (27%), were required among iMCD patients, predominantly those with iMCD-TAFRO. iMCD-NOS patients, however, spent a significantly greater proportion of time following disease onset in a state of disease flare (median 52.3% vs. 18.9%; P=0.004). Lastly, we observed severe iMCD-related morbidities, such as acute renal failure, sepsis and pneumonia, among others, arising after iMCD diagnosis, impairing the patients’ quality of life. These data demonstrate a substantial disease burden experienced by iMCD patients and emphasize the importance of ongoing research into iMCD to aid disease control.

For decades, academic freedom and shared governance have stood as cornerstones of higher education in the United States, but these principles face unprecedented challenges. Recent developments point to a disturbing decline in these critical values, stirring debates on the future viability of the higher education system. This study delves into the problematic trajectory of modern higher education, spotlighting the rise of corporate practices within academic institutions, the swelling ranks of university administration, and the disproportionate weight given to student evaluations in assessing faculty. These factors have converged to push academia into an unstable transition, a liminal phase fueled by external and internal forces. This study examines the evolving landscape of academic freedom within the corporatized university model. Utilizing the concept of liminality, it explores the transitional challenges faced by academia in balancing traditional scholarly values with emerging market-driven paradigms, arguing that the corporatization of universities represents a liminal phase, wherein the identity and purpose of academic institutions are in flux, significantly impacting the notion of academic freedom. The shift toward a consumer-oriented ethos endangers the foundational principles of higher education, risking substituting educational substance with the mere transaction of educational services. The study concludes by issuing a call to action for all stakeholders in higher education to acknowledge and confront these detrimental trends, thereby safeguarding the principles of academic freedom, shared governance, and the educational system's overall integrity and dynamism.

Natural clay minerals, because of their physical and chemical characteristics are good adsorbents of metals. Among metals we often investigate heavy metals, but redox-sensitive metals are getting more and more attention. Redox-sensitive elements were measured in clay pit samples from clay mine in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the purpose of analysis, a 23 m deep clay pit core sample was taken. From this sample 45 clay pit subsamples from different depths were used. The pH, electrical conductivity (EC), oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and redox-sensitive elements content were measured. Amounts of redox-sensitive metals and aluminum were measured with an ICP-OES instrument. For statistical evaluation, maximum, minimum, average, median, correlation, correlation applying Al normalization and clr transformation were calculated. When justified PCA analysis was performed. The results are showing acidic pH, and oxidative ORP. The EC varied significantly through the sediment. The element concentrations lie in the sequence: Fe>Ti>V>As. There is a significant change in correlations with and without Al-normalization. The highest difference in was found in case of titanium and vanadium (r value ranging from -0.553 to 0.835). Correlations and PCA after clr transformation showed mainly strong negative correlations, meaning that redox sensitive elements behave differently in clay samples. Supplementary material: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.7014329

Due to the natural energy sources used in constructed wetlands, minimal energy and chemicals are required for wastewater treatment. For the successful wastewater treatment via constructed wetlands, adequate pretreatment and a sufficient amount of oxygen are crucial. Constructed wetlands can be used to treat industrial wastewater, such as wastewater from the dairy industry, with prior degreasing. This study was conducted on a horizontal flow pilot constructed wetland located on a plot of land used by the Biotechnical Faculty in Bihać. The constructed wetland consisted of two fields planted with rushes (Typha latifolia) and reeds (Phragmites australis). The substrate and plants were not changed during the experimental period. We monitored the efficiency of industrial wastewater treatment (wastewater from the dairy industry) by season, varying the flow rate as well as the hydraulic retention time of the water in the device. The quality of the influent and effluent was monitored by determining analytical parameters. The constructed wetland showed the highest efficiency in the summer period, with a hydraulic retention time of 6 days, with removal efficiencies of 98.03% for ammonia, 98.19% for total nitrogen, 95.27% for total phosphorous, 94.50% for COD and 97.73% for BOD5. The organic substance removal efficiency across all four seasons was 94.68%.

The continuous rise of multimedia entertainment has led to an increased demand for delivering outstanding user experience of multimedia content. However, modeling user-perceived Quality of Experience (QoE) is a challenging task, resulting in efforts for better understanding and measurement of user-perceived QoE. To evaluate user QoE, subjective quality assessment, where people watch and grade videos, and objective quality assessment in which videos are graded using one or many objective metrics are conducted. While there is a plethora of video databases available for subjective and objective video quality assessment, these videos are artificially infused with various temporal and spatial impairments. Videos being assessed are artificially distorted with startup delay, bitrate changes, and stalls due to rebuffering events. To conduct a more credible quality assessment, a reproduction of original user experiences while watching different types of streams on different types and quality of networks is needed. To aid current efforts in bridging the gap between the mapping of objective video QoE metrics to user experience, we developed DashReStreamer, an open source framework for re-creating adaptively streamed video in real networks. The framework takes inputs in the form of video logs captured by the client in a non-regulated setting, along with an .mpd file or a YouTube URL. The ultimate result is a video sequence that encompasses all the data extracted from the video log. DashReStreamer also calculates popular video quality metrics like PSNR, SSIM, MS-SSIM, and VMAF. Finally, DashReStreamer allows creating impaired video sequences from the popular streaming platform YouTube. As a demonstration of framework usage, we created a database of 332 realistic video clips, based on video logs collected from real mobile and wireless networks. Every video clip is supplemented with bandwidth trace and video logs used in its creation and also with objective metrics calculation reports. In addition to dataset, we performed subjective evaluation of video content, assessing its effect on overall user QoE. We believe that this dataset and framework will allow the research community to better understand the impacts of video QoE dynamics.

Radiology departments face challenges in delivering timely and accurate imaging reports, especially in high-volume, subspecialized settings. In this retrospective cohort study at a tertiary cancer center, we assessed the efficacy of an Automatic Assignment System (AAS) in improving radiology workflow efficiency by analyzing 232,022 CT examinations over a 12-month period post-implementation and compared it to a historical control period. The AAS was integrated with the hospital-wide scheduling system and set up to automatically prioritize and distribute unreported CT examinations to available radiologists based on upcoming patient appointments, coupled with an email notification system. Following this AAS implementation, despite a 9% rise in CT volume, coupled with a concurrent 8% increase in the number of available radiologists, the mean daily urgent radiology report requests (URR) significantly decreased by 60% (25 ± 12 to 10 ± 5, t = -17.6, p < 0.001), and URR during peak days (95th quantile) was reduced by 52.2% from 46 to 22 requests. Additionally, the mean turnaround time (TAT) for reporting was significantly reduced by 440 min for patients without immediate appointments and by 86 min for those with same-day appointments. Lastly, patient waiting time sampled in one of the outpatient clinics was not negatively affected. These results demonstrate that AAS can substantially decrease workflow interruptions and improve reporting efficiency.

Case presentation We describe the case of the lethal full trisomy (T) 14 in a fetus from bichorionic biamniotic (BCBA) twin pregnancy. This is a case of a 28-year-old primigravida, with an unremarkable personal and family history, who just like her 30-year-old husband, was without consanguinity between spouses. She conceived spontaneously, without a burdened gynecological-obstetric history. By the 12th week of pregnancy, she had hyperemesis gravidarum and one episode of bleeding due to which progesterone supplementation was prescribed. Due to asymptomatic bacteriuria, she took cefuroxime axetil in the 13th week of pregnancy and azithromycin in the 15th week due to cervicitis with ureaplasma urealyticum.