A normal 5-edge-coloring of a cubic graph is a coloring such that for every edge the number of distinct colors incident to its end-vertices is 3 or 5 (and not 4). The well known Petersen Coloring Conjecture is equivalent to the statement that every bridgeless cubic graph has a normal 5-edge-coloring. All 3-edge-colorings of a cubic graph are obviously normal, so in order to establish the conjecture it is sufficient to consider only snarks. In our previous paper [J. Sedlar, R. \v{S}krekovski, Normal 5-edge-coloring of some snarks superpositioned by the Petersen graph, Applied Mathematics and Computation 467 (2024) 128493], we considered superpositions of any snark G along a cycle C by two simple supervertices and by the superedge obtained from the Petersen graph, but only for some of the possible ways of connecting supervertices and superedges. The present paper is a continuation of that paper, herein we consider superpositions by the Petersen graph for all the remaining connections and establish that for all of them the Petersen Coloring Conjecture holds.

Abstract Objectives Prenatal cardiology is a part of preventive cardiology based on fetal echocardiography and fetal interventional cardiology, which facilitates treatment of congenital heart defects (CHD) in pediatric patients and consequently in adults. Timely prenatal detection of CHD plays a pivotal role in facilitating the appropriate referral of pregnant women to facilities equipped to provide thorough perinatal care within the framework of a well-structured healthcare system. The aim of this paper is to highlight the role of left atrial strain (LAS) in prenatal evaluation of fetal heart and prediction of structural and functional disorders. Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature review searching PubMed for articles published from inception up until August 2023, including the search terms “left atrial strain”, “fetal echocardiography”, and “prenatal cardiology” combined through Boolean operators. In addition, references lists of identified articles were further reviewed for inclusion. Results Our review underscores the significance of LAS parameters in fetal echocardiography as a screening tool during specific gestational windows (starting from 11 to 14 weeks of gestation, followed by better visualization between 18 and 22 weeks of gestation). The left atrial strain technique and its parameters serve as valuable indicators, not only for identifying cardiac complications but also for predicting and guiding therapeutic interventions in cases of both cardiac and noncardiac pregnancy complications in fetuses. Evidence suggests establishment of second-trimester reference strain and strain rate values by speckle-tracking echocardiography in the healthy fetal cohort is essential for the evaluation of myocardial pathologies during pregnancy. Conclusions Finding of LAS of fetal heart is feasible and probably can have potential for clinical and prognostic implications.

Background and Objectives Progression independent of relapse activity (PIRA) is a crucial determinant of overall disability accumulation in multiple sclerosis (MS). Accelerated brain atrophy has been shown in patients experiencing PIRA. In this study, we assessed the relation between PIRA and neurodegenerative processes reflected by (1) longitudinal spinal cord atrophy and (2) brain paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs). Besides, the same relationship was investigated in progressive MS (PMS). Last, we explored the value of cross-sectional brain and spinal cord volumetric measurements in predicting PIRA. Methods From an ongoing multicentric cohort study, we selected patients with MS with (1) availability of a susceptibility-based MRI scan and (2) regular clinical and conventional MRI follow-up in the 4 years before the susceptibility-based MRI. Comparisons in spinal cord atrophy rates (explored with linear mixed-effect models) and PRL count (explored with negative binomial regression models) were performed between: (1) relapsing-remitting (RRMS) and PMS phenotypes and (2) patients experiencing PIRA and patients without confirmed disability accumulation (CDA) during follow-up (both considering the entire cohort and the subgroup of patients with RRMS). Associations between baseline MRI volumetric measurements and time to PIRA were explored with multivariable Cox regression analyses. Results In total, 445 patients with MS (64.9% female; mean [SD] age at baseline 45.0 [11.4] years; 11.2% with PMS) were enrolled. Compared with patients with RRMS, those with PMS had accelerated cervical cord atrophy (mean difference in annual percentage volume change [MD-APC] −1.41; p = 0.004) and higher PRL load (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.93; p = 0.005). Increased spinal cord atrophy (MD-APC −1.39; p = 0.0008) and PRL burden (IRR 1.95; p = 0.0008) were measured in patients with PIRA compared with patients without CDA; such differences were also confirmed when restricting the analysis to patients with RRMS. Baseline volumetric measurements of the cervical cord, whole brain, and cerebral cortex significantly predicted time to PIRA (all p ≤ 0.002). Discussion Our results show that PIRA is associated with both increased spinal cord atrophy and PRL burden, and this association is evident also in patients with RRMS. These findings further point to the need to develop targeted treatment strategies for PIRA to prevent irreversible neuroaxonal loss and optimize long-term outcomes of patients with MS.

Technology is acting as a catalyst for the transformation towards sustainability in education and as a means of reshaping the educational experience. This transformation is part of an overall transformation in our society, and education should be dedicated to creating satisfied students able to think autonomously, take responsibility for their views, and contribute to society. Both sustainable education and education for sustainability benefit from blended learning, which facilitates participatory teaching and empowers learners. The aim of our research was to determine teachers’ and students’ (a) awareness of the development of digital platforms for teaching and learning, (b) perception of their own digital skills, (c) use and experience of Coursera, and (d) attitudes towards the content and benefits of digital platforms, such as Coursera, for teaching and learning. The analysis was carried out using a questionnaire in which we collected feedback from students and teachers at the University of Sarajevo about their awareness and preferences of the contents offered by Coursera and their readiness to use those additional learning and teaching resources. The results of this study show that there is a lack of awareness of online e-learning platforms among students, with more than half of the sample professing ignorance about these sites. The identified lack of experience and a noticeable lack of motivation could present significant repressors in the transformation of education if not addressed properly.

Fruit spirits must have an aroma of the raw material, which is balanced by ethanol.  Since many aroma compounds are more soluble in ethanol than in water, ethanol is the most important carrier of aroma compounds. The alcohol concentration seems to be crucial for the sensory profile of spirits. Alcohol content of 40% vol is the standard alcoholic strength of fruit spirits. Regulations specify a minimum alcohol content of 37.5% vol. However, ethanol reduction can result in change in sensory profile of spirits. The aim of this research is to determine whether lowering the alcohol content of spirits may make them less acceptable to customers. On this occasion, 5 pairs of fruit spirits were sensory tested: pear, plum, apple, raspberry, and grape spirits, each with a commercial and reduced alcohol concentration to 37.5% vol. The results showed that customers can recognize the difference in alcohol content of fruit spirits and dilution to lower alcohol content led to decreasing aroma for all tastes fruit spirits.  However, typicality and intensity of fruit odour and the overall note of the spirits, were very similar perceived for Williams, plum and grape spirits whereas apple and raspberry spirits showed better characteristic at higher alcohol content.

Natriuretic peptide (NP) uptake varies in Emergency Departments (EDs) across Europe. The ‘Peptide for Life’ (P4L) initiative, led by Heart Failure Association, aims to enhance NP utilization for early diagnosis of heart failure (HF). We tested the hypothesis that implementing an educational campaign in Western Balkan countries would significantly increase NP adoption rates in the ED.

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency of the automated DNA extraction method using the EZ2 Connect Fx instrument (QIAGEN), showcasing its ability to achieve swift and reliable results from bone samples. Genomic DNA extraction from 16 archaelogical and recent bone samples was performed with a commercial EZ1&2® DNA Investigator® Kit (QIAGEN). Prior to PCR amplification, DNA concentration was quantified using Qubit™ Fluorometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Amplification was carried out with the Investigator 24plex Kit (QIAGEN). DNA profiles were generated using 3500 Genetic Analyzer (Applied Biosystems) and analysed with GeneMapper™ ID-X 1.6 Software (Applied Biosystems). For nine archaeological dental samples, eight exhibited partial profiles, and one showed no amplified loci. Among the seven recent femoral bone samples, one exhibited a partial profile, while six presented complete DNA profiles. In this study, we investigated the benefits of automated DNA extraction, particularly its ability to generate timely and reliable results. Additionally, this method reduces pipette and tip usage, almost completely minimising the risk of human error, exogenous DNA contamination and cross-contamination. Such efficiency is of paramount importance, especially when working with skeletal remains, namely archaeological skeletal remains that pose a challenge for molecular genetic analyses.

This work presents a novel masking protocol to secure the communication between a nonlinear plant and a non-linear observer. Communication is secured in two senses. First, the privacy of the plant is preserved during the communication. Second, the protocol can detect a false-data injection attack in the communication link. The masking protocol is based on the use of washout-filters in nonlinear observers and the internal model principle.

This paper studies the stabilisation problem for a class of nonlinear systems with two time scales, where only a single communication channel is available to allocate both low and high-frequency transmissions from slow and fast subsystems, respectively. A clock mechanism is proposed to govern the transmissions, and the closed-loop system is modelled by a hybrid singularly perturbed system. Singular perturbation-based analysis is used to obtain individual maximum allowable transmission intervals for both slow and fast transmissions, and also to guarantee semi-global practical asymptotic stability with respect to the minimum allowable transmission interval of slow transmissions. We illustrate the results via a numerical example.

We present rules to stabilize the origin of a networked system, where data exchanges between the plant and the controller only occur when an output-dependent inequality has been satisfied for a given amount of time. This strategy, called Event-Holding Control (EHC), differs from time-regularized event-triggered control (ETC) techniques, which generate transmissions as soon as a triggering condition is verified and the time elapsed since the last transmission is larger than a given bound. Indeed, the clock involved in EHC is not running continuously after each transmission instant, but only when a criterion is verified. We propose an output-based design of these triggering mechanisms that are robust to additive measurement noise and ensure an input-to-state stability (ISS) property. This EHC scheme naturally has a positive lower bound on the transmission interval. Additionally, we show via an example that, in presence of measurement noise, Zeno-like behavior, where events are generated near the minimum inter-event time consistently, may occur when the system is close to the attractor. We introduce space-regularization to mitigate this issue, resulting in an input-to-state practical stability (ISpS) property rather than ISS.

: This paper presents the influence of complex engineering geological and geotechnical ground conditions on the selection of combined measures for the rehabilitation of landslide on the main road M5. Field and laboratory investigations were conducted to determine the engineering geological and geotechnical conditions of the site. The road is situated on a relatively high embankment within the landslide area, under which a culvert channels a natural stream. The geological substrate is found quite deep, 7 to 8 meters below the surface. Beneath the road, there is a mixture of fill materials of different qualities, indicating that a railway used to run along this route in the past. The slope below the road is relatively steep, approximately 10 meters in height, with a poorly maintained stone wall at its base. The fundamental concept of the proposed solution involves the construction of a support structure comprising piles, a head beam, and a reinforced concrete wall. The designed rehabilitation measures ensure the stability and functionality of the roadway.

The passenger transport system in cities is the backbone of sustainable urban mobility. The problem faced by the city authorities is the question of choosing the carrier with the best bid in the public call. Services in charge of public transport are often able to choose carriers for one or more lines, and often for the entire area. The basic dilemmas are related to the type of procedure that should be carried out, whether the transport services market is open to competition, what methodology to apply if the transport services market is not declared open to competition, whether the selection procedure should end with the signing of the contract between the city government and the operator, and other questions for which answers are sought.This paper presents an analysis of practices and proposed guidelines for the development and application of the bid operator ranking model in the public selection process.

: Based on measurements and research, diagnostics of the condition of a structure aims to provide an answer to the question of what the condition of the structure is, and the necessary steps for reconstruction or rehabilitation. Masonry stone construction is one of the oldest methods of construction of building structures. In spite of that, this type of structures does not have fully defined parameters that influence its behavior. The reason for this is the fact that the properties of masonry stone structures differ depending on the basic material (stone) and binding material (mortar), as well as their combination. The paper presents diagnostics of the condition of masonry structures on the Tabija tower building. Tabija, a low tower for cannons, is a fortification structure from the Ottoman period that is the most completely preserved and was registered for the first time in the city plan from 1717. The structure is in poor condition due to a large number of natural and human factors. The paper will present a detailed visual inspection of the structure, as well as tests conducted in the laboratory and in-situ, the calculation, and decisions and proposals for the rehabilitation and/or reconstruction of the considered building of cultural and historical heritage.

Purpose Explaining the sources of the differences in social performance among Islamic banks (IBs) is the motivation for this research. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the development of Islamic finance regulation, the development of an Islamic financial system, the proportions of affected Muslim populations and the level of competition, on the one hand, and the social performance of IBs, on the other. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the impact of the development of regulation and the Islamic financial system on the social performance of IBs. Design/methodology/approach A balanced panel of annual data for 40 banks from 13 countries is applied, spanning 2012–2018. A social performance index with eight dimensions is constructed and measures the social performance of IBs. The index based on qualitative and quantitative data derives from IBs’ annual reports and financial statements. The linear scaling transformation method articulates the quantitative dimensions of the index. In hypotheses testing, the authors use OLS, LSDV, FEM and Random Effect Model to estimate Model (1) and panel-corrected standard errors with Prais–Winsten transformation to estimate Model (2). Findings This unique research confirms the positive impact of the development of Islamic finance regulation on the social performance of IBs. The results show that the development of Islamic finance regulation is consistently significant on all standard significance levels. IBs’ age and the presence of Muslim populations in the country are also significant in most estimators. Research limitations/implications The results of this research highlight a significant value for regulators, shareholders and the management of IBs. Without proper regulation, these banks can hardly operate under the principles and expectations of the Islamic moral economy. Originality/value This is pioneering research that explores the development of Islamic finance regulation and market concentration as a determinant of social performance of IBs. Development of Islamic finance regulation has proved significant in all estimated models, which confirms that a new variable has been discovered among determinants of the social performance of IBs.