This study aims to analyze the perception of travel, especially in the context of the pandemic, when the measures are alleviated, as well as the citizens’ intentions and preferences for travel methods during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel behavior and travel mode preferences in the example of the residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Five research questions were defined. A quantitative research approach was applied in this study. The data were collected through a questionnaire (online survey) distributed to respondents via e-mail and the social network Facebook. The convenience sample included 265 respondents. In the study, a descriptive and quantitative comparative analysis was conducted. The results show that the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced a change in travel behavior. The primary purpose of travel during and before the pandemic was social activities. The most significant change in the primary purpose of travel during and before the pandemic is reflected in a decrease in social activities and an increase in recreational sports activities. In contrast, other activities remained proportionally the same before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The average distance traveled for primary outdoor trips before the pandemic is greater than that for primary outdoor trips during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this study could be useful in traffic planning and making various policies during various pandemics based on people’s travel needs. In particular, government bodies could use such knowledge to plan partial and smarter lockdowns. Tourism and transport companies could use this information to better plan their services and operations.

Psychedelic drugs can aid fast and lasting remission from various neuropsychiatric disorders, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Preclinical studies suggest serotonergic psychedelics enhance neuronal plasticity, but whether neuroplastic changes can also be seen at cognitive and behavioural levels is unexplored. Here we show that a single dose of the psychedelic 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine ((±)-DOI) affects structural brain plasticity and cognitive flexibility in young adult mice beyond the acute drug experience. Using ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging, we show increased volumes of several sensory and association areas one day after systemic administration of 2mgkg−1 (±)-DOI. We then demonstrate lasting effects of (±)-DOI on cognitive flexibility in a two-step probabilistic reversal learning task where 2mgkg−1 (±)-DOI improved the rate of adaptation to a novel reversal in task structure occurring one-week post-treatment. Strikingly, (±)-DOI-treated mice started learning from reward omissions, a unique strategy not typically seen in mice in this task, suggesting heightened sensitivity to previously overlooked cues. Crucially, further experiments revealed that (±)-DOI’s effects on cognitive flexibility were contingent on the timing between drug treatment and the novel reversal, as well as on the nature of the intervening experience. (±)-DOI’s facilitation of both cognitive adaptation and novel thinking strategies may contribute to the clinical benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy, particularly in cases of perseverative behaviours and a resistance to change seen in depression, anxiety, or addiction. Furthermore, our findings highlight the crucial role of time-dependent neuroplasticity and the influence of experiential factors in shaping the therapeutic potential of psychedelic interventions for impaired cognitive flexibility.

Green supplier selection is always one of the most important challenges in all of supply chain management, especially for production companies. The purpose is to have reliable suppliers which can fulfill all requests and be flexible in any supply chain stage. The aim of this paper is to create an adequate and strong MCDM (multicriteria decision making) model for the evaluation and selection of suppliers in a real environment. The main contribution of this study is proposing a novel fuzzy–rough MCDM model containing extension stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) and additive ratio assessment (ARAS) methods with fuzzy–rough numbers (FRN). The integrated FRN SWARA–FRN ARAS model was implemented in a case study of eco-friendly material production. The FRN SWARA method was used to calculate the weights of 10 green criteria, while using FRN ARAS, 6 suppliers were evaluated. The results of the applied model show that supplier S3 received the highest ranking, followed by supplier S2, while supplier S5 performed the poorest. In order to verify the strengths of the developed fuzzy–rough approach, we created a comparative analysis, sensitivity analysis, and dynamic matrix, which confirm the robustness of our model.

Psychedelic drugs can aid fast and lasting remission from various neuropsychiatric disorders, though the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Preclinical studies suggest serotonergic psychedelics enhance neuronal plasticity, but whether neuroplastic changes can also be seen at cognitive and behavioural levels is unexplored. Here we show that a single dose of the psychedelic 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine ((±)-DOI) affects structural brain plasticity and cognitive flexibility in young adult mice beyond the acute drug experience. Using ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging, we show increased volumes of several sensory and association areas one day after systemic administration of 2mgkg−1 (±)-DOI. We then demonstrate lasting effects of (±)-DOI on cognitive flexibility in a two-step probabilistic reversal learning task where 2mgkg−1 (±)-DOI improved the rate of adaptation to a novel reversal in task structure occurring one-week post-treatment. Strikingly, (±)-DOI-treated mice started learning from reward omissions, a unique strategy not typically seen in mice in this task, suggesting heightened sensitivity to previously overlooked cues. Crucially, further experiments revealed that (±)-DOI’s effects on cognitive flexibility were contingent on the timing between drug treatment and the novel reversal, as well as on the nature of the intervening experience. (±)-DOI’s facilitation of both cognitive adaptation and novel thinking strategies may contribute to the clinical benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy, particularly in cases of perseverative behaviours and a resistance to change seen in depression, anxiety, or addiction. Furthermore, our findings highlight the crucial role of time-dependent neuroplasticity and the influence of experiential factors in shaping the therapeutic potential of psychedelic interventions for impaired cognitive flexibility.

To provide seamless wireless coverage, the framework integrating the air network and the ground heterogeneous network has attracted extensive attentions. In this work, we develop a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) assisted air-to-ground (A2G) communication-caching-charging (3C) integrated network. Specifically, we propose a resource allocation strategy to minimize the transmission latency of ground users. Since the formulated problem is difficult to solve directly, it is decomposed into three sub-problems, user pairing, user power allocation and file power allocation. Firstly, we propose a user clustering and pairing strategy according to the distance and channel gain. Secondly, the closed-form solution for the power allocation of files to maximize the duration for energy harvesting is derived. Thirdly, we apply genetic algorithm (GA), which can search for the global optimal solution, to obtain the power allocation factors for users to maximize the rate. Finally, simulations evaluate the superiority of the developed network and the proposed strategy in reducing user delay.

Objetivo: Determinar a prevalência de hipovitaminose D em pacientes com lúpus eritematoso sistêmico (LES). Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal a partir de dados coletados entre janeiro e agosto de 2019, por meio de prontuários de pacientes de ambos os sexos, com diagnóstico de LES, idade de 18 a 80 anos e dosagem sérica de calcidiol (25(OH)D). Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva, teste t, ANOVA e quiquadrado (p<0,005).  O estudo foi aprovado por Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa. Resultados: Houve predomínio do sexo feminino 96,43% na amostra, com idade média de 48 ± 13 anos. Apenas 32% dos pacientes apresentaram valores de 25(OH)D adequado. A concentração média de 25(OH)D foi de 26,06 ng/dL.  Conclusão: Foi constatado alta prevalência de níveis inadequados de vitamina D sérica tanto em pacientes com LES, quanto na população saudável. Tal fato é relevante devido a existência de recomendação específica para valor de vitamina D entre 30 e 60 ng/mL em pacientes com LES, superior ao da população em geral, e pela peculiaridade que eles têm de não poderem se expor aos raios solares.

This article aims to highlight the core educational/upbringing processes of Islamic Religious Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina maktabs, based on the theoretical framework and qualitative research using interview methods. A short framework of the development and status of maktabs in Bosnia and Herzegovina as basic nonformal institutions of Islamic education among Muslims is provided in the introduction. The aim of the research is to examine the attitudes and experiences of muallims regarding the possibilities of realizing the fundamental areas of religious education/upbringing, and the use of approaches, methods, and forms of religious education of children in maktabs. This part of the research also aims to examine the perceptions of muallims about the importance of the principles of religious upbringing of children. The findings show that through methodical/didactical religious education work with children, it is possible to develop all areas of education and that this process runs simultaneously, building a complete personality of the child. It is also apparent that muallims respect the basic educational principles, with a note that the certain educational principles are difficult to fully implement due to numerous limitations. When it comes to educational approaches and methods, it is evident that the prevalent approach is directed towards positive transformation and the encouragement of pupils, which stimulates the internalization of universal and Islamic values.

Decarbonization of the energy sector is a necessary but long-term process. It includes at least partial substitution of fossil fuels using renewable and alternative fuels. However, this substitution, apart from not always being possible, is often accompanied by limitations and unknowns. Those unknowns are dominantly related to the possibility of establishing stable, highly efficient and low-waste combustion as a fundamental process of primary energy conversion from fuel. Such situations are very common considering the necessity of decarbonization in a very large number of fossil fuel-based energy plants, especially coal-based ones. The possibility of establishing an energetically, economically and environmentally acceptable combustion process is a function of a number of variables, of which the collective properties of the fuel, including the ash from that fuel, are dominant in this sense. With the motive of a scientific contribution to the energy transition, and with the aim of obtaining new knowledge about the characteristics of the combustion of lignite coals with different types of biomass, a set of laboratory research was carried out. Various mixtures of lignite, waste woody biomass and Miscanthus as a fast-growing energy crop were subjected to combustion. With a change in the composition of the fuel mixture, the tests were performed at a process temperature of 1250 °C and with a staged supply of combustion air.  With these combustion conditions, the emission of undesirable components into the environment, the efficiency of combustion and the ash estimated tendency of fouling of the boiler heating surfaces were determined. It has been shown that even with co-firing at a temperature of 1250 °C, it is possible to establish a efficient process with an acceptable content of unburnt carbon in the slag (unburnt carbon content, UBC<4%) as well as CO emissions (eCO≤340 mg/mn3), a relatively low emission of nitrogen oxides eNOx≤670 mg/mn3. Also, the process proved to be well controlled from the aspect of possible ash slagging in the furnace. The net emission of CO2 decreases in proportion to the share of biomass in the mixture, while the emission of SO2 is high, at the level of eSO2≤2500 mg/mn3.  

Radiomics-based systems could improve the management of oncological patients by supporting cancer diagnosis, treatment planning, and response assessment. However, one of the main limitations of these systems is the generalizability and reproducibility of results when they are applied to images acquired in different hospitals by different scanners. Normalization has been introduced to mitigate this issue, and two main approaches have been proposed: one rescales the image intensities (image normalization), the other the feature distributions for each center (feature normalization). The aim of this study is to evaluate how different image and feature normalization methods impact the robustness of 93 radiomics features acquired using a multicenter and multi-scanner abdominal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) dataset. To this scope, 88 rectal MRIs were retrospectively collected from 3 different institutions (4 scanners), and for each patient, six 3D regions of interest on the obturator muscle were considered. The methods applied were min-max, 1st-99th percentiles and 3-Sigma normalization, z-score standardization, mean centering, histogram normalization, Nyul-Udupa and ComBat harmonization. The Mann-Whitney U-test was applied to assess features repeatability between scanners, by comparing the feature values obtained for each normalization method, including the case in which no normalization was applied. Most image normalization methods allowed to reduce the overall variability in terms of intensity distributions, while worsening or showing unpredictable results in terms of feature robustness, except for the z-score, which provided a slight improvement by increasing the number of statistically similar features from 9/93 to 10/93. Conversely, feature normalization methods positively reduced the overall variability across the scanners, in particular, 3sigma, z_score and ComBat that increased the number of similar features (79/93). According to our results, it emerged that none of the image normalization methods was able to strongly increase the number of statistically similar features.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is one of the most common viral infections in sexually active population worldwide, and is the main cause of cervical cancer, which is the fourth most common cancer among women. Serbia ranks third in incidence and mortality rate of cervical cancer in Europe. We conducted a cross-sectional study considering parents’ motivation for the HPV vaccination of their children. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model. We found that the strongest motive was “Recommendation from paediatrician” (20.2%), followed by the attitude that HPV vaccine protects against cancers in different localization (15.4%), the motive “It is better to vaccinate a child than expose them to potential risk of HPV infection” (13.3%) and “Feeling anxiety due to a possible infection and cancer in the child” (13.1%). For those parents that vaccinated their child for some other strongest motive, reasons like “Vaccine is free of charge”, “Recommendation from friends and family” and motive „My child received all obligatory vaccines, so I want to receive this one as well“, were significantly more frequently selected. In the group where paediatricians’ recommendation was not a motive for accepting the HPV vaccine, the largest percentage of parents (89.6%) selected motive “HPV vaccine protects against cancers in different localization” and the motive “It is better to vaccinate a child than expose them to potential risk of HPV infection” (78.1%). Paediatrician’s recommendation is very important for parents’ decision to vaccinate, however, other motives also influenced and had significance in making the parents’ decision to vaccinate their children against HPV. Encouraging trust in public health authorities in Serbia, highlighting the advantages of the HPV vaccine and further encouraging healthcare workers to give stronger recommendations can increase the HPV vaccine uptake. Finally, we provided the basis to create more targeted messages that will empower parents to vaccinate their children.

Background Biobanking biospecimens and consent are common practice in paediatric research. We need to explore children and young people’s (CYP) knowledge and perspectives around the use of and consent to biobanking. This will ensure meaningful informed consent can be obtained and improve current consent procedures. Methods We designed a survey, in co-production with CYP, collecting demographic data, views on biobanking, and consent using three scenarios: 1) prospective consent, 2) deferred consent, and 3) reconsent and assent at age of capacity. The survey was disseminated via the Young Person’s Advisory Group North England (YPAGne) and participating CYP’s secondary schools. Data were analysed using a qualitative thematic approach by three independent reviewers (including CYP) to identify common themes. Data triangulation occurred independently by a fourth reviewer. Results One hundred two CYP completed the survey. Most were between 16–18 years (63.7%, N  = 65) and female (66.7%, N  = 68). 72.3% had no prior knowledge of biobanking ( N  = 73). Acceptability of prospective consent for biobanking was high (91.2%, N  = 93) with common themes: ‘altruism’, ‘potential benefits outweigh individual risk’, 'frugality', and ‘(in)convenience’. Deferred consent was also deemed acceptable in the large majority (84.3%, N  = 86), with common themes: ‘altruism’, ‘body integrity’ and ‘sample frugality’. 76.5% preferred to reconsent when cognitively mature enough to give assent ( N  = 78), even if parental consent was previously in place. 79.2% wanted to be informed if their biobanked biospecimen is reused ( N  = 80). Conclusion Prospective and deferred consent acceptability for biobanking is high among CYP in the UK. Altruism, frugality, body integrity, and privacy are the most important themes. Clear communication and justification are paramount to obtain consent. Any CYP with capacity should be part of the consenting procedure, if possible.

Entrepreneurship has been long recognized as an essential driver of economic growth. It is widely accepted that entrepreneurship increases innovation, firm formation, employment, and overall GDP. Despite the increasing research on both public entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship in healthcare, these different research areas have not been combined that much. To fill this research gap, this paper analyses whether public healthcare entrepreneurship influences economic growth. This study exploits the WHO Global Health Observatory database approximating various dimensions of entrepreneurship by specific aspects of compliance with international healthcare regulation. The study uses data for 170 countries from 2010 to 2019. Using the fixed effect panel setting, it tests whether improvements in public healthcare entrepreneurship (PHE) affect a country's economic growth. The results suggest that higher entrepreneurial orientation in public healthcare is associated with larger effects on output per capita, which is channelled through productivity. However, after reaching certain level of PHE development, the contributions to growth start diminishing. The findings from this paper produce several implications. First, by exploring the nexus between public entrepreneurship and healthcare entrepreneurship it introduces the concept of public healthcare entrepreneurship explaining its theoretical and empirical importance. It further provides empirical and quantitative support to the view that developing public healthcare entrepreneurship plays a role in achieving a higher output per effective worker. Thereby, this study provides evidence of a non-linear relationship between public healthcare entrepreneurship and growth. Finally, given the statistical and economic significance of the results, these findings motivate policymakers to consider developing policies that guide developing entrepreneurial orientation within public healthcare. We believe this is possibly the first study that considers entrepreneurial orientation withing a public sector into the economic growth discussion.