water quality; pollination of nearby crops; recreation and and of timber; raw materials other than timber; medicinal resources; supplying ornamental resources; or religious values; well-being and health; inspiring artistic outputs; cultural and historical values; peace and stability; biodiversity; education; nature conservation; knowledge values; soil maintenance; mitigation of and disease Data analyses performed

Despite the fact that technology is improving day by day and that the medical devices (MDs) are being constantly upgraded, their malfunction is not a rare occurrence. The aim of this research is to develop an expert system that can predict whether the device will satisfy functional and safety requirements during a regular inspection. This expert system can be seen as part of Industry 4.0 that is revolutionizing medical device management. In order to develop the system, five machine learning algorithms that are representative of each classifier group, were used: (1) Random Forest, (2) Decision Tree, (3) Support Vector Machine, (4) Naive Bayes, (5) k-Nearest Neighbour. The Decision Tree outperformed other classifiers achieving the classification accuracy of 100% with and without attribute selection applied on the dataset. This study showed that machine learning algorithms can be used in order to predict MDs performance and potential failures in order to make the process of maintenance of medical devices more convenient and sophisticated and it is one step in modernizing medical device management systems by utilizing artificial intelligence.

Simple Summary Penalties in judo (shido) have been previously associated with match outcomes and increased the likelihood of being defeated, particularly in heavier weight categories. Each 1-min increase in match duration and further athlete proceeds in competition increases the possibility of receiving a penalty. Penalties have also been associated with the occurrence of injuries, especially with grip fighting and other illegal moves and therefore, have a substantial effect on athletes’ health. The main findings highlighted that the leading penalties in all weight categories for both genders on Judo World Championships (WC) were Non-combativity, Avoid Grip and False Attack. Additionally, a new trend in heavyweight athletes with a lower number of penalties is noted. Abstract Background: This research aimed to compare individual penalties by gender and weight categories in judo from the Judo World Championships (WC): Budapest—2017, Baku—2018, Tokyo—2019 and Budapest—2021 in all individual weight categories for females and males. Methods: Data were collected by notational analysis of 2041 penalty videos for females and 3473 penalty videos for males (total n = 5514). All individual penalties—Shido 1, 2, 3 and Hansoku Make (direct disqualification) were analysed by the Pearson chi-square test at the level of statistical significance of 5%. Results: Significant differences were noted in the assigned individual penalties between individual categories (p < 0.001) in both genders. The significant difference was contributed mainly by the weight category +78 kg with penalties Non-combativity (5.3) and Avoid Grip (−3.4) in females, while in males it impacted by the +100 kg weight category and the Non-combativity (4.2) and Avoid Grip (−4.0) penalties. For females, the most dominant individual penalties were Non-combativity (41.6%), Avoid Grip (16.2%) and False Attack (15.0%), and were Non-combativity (40.3%), Avoid Grip (19.5%) and False Attack (16.4%) for males. The largest number of penalties in females were in −52 kg (16.7%), −57 kg (15.9%) and +78 kg (15.2%) categories, while in males, they were −66 kg (17.2%), −73 kg (16.1%) and −90 kg (15.6%). Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight the leading penalties in all weight categories for both genders on WC to be Non-combativity, Avoid Grip and False Attack. Additionally, a new trend in heavyweight athletes with a lower number of penalties is noted. The obtained results indicate the need to pay more attention to working with competitors of all ages and genders on education to implement tactical variants, forms and means to use penalties to athletes’ advantage, especially after a possible rule change and to lower the occurrence of injuries.

In order to fill in a decade-long information gap regarding the biological, serological and molecular data for plum tree viruses in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a three-phase study combining symptom evaluation, and serological and molecular assays with high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technology was conducted. The most frequently observed symptoms were discolorations in the form of ring patterns, bands and irregular shapes, as well as vein banding. Sharka-associated symptoms in the form of ring patterns and semicircles were prevalent. A total of 468 plum tree samples were tested by ELISA for the presence of PPV, ApMV, PDV, PNRSV, PBNSPaV, ACLSV and MLRSV. An overall infection incidence of 51.9% was detected, with PPV being the most prevalent (48.7%), followed by PDV (2.99%), PNRSV (0.21%) and mixed infections of PPV+PDV (1.71%). RT-PCR-assisted strain typing in 45 samples revealed PPV-D as the most common strain (22.22%), followed by PPV-REC (6.66%). Mixed infections of PPV-D+PPV-REC were detected (6.66%). HTS enabled the recovery of a 9743 nts long sequence of PPV-D (PPV_O7/80, MW412433), which shared the highest nucleotide and amino acid identities with isolates S13 (LC375131) from Serbia, SVN1 (LC375132) from Slovenia and N9 (LC375129) from Bulgaria. The phylogenetic analysis of the whole genome placed the isolate of the D strain in a distinctive group with the Slovenian isolate SVN1 (LC375132). In addition, the (Cter)NIb/(Nter)CP fragment of a PPV-REC isolate (MW412434) obtained in this survey formed a separate group with previously known isolates from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BOS64Pl and BOS257Pl).

Objective Using a short-form specific questionnaire, we sought to quantify specific and generic benefits of surgery for chronic otitis media (COM) while adjusting for expectancy (placebo) bias. Study Design A prospective observational pretreatment/posttreatment study. Setting A national tertiary referral center. Patients Consecutive adult COM patients were enrolled for 1 year. Of 246 patients, 205 were recommended for surgery, and 167 were operated on the (more) affected ear. Intervention(s) All patients filled out two questionnaires, one specific (Chronic Otitis Media Questionaire-12) and one generic (Short Form-36) at baseline, and then again 6 and 12 months after surgery. Main Outcome Measures Factor-based scores of questionnaires, standardized response means (SRMs) for treatment effects, with multiple linear regression for implementing bias adjustment. Results All but one (generic Short Form-36 “mental” scale) of the seven considered measures gave very highly significant (p < 0.001) improvements. Unadjusted SRMs were large (1.0–2.0 standard deviation units) for audiometry, symptoms of ear discharge, reported hearing, and aggregate specific quality of life, but only moderate for the less specific activity/healthcare. The proposed bias adjustment reduced SRM magnitudes for most measures by about a third, for activity/healthcare and ear discharge by only a tenth to a fifth, and for audiometry not at all. Conclusion Most scores of the specific questionnaire displayed definite placebo-like biases; this demands caution in interpreting improvement after COM surgery. With bias adjustments, credible and worthwhile magnitudes of improvements remained for Chronic Otitis Media Questionnaire-12 total and subscores (0.5–1.09 standard deviation SRM), but not for generic quality of life.

The human ribosomes are the cellular machines that participate in protein synthesis, which is deeply affected during cancer transformation by different oncoproteins and is shown to provide cancer cell proliferation and therefore biomass. Cancer diseases are associated with an increase in ribosome biogenesis and mutation of ribosomal proteins. The ribosome represents an attractive anti-cancer therapy target and several strategies are used to identify specific drugs. Here we review the role of different drugs that may decrease ribosome biogenesis and cancer cell proliferation.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a neurotoxic encephalopathic state, manifesting clinical symptoms of headache, altered consciousness, visual disturbances, and seizures. Although several diseases have been identified as causative of PRES, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Song et al recently published “Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in a patient with metastatic breast cancer: A case report“ in the World Journal of Clinical Cases, highlighting and discussing the role of hypercalcemia in PRES as related to uncontrolled hypertension. To build upon this case description, we provide further insight into the possible underlying mechanisms of PRES through this commentary.

Abstract Background DIALOG+ is a digital psychosocial intervention aimed at making routine meetings between patients and clinicians therapeutically effective. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of implementing DIALOG+ treatment for patients with psychotic disorders in five low- and middle-income countries in Southeast Europe alongside a cluster randomised trial. Methods Resource use and quality of life data were collected alongside the multi-country cluster randomised trial of 468 participants with psychotic disorders. Due to COVID-19 interruptions of the trial’s original 12-month intervention period, adjusted costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were estimated at the participant level using a mixed-effects model over the first 6 months only. We estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) with uncertainty presented using a cost-effectiveness plane and a cost-effectiveness acceptability curve. Seven sensitivity analyses were conducted to check the robustness of the findings. Results The average cost of delivering DIALOG+ was €91.11 per participant. DIALOG+ was associated with an incremental health gain of 0.0032 QALYs (95% CI –0.0015, 0.0079), incremental costs of €84.17 (95% CI –8.18, 176.52), and an estimated ICER of €26,347.61. The probability of DIALOG+ being cost-effective against three times the weighted gross domestic product (GDP) per capita for the five participating countries was 18.9%. Conclusion Evidence from the cost-effectiveness analyses in this study suggested that DIALOG+ involved relatively low costs. However, it is not likely to be cost-effective in the five participating countries compared with standard care against a willingness-to-pay threshold of three times the weighted GDP per capita per QALY gained.

The financial crisis and COVID-19 pandemic have affected the financial systems at various levels of government. The cities in Poland and Croatia have been no exemption. In turbulent times, they have been faced with the need to reorient their budgets to remain resilient and solvent. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to investigate the financial resilience profiles of large cities in Poland and Croatia from 2010 to 2020 and to identify the factors differentiating the identified resilience patterns. To obtain empirical results, a two-stage research procedure was employed. In the first stage, group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was applied, while a panel data regression was employed in the second. Our research has revealed different patterns of financial resilience among the cities in Poland and Croatia; moreover, the scope of fiscal resilience of local government units (LGUs) differed over time, which made it possible to distinguish four groups of cities in every country characterized by similar resilience trajectories over time. The common predictors of fiscal resilience in both countries are the percentage of the operating surplus in total income, total income per capita and capital expenditure per capita, although the strength of its impact varies from group to group identified by GBTM. Our research has shown that the source of differences in LGUs’ financial resilience is not as much the nature and intensity of the disturbances experienced as the internal financial capacity.

Abstract This work presents the advantages of using ultrasound (US) in the procedure of antimicrobial functionalization of cotton knitwear. Ultrasound-assisted extraction of bioactive components from plant material reduced the extraction time by 40% and increased the degree of utilization by 12.5% in comparison with conventional extraction. By optimizing the H2O2 bleaching process, it was found that the application of ultrasound resulted in reducing the temperature from 100 °C to 60 °C, the processing time by 30 min and the H2O2 concentration from 4% to 2%, while retaining the same weight loss, the appropriate degree of whiteness with preserved mechanical properties compared with treatment carried out without using ultrasound. Dyeing with the plant extract of Achillea millefolium L. using the ultrasonic atomization resulted in even coloration and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with using minimum quantities of extract and 6.67 times shorter processing time in comparison with the bath exhaustion method.

Neuromyths are prevalent in all spheres of life and can be found in all professions. The teaching profession is especially susceptible to neuromyths as teachers want to provide the most effective, science-based instruction to their students. Sometimes these instructions are not based on scientific studies but on a misinterpretation of scientific findings or neuromyths. The goal of the present paper was to examine the prevalence of seven popular neuromyths in teachers in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH). The sample for this study comprised 300 teachers from all parts of BIH. The research material comprised 300 teachers (232 females and 62 males) from all parts of BIH. Participants were either personally invited to the study or recruited through an online survey sent to schools throughout BIH and teacher organizations. As a method we used the Questionnaire consisting of basic demographic information on the participants (gender, working experience, type of teacher) and 7 neuromyths statements on which participants were asked to answer whether they think the statement is true, not true, or they do not know. The results of this study indicate a wide prevalence of neuromyths in BIH teachers. The prevalence ranged from 17% to 82%. The most prevalent myth is about learning styles, while the least prevalent was that drinking less than 8 glasses of water causes a brain to shrink. There were statistically significant differences in the prevalence of neuromyths in relation to the teachers’ gender for every statement. However, the trend is not uniform. Although, overall the neuromyths were more prevalent in female teachers (for 5 items), for two neuromyth statements, male teachers had a higher prevalence. Additionally, the prevalence of neuromyths was more frequent in early-grade teachers. It should be noted that there are also differences in the results obtained for the different types of neuromyths. Neuroscience is important for education and for the teachers. Thus, more attention should be given to the process of translating neuroscientific findings into useful facts for teachers. One way to improve this process is through the continual professional development of teachers in the field of neuroscience.

The goal of this research was to find a selection of green suppliers (GSS) that will, in the best way, help agricultural producers to apply green agricultural production using uncertainty in decision making. In order to avoid the possibility of uncertainty in the expert decision making, Z-numbers were used together with the fuzzy LMAW (Logarithm Methodology of Additive Weights) method and fuzzy CRADIS (Compromise Ranking of Alternatives from Distance to Ideal Solution) method. By applying Z-numbers and the fuzzy LMAW method, the weighting coefficients of the criteria were determined, where the experts, in addition to the criteria ratings, also defined the degrees of certainty in the criteria ratings they gave. The obtained results indicated that the criteria related to price and qualities are the most important during the selection process. To select the best alternative, the CRADIS method modified with Z-numbers and fuzzy numbers was applied. The results obtained by applying this method showed that suppliers A2 and A3 have the best characteristics and are the first choice for the procurement of raw and production materials. As part of the paper, the validation of the results and the sensitivity analysis of the model were carried out by conducting the procedure of comparing the obtained results with the results obtained by other MCDM methods and changing the weighting coefficients of the criteria. These analyses indicated that the model presented provides stable results. The conducted research showed how Z-numbers can be used to reduce uncertainty in decision making and how Z-numbers can be used with other fuzzy methods to perform GSS.

Although machine learning has permeated many disciplines, the convergence of causal methods and machine learning remains sparse in the existing literature. Our aim was to formulate a marginal structural model in which we envisioned hypothetical (i.e. counterfactual) dynamic treatment regimes using a combination of drug therapies to manage diabetes: metformin, sulfonylurea and SGLT-2. We were interested in estimating “diabetes care provision” in next calendar year using a composite measure of chronic disease prevention and screening elements. We demonstrated the application of dynamic treatment regimes using the National Diabetes Action Canada Repository in which we applied a collection of mainstream statistical learning algorithms. We generated an ensemble of statistical learning algorithms using the SuperLearner based on the following base learners: (i) least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, (ii) ridge regression, (iii) elastic net, (iv) random forest, (v) gradient boosting machines, (vi) neural network. Each statistical learning algorithm was fitted using the pseudo-population with respect to the marginalization of the time-dependent confounding process. The covariate balance was assessed using the longitudinal (i.e. cumulative-time product) stabilized weights with calibrated restrictions. Our results indicated that the treatment drop-in cohorts (with respect to metformin, sulfonylurea and SGLT-2) may improve diabetes care provision in relation to treatment naïve cohort. As a clinical utility, we hope that this article will facilitate discussions around the prevention of adverse chronic outcomes associated with diabetes through the improvement of diabetes care provisions in primary care.