The increasingly frequent improper disposal of lithium-ion batteries (LIB) is leading to concerns about the environmental consequences. When they are poured out, the flammable solvents from the electrolytes in LIBs are the threatening soil and plant contamination. If these liquids spill or leak from batteries, they could enter the soil through various pathways and contaminate crops such as cucumber and tomato plants, which have extensive root systems that may facilitate the absorption of ILs. After absorption, some electrolyte components could accumulate inside the plants and have toxic effects, potentially harming plant growth and crop fields. This study investigated how spilling electrolytes with varying combinations of ILs, organic solvents, and lithium salts in different concentrations affects the growth and development of tomatoes and cucumbers. Special attention was paid to examining the influence of electrolyte components on aerial parts and/or fruits of these plants and the levels of metabolites involved in antioxidant protection under stressful conditions, such as malonyldialdehyde (MDA). In this work, certain ILs with bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, NTf2, anion have a phytotoxic effect, which negatively affects cucumber and tomato growth and development.

In this study, a detailed physicochemical characterization of taurine in water is performed based on density and viscosity measurements in the temperature range from T=(293.15 – 313.15) K. Solubility of taurine increases with the temperature increasing. Data obtained from the volumetric and viscosimetric measurements indicate that taurine does not self-aggregate in water. Molecular dynamic simulations provided insight into how taurine molecules behave in water.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the cause of 17 million deaths a year worldwide, of which 25% are sudden cardiac deaths (SCD). In Europe cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remains a leading cause of death in Europe accounting for 3.9 million deaths each year. Even with well-known risk factors and the current standards of health care, improvement of health and quality of life of CVD patients are still remains one of the biggest public health challenges we must overcome. Objective: The aim of this study was to analize of current strategic documents and relevant facts of WHO and other appropriate institutions regarding CVDs prevention and control for potentialy use in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Methods: Authors made a narrative review to provide a brief overview of the recent and relevant documents of good practice in prevention, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches of cardiovascular diseases that should be consider as milestones for the health authorities in the Federation of B&H. Results and Discussion: Bosnia and Herzegovina is among the countries with a high risk of CVD together with Albania, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Poland, Slovakia, and Turkey. The main public health challenge in Bosnia and Herzegovina is reducing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs): heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease. NCDs are estimated to account for 80% of the country’s annual deaths, and addressing them is the foremost public health priority in the country. Cardiovascular diseases still represent a worldwide public health problem, with some new dimensions caused by challenges caused through pandemic of COVID-19. The well-known cardiovascular risk factors require new and more efficient public health approaches to the prevention and control. Conclusion: Due to the recently developed cardiovascular guidelines that were made by the European Society of Cardiology and World Heart Federation, key priority for health authorities should be is to update the existing CVD guidelines in the Federation of BiH in accordance with the international good practice to support healthcare professionals in their efforts to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in both individual patients, as well as at a population level..

Background: Discus hernia represents an intervertebral disk prolapse. The intervertebral disk provides stability in rest state and distributes the load of the spinal column on the move. Changes that lead to the occurrence of disc prolapse are desiccation, reduction of proteoglycan content, mucoid degeneration, and fibrosing tissue uptake. Predisposing factors of lumbar pain are heavy physical tasks with lifting loads over twenty pounds, especially professional use of heavy tools. Objective: The aims of this article is the review of diagnostics and physical therapy of lumbar disc herniation at levels L4/L5 and L5/S1. Methods: Authors used descriptive method for review lumbar disc herniation including diagnostic procedures and physical therapx based on scientific literature stored in medical databses PubMed, Scopus, Hinari, etc.. Results: The most common area of the spine to experience a herniated disk is the low back, just below the waist level. Herniated disks also commonly occur in the neck.. Conclusion: Rehabilitation is a delicate problem and requires long-term treatment and multidisciplinary cooperation, and is carried out in accordance with the principles of diagnostic and physical therapy of lumbar dics herniation depending of level of demaged and level of causes of lumbar disc herniation. The majority of herniated disks do not require surgery, and respond best to physical therapy. Physical therapists design personalized treatment programs to help people with herniated disks regain normal movement, reduce pain, and get back to their regular activities.

Background: In the last two decades diagnostic criteria for acute kidney injury (AKI) were developed: Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of Kidney Function, End-Stage Kidney Disease (RIFLE), Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN), and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) classifications. Objective: The study aimed to determine the incidence of AKI based on the RIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO criteria, as well as analyze their predictive value for mortality and renal function outcome. Methods: This was a single-center prospective study of patients diagnosed with AKI. Acute kidney injury was defined and classified according to the RIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO criteria. The outcomes were renal function outcome and in-hospital mortality. Results: The incidence rates of AKI based on the RIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO criteria were 13.4%, 14-36%, and 14.64%, respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that higher stages of AKI according to the KDIGO criteria were independently associated with non-recovery of renal function (p=0.011). However, the predictive ability of RIFLE, AKIN and KDIGO classifications for renal function recovery was poor (Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics-AUROC=0.599, AUROC=0.637, AUROC=0.659, respectively). According to the RIFLE and AKIN criteria, in-hospital mortality was statistically significantly higher in stage Failure/3 (p=0.0403 and p=0.0329, respectively) compared to stages Risk/1 and Injury/2. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis showed that all three classifications had poor predictive ability for in-hospital mortality (AUROC=0.675, AUROC=0.66, AUROC=0.681). Conclusions: KDIGO classification is an independent predictor of renal function non-recovery. However, by ROC analysis, all three classifications have poor predictive ability for renal function outcome and mortality.

Background: The lumbar spinal canal consists of 5 interconnected lumbar vertebrae through which the final part of the spinal cord passes and the lumbar and sacral spinal nerves that form the cauda equina. The lumbar canal stenosis can directly affect neurological symptoms and pain in the lumbar region and lower extremities. Due to the frequency of such symptoms, lumbar stenosis has been the subject of research around the world. Objective: The objective of this study was to measure, analyze and compare the mediosagital and interpeduncular diameters of the lumbar spinal canal in the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina to other populations around the world. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study on patients (n=200) who underwent Multi-slice computer tomography (MSCT) performed on a 40-slice CT scanner (Siemens Somatom Definition AS) for lumbar pain between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2014. Age, gender, midsagittal (MSG) and interpeduncular (IP) diameters of the lumbar spine were recorded for each patient. Results: Results of our study show that the largest MSG diameter is at L1 level for both sexes, with an average length of 19,06mm, and the smallest at L3 level, with an average length of 16,66mm. Our study shows that the MSG diameter is significantly larger in females than males on all levels from L1 to L5. In both sexes, MSG diameter shows the form of an hourglass with narrowing at L3 level. IPD is largest at L5 level for both sexes, with an average length of 31,94mm, and the smallest average length at L1 level, at 24,78mm. IPD diameter is significantly larger in males than females on all levels from L1 to L5. IPD shows a tendency of growth from L1 to L5 in both sexes. Conclusion: There were significant differences in the dimensions of the lumbar spine canal between female and male patients. We found significant difference in MSG and IP diameters measurements between Bosnian and Herzegovinian population compared to other populations. The dimensions of the lumbar canal provide a baseline of normative data for the evaluation of patients presenting with lower back pain and lumbar canal stenosis in study population.

Introduction:The diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) in preterm newborns with perinatal asphyxia based on increased serum creatinine (sCr) value and oliguria/anuria is usually delayed. The Aim of this paper is to evaluate serum cystatin C as an early predictor of AKI. Materials and methods:The study included 42 preterm newborns (24-37 weeks) with perinatal asphyxia (Apgar score (AS) ≤ 3 at 5 minutes of life or blood pH on admission ≤ 7.00). The sCr and sCysC levels were measured on the 1st, 3rd, and 7th day of life. According to KDIGO criteria, the newborns were classified into groups, and sCr and sCys-C values were compared. Results:The mean gestational age was 29.9 ± 3.0 weeks. AKI was diagnosed in 62.8 % of patients. Of these patients, 81.5% belonged to AKI 1 group, and 18.5 % to AKI 2 group.No newborns had the criteria for AKI 3. On day 7 the mean sCr values were significantly higher in AKI (65.4± 21.8) compared with the non-AKI group (168.4±38.2) (p<0.001), but not on day 1 and 3 (p = 0.322, 0.012, respectively). The sCys-C values were significantly higher in the AKI group on day 3 ( AKI vs. non-AKI group, 0.69 ±0.22 vs. 1.22 ±0.20; p <0.001) and day 7 (AKI vs. non-AKI group, 0.62 ±0.41 vs. 1.68 ±0.20; p <0.001). The sCys-C was also an earlier marker of a more severe stage of AKI than sCr. Conclusion:The sCys-C was elevated earlier than sCr, making it a valuable diagnostic tool for AKI in preterm newborns.

Understanding the responses of animals to seasonal heat stress on the genomic level has led to the identification of genes implicated in thermal stress reaction mechanisms. In this study, the relative gene expression of Interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory cytokine and biomarker for heat stress-mediated immune modulation, was observed during the summer and winter seasons in continental and tropical sheep breeds, namely, Hungarian Indigenous Tsigai and White Dorper, employing quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Temperature-humidity indices (THI) were calculated to assess heat stress levels. The results indicate that IL-10 CT-values were significantly higher during the summer, when heat stress prevails, in both sheep breeds compared to winter. While the White Dorper exhibited a higher numerical value for the summer relative gene expression ratio (16.2) compared to the Hungarian Indigenous Tsigai (12.3), no significant differences in CT values were observed between breeds or among sexes. These findings suggest the immune-adaptive characteristics of the two sheep breeds during seasonal heat stress. The variation of IL-10 gene expression levels between the two breeds can be attributed to their geographical origins; the White Dorper emerging from arid subtropical South Africa and the Hungarian Indigenous Tsigai Sheep thriving in the seasonally harsh Carpathian climate for centuries.

The weighted average cost of capital is the rate that companies must pay to shareholders and creditors. Therefore, it is a risk-adjusted discount rate for the company's cash flows. The paper will calculate the weighted average cost of capital for a selected group of companies listed on the Sarajevo and Banja Luka Stock Exchanges, as well as profitability indicators such as: ROA, ROE and net profit margin. Therefore, the main goal of this paper is to investigate whether there is interdependence in the movement of the weighted average cost of capital and profitability indicators of the selected group of companies in the stock market indices SASX-30 and BIRS. The research results show that the WACC ranges from a minimum of 5.11% to a maximum of 10.87%. Likewise, the research results show that there is a negative connection and correlation between WACC on the one hand and a selected group of profitability indicators on the other hand.

The importance of minimum capital adequacy ratios in preventing banks from going bankrupt and losing depositor money is underscored by their ability to absorb a reasonable amount of losses. This work contributes to the literature on bank capital and, in particular, delivers a thorough analysis of bank capital in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia contexts. This analysis refers to the strand of literature on non-performing loans and bank capital that has been of continuous interest to researchers. It is a relevant area of research because it discusses the most important part of the banking business, especially in the context of increasing global competition and crises. In this scientific area, we inquire whether and how leverage rate, gross domestic product rate, and return on equity affect the capital adequacy ratio. In this respect, this study advances the literature of effects on bank capital that have not been analysed by other scholarly contributions, especially as it discusses the impact of leverage rate, gross domestic product rate, and return on equity in the context of the entire banking systems of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. The study is limited to a six-year period from 2016 to 2021. Empirical evidence based on the application of a model suggests that both countries resulted in different correlations between countries. Modelling was done to determine the relationship between the independent variables LR, GDP Growth, ROE, and effect on CAR. In addition, the capital adequacy ratio proves to be more and more important for banks.

The main goal of this research is to evaluate the returns and risks of the following types of assets: Bitcoin, EUR Stoxx 50, gold, bonds: government bonds ICE Bof A 1-10 Year excluding Italy and Greece and the corporate bond index ICEB of A 1-10 Year AA. The paper tested a total of ten portfolios according to different scenarios for digital and financial assets. Also, in the paper, greater measures of risk and return were calculated with the aim of forming an optimal portfolio with minimal risk. The results of this research revealed that the correlation between Bitcoin and other forms of financial assets is generally low and negative, which can be a good instrument for portfolio diversification, and positively affect portfolio performance. Also, the results of this study showed that in terms of volatility and return measure of a total of ten portfolios, the second portfolio (whose structure consists of Bitcoin, Euro Stoxx 50, gold, government bonds ICE Bof A 1-10 Year - excluding Italy and Greece and the corporate index bond ICEBof A 1-10 Year AA) is the most optimal portfolio. The findings of this research can serve in risk and loss assessments of portfolio managers, investors, and regulators.

Concrete is a material that has been used for centuries and is often modified using polymers. In the last fifty years, synthetic polymers have been used for the modification of concrete, but also for the production of concrete. In recent decades, sulfur concrete has been an interesting product that can be used mainly in low-rise construction due to its characteristics. In this work, we used the starting mixture for the preparation of sulfur concrete (sand, elemental sulfur with the addition of modified sulfur and fillers) heated to a temperature of 120 ºC to 170 ºC and homogenized. The results of previous research on the production of sulfur concrete showed that the density of the obtained product changes depending on the type as well as the amount of filler added to the basic mixture based on raw materials. Talc, microsilicon, plate alumina and fly ash were used as fillers. The amounts of fillers were 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 10%.