Background: The pathophysiology and therapy of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), are a dilemma for scientists and health professionals, and the fact that patients show different symptoms and severity of the clinical picture also contributes to that. Objective: This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic protocols (the use of immunomodulators) in the treatment of COVID-19 patients of various severity of the clinical picture by monitoring inflammatory markers (ESR and CRP), as well as the impact of the type and number of comorbidities patients had on these markers. Methods: A total of 200 patients with a mild (n=76), moderate (n=70) or severe (n=54) clinical picture was included. Inflammatory markers [ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), CRP (C-reactive protein)] were examined on three occasions: twice during hospitalization and once after hospital discharge. Immunomodulators used intrahospital were corticosteroids (methylprednisolone, dexamethasone, methylprednisolone + dexamethasone), tocilizumab or metenkefalin/tridecactide. Posthospital, patients were taking either methylprednisolone or did not use any immunomodulators. For statistical analysis, SPSS 26.0 and Microsoft Excel 2019 were used, with a level of significance of α=0.05. Nonparametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon Signed-Rank) were applied and effect size (ES) was calculated. Results: Three corticosteroid therapies used intrahospital caused a significant decrease in both inflammatory markers, especially in patients with a severe clinical picture, but the ES was the biggest with methylprednisolone + dexamethasone, then dexamethasone, and lastly methylprednisolone. Posthospital, methylprednisolone caused a significant decrease in both inflammatory markers, especially in patients with a severe clinical picture. The most common comorbidity in all patients, as well as in patients with a severe clinical picture, was hypertension. There was no statistically significant impact of the number of comorbidities patients had on ESR and CRP, but the highest number of comorbidities was in patients with a severe clinical picture. Conclusion: The use of immunomodulators, especially methylprednisolone + dexamethasone intrahospital and methylprednisolone posthospital, is justified in most COVID-19 cases as there is a significant correlation between this disease’s pathophysiology and the immune response. There is also a positive correlation between the number of comorbidities patients have and the severity of the clinical picture.

Allegations about the number of German soldiers engaged in Yugoslavia was one of the pillars of the narrative about the "People's Liberation War". This issue, however, was never given a proper historiographical treatment in the socialist period. It would have shown that the number of units in Yugoslavia depended on external factors (events on major fronts and broader strategic deliberations) at least to the same extent as on internal ones (guerrilla danger), that the occupation contingent was of highly heterogeneous nature, and that large numbers are not always synonymous for combat quality. This research, based almost entirely on unpublished primary sources, will attempt to provide a comprehensive account of the strength and quality of the German occupation contingent in the second half of the war. The original plan to hold the country with a symbolic force of 2 to 4 divisions was shattered already in the summer of the same year by the outbreak of the uprising in occupied Serbia and the NDH. From the early 1942 to mid-1943, anywhere from 4 to 7 divisions were engaged in anti-guerrilla duties, and from the summer of 1943 until the arrival of the Red Army in the late autumn of 1944, from 5 to 9 divisions (parts of the divisions that were nominally responsible for securing the coast, yet in practice constantly engaged against the Partisans, not counted). In the final phase of the war, almost the entire German contingent consisting of 11 to 15 divisions (including those stationed in Slovenia) ended up fighting the regular Yugoslav army. Apart from the divisions, dozens of independent combat battalions were involved in these operations. In the worst case, a large percentage of all these units could have been used to secure the rear areas of the main fronts, and a smaller percentage could be used directly against the Allied armies. Although, in general, these formations were of lower combat value, there is no doubt that their deployment to a secondary theater of war such as the Yugoslav one was to the detriment of the German war effort.

Although there is considerable evidence suggesting a strong association of glucose, glycated hemoglobin and fatty acid levels with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), a limited number of studies have examined the association of individual fatty acids with disease progression. Acutely elevated plasma fatty acids stimulate insulin secretion while chronically elevated plasma fatty acids alter and disrupt insulin secretion. Furthermore, free fatty acids (FFA) are known to interfere with normal glucose homeostasis and affect pancreatic β-cell dysfunction. The study included 24 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and 27 healthy controls, and analysis of the level of glucose and glycated hemoglobin was done by routine methods. The concentration of individual FFA was determined by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection. The results showed statistically significant differences in glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, palmitic, linolenic, arachidonic, arachidonic, behenic acid as well as in DHA levels in all participants. In healthy subjects, no significant correlation was found between glucose and individual free fatty acids but a negative correlation was observed between DHA and glycated hemoglobin (p<0.05). Newly diagnosed diabetics showed a negative significant association between glucose and lauric acid concentrations, and also the association of glycated hemoglobin with myristic acid levels (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). These data indicate the association of different types of free fatty acids with glucose levels and their control in the serum of healthy and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics, and therefore indicate the importance of monitoring glucose levels as well as glycated hemoglobin with concentrations of individual free fatty acids in the progression of diabetes.

Various activities in the tourism sector, especially transportation, have a negative impact on the atmospheric complex. The paper aims to re­search tourism’s impact on global carbon dioxide emissions, the generation of photochemical smog, and noise and light pollution. Various tourism in­dustry activities have been identified, as well as tourist transport factors on which the intensity of air pollution depends. To demonstrate the harmful effects, statistical indicators and other results of modern scientific research were used, including the consequences of pollution on the living world. The paper provides current knowledge in the field, highlighting the risks of mass tourism, and the global need for more rational planning of sustainable tour­ism development.

This study deals with the unfolded quantities based on the time intervals between successive neutron events from the aspect of the power law. Neutrons from spontaneous fission in special nuclear material induce fission in most cases. In this study, it was demonstrated that the inverse value of the number of induced neutrons decreases following a power function with the increasing radius of a plutonium metal sphere. In addition, it was considered an increase in the neutron background level with increasing altitudes. The inverse value of the mean neutron counting rate depending on altitudes can be described with a power function merely for higher elevations. A linear relationship was obtained by plotting the quantities on logarithmic axes against each other indicating generally a power law relationship for both investigated phenomena. The results of this study showed a connection between two seemingly unrelated neutron phenomena through power laws based on the distributions of time intervals between successive neutron counts. The empirical evidence implies that a connection between the observed quantities in a log-log plot is unchanged except for a multiplicative constant.

Uspostava SFR Jugoslavije nakon Drugog svjetskog rata označila je početak formiranja jedne nove srpske i hrvatske emigracije čiju su okosnicu predstavljali kadrovi poraženih kvislinških režima kao što su Nezavisna Država Hrvatska ili Nedićeva Srbija. Nakon vojnog poraza mnogi vojni i politički predstavnici ustaških i četničkih vlasti uspijevaju pobjeći u zapadnoevropske zemlje, Ameriku, Australiju i druge države, gdje se postepeno organiziraju i počinju nacionalno-političko djelovanje. Među tim emigrantima bili su i aktivisti za koje se nedvojbeno može tvrditi da su imali muslimanske korijene. O njihovom vlastitom nacionalnom i vjerskom izboru teško je govoriti jer u nekim konkretnim slučajevima bilježimo otklone od nacionalnih i vjerskih korijena, odnosno identitarno poistovjećivanje sa srpskom ili hrvatskom emigracijom, ovisno o ranijem političkom opredjeljenju. Časopis Bosanski pogledi, glasilo bošnjačke političke emigracije, obrađivao je različite teme koje su se pokazale izuzetno značajnim za izučavanje historije bošnjačkog naroda. U tom smislu se i polemike s pripadnicima srpske i hrvatske emigracije muslimanskih korijena na stranicama tog lista pokazuju vrijednim izvorom za razumijevanje složenosti i višeslojnosti razvojnog puta njegovog nacionalnog i religijskog identiteta.

Background: Multiple sclerosis is a a complex diesase that may be presented by different neurological symptoms causing impairment of physical, psychological and cognitive functions. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on cognitive functions in multiple sclerosis patients. Methods: This study included 60 MS patients treated at the Department of Neurology, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo. Inclusion criteria were clinically definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, 18 years of age or older and were able to give written informed consent. Cognitive function was evaluated by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCa) screening test. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for comparisons between sociodemographic characteristics and MoCa test scores. Results: 76.66% were female patients. Average age of patients was 44.5 years. 70% of patients were married. 73,33% of patients had a high school degree, 20% had a college degree while only 6,66% had primary education. 38,33% of patients were employed, 33,33% were unemployed and 28,33% retired. 88.33% of patients had cognitive impairment, 68.33% having mild cognitive impairment. Executive functions (53,66%) and delayed recall (28,33%) were rated the worst. The median value of the Naming and Language MoCa domains of cognition showed statistical significant correlation with level of education (p<0.05; p<0.01).The mean value of the Language variable was statistically significantly lower in respondents aged 35 and over compared to respondents younger than 35 years (p=0,003;p<0,01), Statistically significant correlation was found between the level of education and cognitive status (rho=0,276,p<0,05), while the other variables (gender, age, marital status and employment ) did not show a statistically significant corellation. Conclusion: High perecentage of MS patients has cognitive impairment. Executive functions are rated the worst. Education is the major factor that contribute to better cognitive functioning in MS patients independent of age or employment status. The highest correlation is found between language and naming domains of cognition. Gender did not prove to be predictive factor of cognition in multiple sclerosis patients at any domain.

Background/Aim: The aim of the research was to examine the general attitude, knoweledge and practice of pediatricians about caries in children of preschool age. Material and Methods: The research was conducted from November 2019 to the end of January 2020. The research consisted of a survey of pediatricians. The questionnaire consisted of 4 modules and 37 questions, which related to the attitude, knowledge and practice of pediatricians on the prevention of early childhood caries. Results: The majority of pediatricians (84.9%) stated that they assess the nutrition of their patients, while 32.1% of them always do oral health assessment, and half of them in the second month of the child's life; and 39.6% assess oral health only if there is a problem. The majority of pediatricians (86.8%) recommended the first dental examination, most often in the first year of the child's life (79.5%), and then every 6 months (43.5%). The majority of respondents did not required information about the dental health of their patients' mothers, fluoride toothpastes and topical application of fluoride as well (62.3-75.5%). The majority of pediatricians (79.2%) have never provided or sometimes provided educational material on caries prevention and control to the parents of their patients. The most accurate answers and the highest percentage of correct answers that the pediatricians had were about attitudes (Z=8.98, 66.63%), while the fewest correct answers and the lowest percentage of correct answers regarding the practices on the prevention of early childhood caries (Z=11.91, 58.90%). Conclusions: The research showed that pediatricians have the good attitudes and knowledge, but do not implement prevention of early childhood caries in practice. The basic deficiency of attitude, knowledge and perception of the importance of prevention is a consequence of insufficient education of pediatricians.

Background/Aim: Deep carious lesions on primary teeth usually have been causing infectious dental pulp changes. If indicated, traditional endodontic root canal treatment for these kinds of pulpal infections in primary teeth usually should involve the performing of pulpectomy methods, but often with questionable prognosis. The lesion sterilization and tissue repair (LSTR) approach is one of the good endodontic therapeutic alternatives for affected primary teeth with a poor prognosis, which could otherwise be condemned to premature extraction. Aim was to evaluate the medium-term clinical success in everyday practice of the LSTR method applied in affected primary teeth with irreversible pulpal tissue infections by observation of reduction/absence of their clinical symptoms. Material and methods: The study sample included child patients who had one or more of their affected primary molars with irreversible pulpal tissue changes of poor prognosis treated with the LSTR method. For each patient whose primary molar tooth was endodontically treated with the LSTR method a clinical evaluation of treated tooth was performed at intervals of 1 and 12 months afterwards. Results: Study sample was consisted of 40 child patients aged 4 to 9 years, with 45 primary molars included in total. It was obvious that the symptoms related to affected sample teeth have already been decreased almost immediately after initial action of triple antibiotic paste. Final outcome after 12-months follow-up period was success of applied LSTR method in 43 (95.6%) affected sample teeth in a way that initial clinical symptoms completely decreased and disappeared. Conclusions: LSTR method has been shown as successful pulpotomy technique for noninstrumental endodontic approach in non-vital pulp treatment of primary molar teeth in a 12-months follow-up period.

Background/Aim: Due to the numerous beneficial effects of pomegranate that can be explained through its antioxidative effects, the aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant potential of pomegranate peel extract (PoPEx) prepared from pomegranate that was harvested in the southeast region of Herze-govina (Bosnia and Herzegovina), through in vitro and in vivo studies. Methods: In PoPEx total phenols, flavonoids, flavonols, flavan-3-ols and antho-cyanins content was determined, as well as several antioxidative assays, including 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay (DPPH), 2,2'-azino bis(3-ethylbenzothi-azoline-6-sulphonic acid) assay (ABTS), iron (III)-2,4,6-tripyridyl-S-triazine complex assay (FRAP), reduction of copper(II) ions (CUPRAC) assay, Briggs-Rauscher oscillatory reactions, neutralisation of OH radicals and lipid peroxidation assay. In vivo studies were performed by administrating 100 mg/ kg of body weight of PoPEx to the rats by gavage for 7 days, after which the rats were euthanised and prooxidative parameters (thiobabrituric acid reactive substances-TBARS as an index of lipid peroxidation, nitrites-NO 2 , hydrogen peroxide-H 2 O 2 and superoxide anion radical O 2-) were determined in plasma, as well as antioxidative parameters (superoxide dismutase-SOD, reduced gluta-thione-GSH and catalase-CAT) in erythrocyte lysates. Results: High content of phenolic compounds was found in PoPEx, which resulted in high antioxidative potential in all in vitro tests performed. In vivo study showed that PoPEx administration caused a significant decrease in TBARS, NO 2-, as well as an increase in reduced glutathione (p < 0.05) in comparison to the control group, while H 2 O 2 and O 2 * showed a lowering trend and SOD and CAT showed an increasing trend in PoPEx group, but without statistical significance. Conclusion: PoPEx demonstrated high antioxidative capacity measured in vitro and in vivo and can be potentially used as a supplement treatment in the prevention of various inflammatory conditions.

Introduction/Objective. Unintentional injuries is a global health issue among children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of unintentional injuries divided according to different age groups and sex among the children and adolescents who have been hospitalised in public hospitals of the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods. A retrospective analysis of the e-base of the Agency for certification, accreditation and health care quality improvement of the Republic of Srpska data were collected from 10 public hospitals for patients aged ?19 years, who have been hospitalised for unintentional injuries in the period of January 2018 and December 2020. Results. The study identified 1,336 patients who were hospitalised for unintentional injuries, most of whom were boys (67.4%). Falls were the most frequent cause of hospitalisation in children of all age categories (aged 1 (70.6%), 1 to 4 (59.1%), 5 to 9 (68.5%)) and adolescents aged 10-14 (64.1%), while road traffic injuries were the leading cause of hospitalisation in adolescents aged 15 to 19 (62.6%). The cause of injury for the hospitalised patients were significantly related to age (p < 0.001) and sex (p < 0.05) groups. According to the nature of the injury in relation to the area of the body, the most frequent injuries were to the head (41.1%), caused by traffic accidents and falls. Conclusion. Since falls and road traffic injuries were the leading causes of hospitalisation, preventive measures should be taken to reduce the frequency of these injuries.