Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and an increased risk of postoperative graft failure potentially leading to graft loss. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) emerged as an alternative in high-risk patients. However, data on TAVI in KTR are limited. We performed a retrospective analysis of 40 KTR in which aortic valve replacement was performed at our center between 2005 and 2015. The outcomes and follow-up of TAVI (n = 20; 2010-2015) and SAVR (n = 20; 2005–2015) were analyzed with respect to patient and graft survival. Baseline characteristics in both groups were comparable. Hospital stay after TAVI was significantly shorter compared to SAVR (19 [11.5–21.75] days vs. 33 [21–62] days, p = 0.001). Acute graft failure occurred more frequently after SAVR (45% vs. 89.5%; p = 0.006). Thirty-day mortality was 10% in both groups. However, in-hospital mortality reached 25% in the SAVR group (TAVI 10%), indicating a more complicated course after surgery. Moreover, during a median follow-up time of 1928 days in TAVI patients and 2717 days in patients after SAVR, graft loss occurred only in the surgically treated group (n = 7). While one-year survival after TAVR was 90% compared to 69% after SAVR, long-term follow-up showed comparable results (at 5 years: TAVI 58% vs. 52% SAVR; log-rank-test: p = 0.86). In KTR, TAVI can be performed with good mid- to long-term results. Compared to SAVR, renal outcomes seem to be improved after TAVI, suggesting better graft survival.

Fifth-Generation (5G) networks have a potential to accelerate power system transition to a flexible, softwarized, data-driven, and intelligent grid. With their evolving support for Machine Learning (ML)/Artificial Intelligence (AI) functions, 5G networks are expected to enable novel data-centric Smart Grid (SG) services. In this paper, we explore how data-driven SG services could be integrated with ML/AI-enabled 5G networks in a symbiotic relationship. We focus on the State Estimation (SE) function as a key element of the energy management system and focus on two main questions. Firstly, in a tutorial fashion, we present an overview on how distributed SE can be integrated with the elements of the 5G core network and radio access network architecture. Secondly, we present and compare two powerful distributed SE methods based on: i) graphical models and belief propagation, and ii) graph neural networks. We discuss their performance and capability to support a near real-time distributed SE via 5G network, taking into account communication delays.

In this article, we touch on the preambles of constitutions, their importance, and manner of interpretation with a purposeful analysis of these issues as the main objective of this paper. We look at constitutional law in its entirety, as well as preambular issues, to evaluate the segments of the legal act that represent its non-normative part. To significantly contribute to the understanding of the very goal of the constitution and similar acts is the most important issue of this topic. By analysing different methods of interpreting the constitution and its preamble, we provide a comprehensive account of errors in interpreting the constitution that penetrate every segment of our lives.

Cuba has been a significant player in international and regional politics for a long while, particularly compared to its size. However, reliable data on the standard of living of its society is scarce. The literature review reflects how the Cuban state manipulated certain data forwarded to international organisations. Our objective was to implement field research and gain pri mary data on Cubans’ quality of life and income structure that could help to identify the extent of income inequality among the different demographic clusters in the country. We used individual questionnaires, as well as de -scriptive, frequency and inferential statistics. The results show varying in come inequalities among the different demographic clusters and a “perverse effect” in income distribution, leading to the formation of a “parasite” stra tum in Cuban society.

Purpose. Athletic sprint runs are cyclical movements of maximum intensity. Speed, reaction time, agility and explosiveness are of special importance in sprinters. The main goal of the research is to determine the influence of Body height (BH) and Body weight (BW) with the best achieved results of  in sprint disciplines (60m,100m,200m). Material and methods. In study included 40 competitors, top male sprinters (BH=180,45±6,88cm; BW=78,83±7,69kg). Their achieved best results in sprint disciplines were analyzed (60m, 100m, 200m). Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between body height and body weight and the results of sprint disciplines. Also a univariate model of regression analysis was applied and the relevant coefficients were calculated. The level of acceptance of statistical significance was set to p<0.05. Results. The simple regression analysis did not show a statistically significant influence of body height and body weight on the result of sprint running. Low correlations (BH vs. 100m = -0.306), (BW vs. 100m = -0.226) and (BH vs. 200m = -0.221) and insignificant correlations with an inverse relationship between results and anthropometric measures are mainly evident. Conclusion. Body height and body weight did not have a statistically significant effect on the results of the 60m sprint, while their influence is evident in the 100m, and especially in the 200m (but without statistical significance). This influence on the result of running 100 and 200m is a consequence of the exceptional motor-functional abilities of the sprinter to show greater force in the last phase of the rebound. Otherwise in the sprint, the rear rebound phase is much more important than the front rebound phase. A long step with the body weight (muscle) of the sprinter produces a higher rebound force, which with a big frequency of steps and good tecnique guarantees a good result.

The motivation behind this research was to analyse the consequences of aircraft operations’ delays on cumulative noise levels produced upon the neighbouring communities and to estimate the relative change in the number of people annoyed by aircraft noise. Many studies showed that residents’ reactions to abrupt changes in noise exposure were more intense compared to the anticipated ones. Aircraft delays may cause such abrupt changes in noise exposure by increasing the traffic in some periods compared to the scheduled traffic. The methodology applied includes noise contour development for two different scenarios for intervals where aircraft delays occur. Only delays connected with the Total Airport Management (TAM) were analysed, since such delays can be influenced by airports. The first scenario considered the influence of aircraft operations on population noise exposure without TAM delays, whereas the second one included all delayed flights (actual traffic). The proposed method was tested through case studies of three southeast European airports. The results showed that the highest potential of decrease in the number of people annoyed by the noise was recorded at Niš Airport (59%), followed by Zadar Airport (49%) and Sarajevo Airport (25%). Similar results were obtained in the context of highly annoyed people.

Background and Objectives: Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are among the most prescribed psychotropic drugs and significant number of patients use these drugs for longer periods than recommended. The objective of this study was to determine the factors associated with prescribing of BZDs at the primary healthcare level. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of family physicians’ prescriptions from the databases of family medicine teams of the Republic of Srpska was performed. The number of BZDs users, as well as the total number of prescriptions, were determined. Thereafter, it was determined which specific BZD had been prescribed, in which dose, for how long, as well as the specific social and demographic characteristics of patients to whom the drugs were prescribed. Results: The results showed that 38.47% of patients used the BZDs for a period longer than six months. The most frequent BZDs prescribed were the intermediate-acting BZDs, primarily bromazepam (58.69%). Two thirds of patients were women. The average age of the patients was 60, 60.46% of patients were single, and 69.68% lived in urban areas. The longer uses of BZDs were recorded in women, the elderly, single people and those who lived in urban areas, while higher doses of BZDs were prescribed to men, as well as younger and married people. The highest positive correlation was found between the dose and length of use of BZD. Conclusions: A significant percentage of patients used BZDs for a time period longer than recommended. Caution is necessary when prescribing BZDs to women, the elderly, patients that live in urban areas and patients who are single. When prescribing BZDs, family physicians should be aware of their potential interactions and addictive potentials.

Introduction: Healthcare reengineering is a powerful methodology of change that helps organizations rearrange priorities, provide cost-effective treatment, and increase the quality of patient care.Aim: To determine the attitudes and opinions of healthcare professionals according to the needs for reorganization processes, evaluation of the profession and responsibilities for performing more complex jobs and tasks. Material and methods: The study is theoretical and empirical. An exploratory method and a descriptive analytical method for research using a questionnaire instrument were used to collect secondary data. The study was conducted among 108 healthcare professionals who completed one of the studies at the Faculties of Health Studies in Bosnia and Herzegovina and who are employed in the Public Healthcare Centers of Sarajevo Canton and among 6 managers of regional Healthcare Centers in Sarajevo Canton. Two original author questionnaires created on the basis of practical experience were used as a study instrument. The study was conducted in the period from September 1st to November 30th, 2019.Results: Out of the total number, 87% of respondents believe that they are fully ready to take on new, more demanding tasks within their work, and 67% of them believe that they have enough education to perform more responsible jobs. In most cases, the heads of institutions expressed a positive attitude towards taking on greater obligations and responsibilities in the work process. Only 50% of the heads of institutions state that they have a strategic plan for reorganization and optimization of staff with a degree in healthcare.Conclusion: Healthcare professionals who have completed their studies at Faculties of Health Studies can competently perform more complex and responsible jobs and tasks in health centers with additional training, which is confirmed by their managers. It is necessary to adopt a Strategic Plan for the development, reorganization and optimization of health personnel at the level of primary healthcare, which would significantly improve the quality of work.

The quality of road infrastructure largely depends on the quality of road construction and adequate construction machinery. In order to reduce uncertainties and improve the performance of road infrastructure, it is necessary to apply modern and appropriate construction machinery. The aim of this study was to create a novel integrated multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model for the selection of pavers for the middle category of roads. A total of 16 criteria were defined and then divided into four main groups, on the basis of which the performance of 12 pavers was evaluated. Improved Fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (IMF SWARA) with D numbers (IMF D-SWARA) was extended to determine the significance of the criteria for the selection of construction machinery based on two groups of experts. Rough measurement of choices and their ranking as a compromise solution (R-MARCOS) was used to evaluate and rank the performance of construction machinery. The results show that three alternatives out of the set considered can satisfy defined requirements. After that, we performed a multi-phase validity test in which different values of criterion weights were simulated. A comparative analysis with seven other Rough MCDM methods was also created, and the Spearman’s correlation coefficient (SCC) and WS coefficient were calculated to determine the correlation of ranks for sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis. Thus, the obtained results were verified.

Abstract Drawing on ethnographic interview analysis of Aboriginal participants in Australia, this study seeks to expand the critical discussions in Applied Linguistics by understanding the concept of translanguaging in relation to its “mundanity” (or ordinariness). Our data shows that rather than perceiving translanguaging as extraordinary, for Aboriginal speakers it is more likely to be considered normal, unremarkable, mundane, and as a long-existing phenomenon. The concept of the mundanity of translanguaging is thereby expanded through three main discussions in this article: 1) negotiating identity and resisting racism, where the Aboriginal speakers choose to translanguage using their full linguistic repertoires, but with appropriate communicative adjustments made for their interlocutor; 2) a display of respect towards their land, heritage and language; and 3) as an inherent and mundane everyday practice where they constantly negotiate between heritage languages, English, Kriol, and Aboriginal English varieties. The significance of this study lies in the normalisation of translanguaging as a mundane disinvention strategy, as this urges us to perceive linguistic separateness as a colonial ideological construct that is used to exhibit control over diverse peoples and to maintain uniformity and stability of nation-states.

Background The uneven lipid-lowering statin effects and statin intolerance raise interest regarding the involvement of coadministration of statins and dietary supplements. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of octacosanol supplementation on markers of redox status in cardiovascular patients on chronic atorvastatin therapy. Methods A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-centre study was conducted. Redox status homeostasis parameters [i.e., advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), total protein sulfhydryl (SHgroups), and paraoxonase 1 (PO N 1) activity] were assessed in 81 patients. According to favorable changes in lipid profile, patients were classified into two groups: responders (n = 35) and non-responders (n = 46), and followed for 13 weeks. A principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to explore the effect of octacosanol supplementation and the relationship between investigated parameters as predictors of responders' and non-responders' status. Results Significant decrease in Oxy-score value was found at the endpoint compared to baseline in responders' group (21.0 (13.4-25.5) versus 15.1 (12.4-18.0); P < 0.01). PCA analysis extracted 4 significant factors in the both groups, whereas extracted factors containing "octacosanol status" variable explained 14.7% and 11.5% of the variance in responders' and non-responders' subgroups, respectively. Conclusions Octacosanol supplementation leads to an improvement of lipid profile and markers of redox status in responders' group. New studies are needed to validate our results in order to find the best approach for personalized supplementation as a useful adjunct to standard statin therapy.

this H, Bayati S, Hellström C et al. Persisting Salivary IgG Against SARS-CoV-2 at 9 Months After Mild COVID-19: A Complementary Approach to Population Surveys.

Nondipole effects in processes assisted by a THz field having the strength of a few MV/cm can be significant due to its long wavelength. We illustrate this for strong-laser-field-induced ionization assisted by a THz field. To this end, we generalize our strong-field-approximation theory so that it includes the first-order term in a 1/c expansion of the vector potential. We show that in this case, in addition to a shift of the maximum of the photoelectron momentum distribution, the differential ionization probability as well as the cutoff energy can be significantly increased. For an explanation of these unexpected results we use the saddle-point method adjusted to include nondipole effects.

This paper presents a simulation study of a first order plus dead time system (FOPDT) controlled with proportional integral derivative (PID) controller tuned by optimizing several objective functions and treating several different scenarios. Objective functions used are Integral of Absolute Magnitude of Error (IAE), Integral of Time multiplied by the Absolute Error (ITAE), Integral of the Square Error (ISE), Integral of Time multiplied by the Square Error (ITSE) and Mean of the Integral Square Error (MISE). Scenarios include unit step response and total energy effort analysis: with and without disturbance present, unit step response in case of model to true system mismatch in time constants. Time constants being dominant time constant of the process and dead time constant. optimization algorithm used is particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm.

Multi-agent modeling is suitable to simulate complex interaction dynamics of microscopic urban road traffic. Valuable motion predictions can systematically be generated and exchanged among the participants (agents) to study and quantity benefits of advanced V2X-communication, for example. However, such predictions are inherently uncertain which needs to be considered for traffic safety. This work proposes a stochastic motion prediction and evaluation approach suitable for multi-agent-based simulation and control. Dynamic occupancy probability grid maps are constructed, and their interpretation clearly shows the uncertainty generated by unknown road user intentions or traffic interactions. By formulating joint occupancy probability maps, a quantification of near-accident risk becomes possible which seems to be a promising tool to examine safety aspects in “non-critical” traffic situations. The studies are based on published naturalistic driving measurement data, and both data-based as well as model-based predictions are discussed.