Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are widely used to facilitate magnetic particle imaging (MPI) which has the potential to become the leading diagnostic instrument for biomedical imaging. This comparative study assesses the effects of changing iron content and excitation frequency on point-spread function (PSF) representing the effect of magnetization reversal. PSF is quantified by features of interest for MPI: i.e. gradient amplitude and full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM). A superparamagnetic quantifier (SPaQ) is used to assess differential magnetic susceptibility of two commercially available MNPs: Synomag ® -D50 and Synomag ® -D70. For both MNPs, the signal output depends on increase in drive field frequency and amount of iron oxide, which might be hampering the sensitivity of MPI systems that perform on higher frequencies. Nevertheless, there is a clear potential of Synomag ® -D for a stable MPI resolution, especially in case of 70 nm version, that is independent of either drive field frequency or amount of iron oxide.

Cement dust is created as a by-product during the production of cement, and in its composition it contains high concentrations of calcium oxide (CaO), potassium oxide (K2O) and other important micro and macro elements. Due to its composition, it is suitable for correcting the pH of the soil, as well as for the uptake of essential elements by plants. The ability to accumulate essential and non-essential heavy metals also depends on the cultivated plant species, and vegetables show the greatest affinity for these elements. The application of cement dust as a soil additive used to improve the physico-chemical soil properties is examined in the paper. After the addition, the soil was mechanically cultivated and planting of the vegetable crop tomato was carried out. The content of essential elements and heavy metals was determined in the soil, cement dust, and tomato fruits grown on soil with and without the addition of cement dust. Due to the high pH value, high conductivity as well as the high content of CaO, it is very important to examine in real conditions how the addition of cement dust to the soil affects the formation of micro and macro elements as well as the content of heavy metals when growing tomatoes. The results showed that the cement kiln dust is an effective addition to the soil because it is a source of calcium, potassium and other essential elements without affecting the loss of quality or contamination with heavy metals during production.

Background: The VEPs provide an objective measure of brain function, analyzing integrity of visual processing. With patients affected with schizophrenia, the changes with the implementation of VEP are evident, such as symmetrical deceleration of the impulse (reduction of the amplitude) and the continuance of latency, which points to a degenerative illness, suggesting the presence of optical neuritis or hemianopsia conjoined with mentioned intracranial illness. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the correlation of l P100 latency and P100 amplitude (µV) between patients with schizophrenia and patients with migraine headache. Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were applied. Methods: The sample included 80 subjects: a) S group- 40 patients with schizophrenia (21 males; 19 females), b) H group-40 healthy subjects with migraine headache (10 males; 30 females). The study was conducted at the Department of Psychiatry, Neurology and Radiology, University Clinical Center Sarajevo. Results: Our research revealed positive correlations were registered in P100 latency in left view field of both eyes and in P100 amplitude in the region of right eye (p=0.01) in comparison with left eye region (p=0.05) in patients with schizophrenia. Conclusion: Results imply that the cognitive impairment seen in schizophrenia is not just due to deficits in higher order aspects of cognition but also encompasses significant deficits in early sensory processing. Our study is useful to initiate new questions and recommendations for further studies, specifically on changes in the occipital lobe in the schizophrenic patient’s brain. Changes in the volume in the occipital lobe are quite evident and further studies are required to better understand how the progressive brain changes affect the structural, functional, and metabolic activities of the occipital lobe in schizophrenia.

Background: The pandemic of the new corona virus has taken its toll on the mental health of entire humankind with special impact on vulnerable groups, such as drug users in substitution treatment. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the population of opiate addicts who are on substitution therapy. Methods: The research was conducted in the Institute of Addiction Diseases of the ZE-DO canton on the population of patients addicted to opiates who are included in the substitution therapy program. The sample of 80 patients was randomly selected with respect to the inclusion criteria. An 8-parameter questionnaire with symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorder, ranked by intensity on the Likert scale from 0 to 4, was used as a measuring instrument. The change in these symptoms in the one-year period before the pandemic to the one-year period of the pandemic are compared. The results are analyzed in descriptive statistics using the SPSS program. The statistical significance was monitored by the χ2 test. Results: The results of this research show an apperent statistically significant increase in the symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorder, as well as an increase in drug abuse during the pandemic period compared to the period before it. Conclusion: Results imply the existence of a significant adverse effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of treated opiate addicts. This research impose the need to affirm the prevention of further abuse of illegal substances, as well as the introduction of new customized programs through various psychosocial interventions and therapies carried out by psychiatrists and psychologists. Telemedicine presents itself as useful way of intervention and treatment.

The main goal of paper is to rank the criteria that are important for the selection of the most favourable supplier of the agricultural company by applying a multicriteria decision-making model. Subject of the paper is the procurement of mineral fertilizer for sowing certain field crops. As a method of work, the author uses DEMATEL (The Decision making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) method of multicriteria decision making. In order to bring the research as close as possible to human thinking, the fuzzy logic of multicriteria decision-making was applied in the paper. Method is an expert assessment and ranking by experts in the field. In addition to the group of economic and technical criteria, the paper also uses criteria related to sustainable development such as environmental management system, green product, pollution and waste control, recycling and eco-product design. Results of the research show that the criteria that are from the economic group are still assessed as the most important for the decision maker. Importance of the research would be in pointing out the increase in the importance of criteria, especially those from the sustainability group according to their importance in the coming period, and the possibility of applying modern decision-making methods.

The paper lists the major projects of international financial organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) after signing the Dayton Peace Agreement to explore the role of international financial organizations in post-Dayton BiH. It discusses the specific contribution and the role of these organizations in functioning of BiH, including financial assistance, credit means, various funds and projects, which have been supposed to lead to the stable functioning of BiH after the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The paper explains the role and attentiveness of the Monetary Board in BiH with a focus on its impact on implementation of the international projects. The research question is: “From which sources did the largest funds in BiH come in the period from 1996 to 2020 and how were they related to GDP?”. The paper is based on publicly available data from international financial institutions and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH. The results show that about 71.45 billion dollars entered BiH from international financial institutions through donations, grants, loans, and other various types of assistance. But the funded projects did not have the same priorities every year and in every area. In addition, international funds were used to finance numerous projects aimed at economic recovery and economic development. In the last few years, there

With the advent of novel 2D materials and their rich optical and electronic properties, nonlinear interactions in these systems are receiving great attention due to the scalability potential and production of nanoscale nonlinear devices for applications in frequency conversion devices, advanced laser systems and quantum technologies research and applications.

Background: HIV-positive patients may present lung infections differently, which may hinder differential diagnoses and the choice of treatment in the course of COVID-19, especially in countries with limited access to high standard healthcare. Here we aim to investigate the association between radiological changes and poor COVID-19 outcomes among HIV-positive patients from Central and Eastern Europe. Methods: Since November 2020, the Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe Network Group started collecting observational data on HIV and COVID-19 co-infections. In total, 16 countries from Central and Eastern European submitted data (eCRF) on 557 HIV-positive patients. The current analyses included patients who had a radiological examination performed. Logistic regression models were used to identify the factors associated with death, ICU admission, and partial recovery (poor COVID-19 outcomes). Factors that were significant in the univariate models (p<0.1) were included in multivariate model. Results: Radiological data were available for 224 (40.2%) patients, 108 (48.2%) had computed tomography, and 116 (51.8%) had a chest X-ray. Of these, 211 (94.2%) were diagnosed using RT-PCR tests, 212 (94.6%) were symptomatic, 123 (55.6%) were hospitalized, 37 (16.6%) required oxygen therapy, and 28 (13.1%) either died, were admitted to ICU, or only partially recovered. From the radiologist’s description, 138 (61.6%) patients had typical radiological changes, 18 (8.0%) atypical changes, and 68 (30.4%) no changes. In the univariate models, CD4 count (OR=0.86 [95% CI: 0.76–0.98]), having a comorbidity (2.33 [1.43–3.80]), HCV and/or HBV co-infection (3.17 [1.32–7.60]), being currently employed (0.31 [0.13–0.70]), being on antiretroviral therapy (0.22 [0.08–0.63]), and having typical (3.90 [1.12–13.65]) or atypical (10.8 [2.23–52.5]) radiological changes were all significantly associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes. In the multivariate model, being on antiretroviral therapy (OR=0.20 [95% CI:0.05–0.80]) decreased the odds of poor COVID-19 outcomes;while having a comorbidity (2.12 [1.20–3.72]), or either typical (4.23 [1.05–17.0]) or atypical (6.39 [1.03–39.7]) radiological changes (vs no changes) increased the odds of poor COVID-19 outcomes. Conclusions: Among HIV patients diagnosed with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, the presence of either typical or atypical radiological COVID-19 changes independently predicted poorer outcomes.