Solar Particle Events (SPEs) generate cosmic radiation of different magnitude in a time span of several hours or even days. This contributes to an increased probability of higher magnitude Single-Event Upsets (SEUs) occurrence in space applications. It is critical to establish early detection of SEU rate or Soft Error Rate (SRE) changes to enable timely radiation hardening measures. This research paper focuses on the high-accuracy detection of SPEs using the manually collected space data. Additionally, the prediction of SRE increase or decrease was established with the seven widely used supervised machine learning algorithms. Excellent performance of 97.82%, including a high F1-score, was achieved during the presence of SPE using $k$-Nearest Neighbor algorithms.

In the last several years, wireless Battery Management Systems (BMS) have slowly become a topic of interest from both academia and industry. It came from a necessity derived from the increased production and use in different systems, including electric vehicles. Wireless communication allows for a more flexible and cost-efficient sensor installation in battery packs. However, many wireless technologies, such as those that use the 2.4 GHz frequency band, suffer from interference limitations that need to be addressed. In this paper, we present an alternative approach to communication in BMS that relies on the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology for battery sensor readouts. Due to a vital concern over the counterfeited battery pack products, security measures are also considered. To this end, we propose the use of an effective and easy to integrate authentication schema that is supported by dedicated NFC devices. To test the usability of our design, a demonstrator using the targeted devices was implemented and evaluated.

Introduction: Oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation are pointed as possible factors in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to assess the serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and non-enzymatic antioxidants concentration (albumin, bilirubin, uric acid, and ferritin) and their relation with the stage and histopathologic size (pT) of CRC. Methods: One hundred and twenty patients with clinically and histopathologically confirmed CRC and the need for surgical treatment were included in a cross-sectional study. All patients were divided into groups according to the disease stage and depth of tumor invasion. The control group included 30 subjects with no signs of malignant and inflammatory bowel disease. The patients and controls did not receive vitamin supplementation. Peripheral venous blood was sampled before the surgical treatment of CRC patients and on the day of the examination of control subjects for determination of serum MDA and the concentration of the non-enzymatic antioxidants. Results: The serum levels of MDA were progressively increased in CRC patients with the highest level in the fourth stage of disease and pT4 group. Ferritin levels increased significantly with the CRC stage and decreased with the depth of bowel wall invasion. Serum albumin concentration significantly decreased with increasing stage and increasing depth of tumor invasion of the intestinal wall, while serum bilirubin level showed no change compared to the control group. Serum uric acid concentration was significantly higher in CRC patients, but no difference was observed with CRC progression. It was confirmed that serum albumin significantly negatively correlated with the CRC stage (rho = −0.649, p < 0.001), while serum MDA significantly positively correlated with the CRC stage (rho = 0.750, p < 0.001). Conclusion: These results indicate that serum MDA concentrations are related to the progression of CRC, to which the imbalance in non-enzymatic antioxidants also contributes.

There are no biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of patients with laryngeal carcinoma. Methylation changes of ASC/TMS1 and MyD88 genes, in healthy and cancer tissue, might be related with development and progression of cancer. The study explored is there a difference in gene’s methylation in healthy and tumor tissue and does it correlate with protein expression. The total of 36 patients were enrolled in the study. Methylation of bisulphite converted DNA was quantified by pyrosequencing in fresh frozen cancer and adjacent non-malignant tissues. The overall methylation of MyD88 gene is significantly higher in healthy tissue and this finding correlates with protein expression and the overall methylation of ASC/TMS1 gene is unchanged but the protein expression of ASC/TMS1 is significantly higher in cancer. The methylation status of the ASC/TMS1 and MyD88 genes are promising prognostic biomarker candidates and may lead to earlier detection of laryngeal cancer.

Usklađivanje privatnog života koji uključuje prije svega majčinstvo, brigu o djeci, kući i brojne druge obveze, i profesionalnog života koji obuhvaća obrazovanje, zapošljavanje, usavršavanje i posvećenost poslu, predstavlja iznimno složen problem s kojim se susreću žene na području rada i radnih odnosa. U današnje vrijeme žene su postale dvostruko ili višestruko opterećene. Pred njih se stavlja svojevrstan izbor između privatnog i profesionalnog života te ih se izlaže životnim izborima i izazovima koji nisu svojstveni muškarcima. Stoga žene radnice sve češće koriste minimum rodiljnog dopusta, a brigu o djeci, obitelji i domu prepuštaju drugim osobama ili ustanovama samo kako bi zadržale posao i omogućile profesionalno usavršavanje i napredovanje. Zbog konstantne izloženosti pritiscima i očekivanjima kako na planu privatnog, tako i na planu profesionalnog života istovremeno, kod žena radnica mogu se razviti određeni poremećaji i stanja koja u značajnoj mjeri mogu utjecati na njihovo mentalno zdravlje. Važeći propisi u Bosni i Hercegovini pružaju minimum prava, ali nedovoljno za uspostavljanje adekvatnog balansa između privatnog i profesionalnog života žena radnica.

Background. Immunocompromised individuals are highly susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Whether vaccine-induced immunity in these individuals involves the oral cavity, a primary site of infection, is presently unknown. Methods. Immunocompromised individuals (n=404) and healthy controls (n=82) participated in a prospective clinical trial encompassing two doses of the mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine. Immunocompromised individuals included primary immunodeficiencies (PID) and secondary immunodeficiencies caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)/chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy (CAR-T), solid organ transplantation (SOT), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Saliva and serum samples were collected at four time points from the first vaccine dose until 2 weeks after second dose. SARS-CoV-2 spike specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses were quantified by a multiplex bead-based assay in saliva and correlated to paired serum IgG titers determined by Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 S assay. Results. IgG responses to the SARS-CoV-2 spike full-length trimeric glycoprotein (Spike-f) and S1 subunit in saliva in the HIV and HSCT/CAR-T groups were comparable to healthy controls. In contrast, PID, SOT, and CLL patients all displayed weaker responses which were mainly influenced by disease parameters or immunosuppressants. Salivary IgG levels strongly correlated with serum IgG titers on days 21 and 35 (rho=0.8079 and 0.7768, p=<0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for the predictive power of salivary IgG yielded AUC=0.95, PPV=90.7% for the entire cohort on D35. Conclusions. Saliva conveys humoral responses induced by BNT162b2 vaccination. The predictive power makes it highly suitable for screening low responding/vulnerable groups for revaccination.

Phytoremediation has proven to be a suitable method for removing heavy metals from the soil with the help of plants. To examine the phytoremediation potential, the experimental study monitored the influence of high and low concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Zn) on Helianthus annuus L., as well as their accumulation in seeds, roots, stems and leaves. The experiment was carried out during one growing season in outdoor conditions, in pots with a volume of 5L in which Helianthus annuus L. was planted, and the soil was contaminated with these heavy metals in concentrations below and above the maximum allowable concentration prescribed by the Rulebook on Determining Permissible Quantities of Harmful and Dangerous Substances in Soil and Methods of Their Testing. After growth and development of the plant, the experimental research examined the accumulation potential of the plant, the growth of the plant itself and its ability to survive depending on different concentrations of heavy metals. By processing the obtained results, statistically significant differences of heavy metals were determined in individual parts of the plants, depending on the applied concentration. The highest concentration of Zn was recorded in the leaves of the plant in the amount of 18.21 mg/kg, and the lowest concentration in the stem, 3.92 mg/kg. The measured values of heavy metals Cd and Pb differ from the above because the lowest concentrations of these heavy metals were recorded in the seed, and were 12.02 mg/kg for Pb and 9.20 mg/kg for Cd, which is a statistically significantly lower determined value relative to other parts of the plant.

Introduction: The way of life in modern society goes along with new technological discoveries and achievements. This lifestyle leaves its positive and negative consequences on children. Such changes are especially reflected on health already in earliest stages of life. The studies show that most children have been using computers even since kindergarten and that children’s computer use is longer than recommended. It is more effective and cheaper to prevent musculoskeletal disorders than to cure them. Goal: To examine all risk factors concerning the development of musculoskeletal disorders connected with a long use of information and communication technologies by reviewing scientific literature. Material and methods: Non-experimental qualitative research into the risk factors of the development of musculoskeletal disorders connected with a long use of information and communication technologies based on relevant databases. Results and discussion: Based on a discussion of the attitudes and opinions of other authors, risk factors are divided in three basic groups: ergonomic, individual, and psychosocial risk factors. As it is shown in the discussion of this paper, a disbalance of the desk for a desktop computer, the non-ergonomic design of the furniture, the type and time of the ICT usage device, the sedentary way of using the ICT devices at school and at home are just some of the numerous risk factors to children’s health. Conclusion: By examining the risk factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders in children connected with an extended use of information and communication technologies, the presented evidence in the discussion section based on other authors’ attitudes and opinions, leads us to the conclusion that numerous risk factors that affect children’s health are due to a larger and more frequent use of computers, console games, tablets and mobile phones.

Introduction Current evaluation of patients suspected of a non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) involves the use of algorithms that incorporate clinical information, electrocardiogram (ECG) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponins (hs-troponins). While primarily designed to rule out NSTE-ACS safely, these algorithms can also be used for rule in of NSTE-ACS in some patients. Still, in a substantial number of patients, these algorithms do not provide a conclusive work-up. These patients often present with an atypical clinical profile and low-range positive hs-troponin values without a characteristic rise or fall pattern. They represent a heterogeneous group of patients with various underlying conditions; only a fraction (30%–40%) will eventually be diagnosed with a myocardial infarction. Uncertainty exists about the optimal diagnostic strategy and their management depends on the clinical perspective of the treating physician ranging from direct discharge to admission for invasive coronary angiography. Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is a non-invasive test that has been shown to be safe, fast and reliable in the evaluation of coronary artery disease. In this study, we will determine the usefulness of CCTA in patients with acute chest pain and low-range positive hs-troponin values. Methods and analysis A prospective, double-blind, observational, multicentre study conducted in the Netherlands. Patients aged 30–80 years presenting to the emergency department with acute chest pain and a suspicion of NSTE-ACS, a normal or non-diagnostic ECG and low-range positive hs-troponins will be scheduled to undergo CCTA. The primary outcome is the diagnostic accuracy of CCTA for the diagnosis of NSTE-ACS at discharge, in terms of sensitivity and negative predictive value. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands (registration number MEC-2017-506). Written informed consent to participate will be obtained from all participants. This study’s findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03129659).