Aim To determine the relationship between seasonal changes in ambient temperature, humidity and general and specific mortality rates in the area of Zenica-Doboj Canton. Methods Changes in the average monthly mortality in the period from 2008 to 2019 were analysed (linear regression) in relation to the average temperatures and humidity in those months in the same time period in Zenica-Doboj Canton. Results Overall mortality increased from 7.9 ‰ in 2008 to 10.2 ‰ in 2019. Overall and specific mortality rates for cardiovascular, malignant, respiratory and metabolic diseases followed seasonal change of ambient temperature and humidity. The monitoring trend showed strong determination degree for overall mortality and mortality for cardiovascular, malignant and respiratory diseases, while for metabolic diseases it was somewhat lower. The highest mortality rates were found in January (cold month), and in August (warm month); the lowest one was in May, September and October. There was a strong significant negative correlation between temperature and mortality rates, while the correlation between humidity and mortality rates was not significant. Conclusion As we have proven that mortality rates followed seasonal changes in ambient temperature and determined months with the least mortality rate, the community must take measures to ensure microclimatic conditions for the survival of patients with cardiovascular, malignant, respiratory and metabolic diseases.

Abstract Introduction: Frailty is a state of increased vulnerability to physical stressors. It is common in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who are on hemodialysis (HD). The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of frailty phenotype among HD patients and to evaluate their interrelationship with different biochemical markers. Methods: For the frailty assessment the Frailty Phenotype by Fried et al. was used, where frailty was reported if three of the following criteria were met: unintentional weight loss, self-reported exhaustion, weakness, slow walking speed and low physical activity. From 281 HD patients, 126 patients were frail, 58 were pre-frail (two criteria were met) and the rest of the study population were robust (97 patients). BMI was calculated for all patients and venous blood samples were taken to determine laboratory parameters for bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), phosphate (P), potassium (K), C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin. Results: Patients who were on HD longer than 60 months have more characters of frailty. (p=0.019). A statistically significant positive correlations between frailty score and BAP (rho = 0.189; p = 0.001), and CRP (rho = 0.233; p < 0.001) were observed, and significant negative correlations between frailty score and albumin (rho = - 0.218; p < 0.001) and K (rho = - 0.198; p = 0.001). Conclusions: The associations of frailty with markers of mineral bone disorder, inflammation and nutrition indicate the importance of these parameters in the indirect assessment of the frailty phenotype in HD patients.

The unique NIR luminescence of the ancient pigments Egyptian Blue, Han Blue and Han Purple [1] has recently attracted significant interest because its existence allows fast identification these pigments even when present in minimal amounts and using non-destructive tools [2]. A more comprehensive study of this feature associated also to micro-imaging and compositional evaluations can be used as a mean to improve archaeometric studies about production technologies [3], giving also useful data to hint the provenance of the pigments and their trade routes. The three pigments, and especially Egyptian Blue (EB) were widely used in a large span of years and places. Indeed, EB was invented during the 4th millennium BCE [4] and until Middle Ages has been by far the most used blue pigment in all the Mediterranean Basin and the Near East. It was first produced probably in Egypt from where it has been heavily traded to many Mediterranean countries. However the technology of production evolved in time and spread in different places such as Mesopotamia and Italy [5]. EB invention is related to the development of close related materials such as pottery, bronze and especially glass and Egyptian faience. A large part of Egyptian faience is light blue (LBEF) and its color is to copper LBEF glaze and other glassy materials are intimately linked EB that they can show almost the same color and share a very similar elemental composition. The differences between EB and the outer layer of LBEF may relay mainly on the production technology used. However, from a chemical stand point the main difference is that EB has a structure made of CaCuSi4O10 (cuprorivaite) crystals embedded in an amorphous matrix rich in Na or K, while LBEF glaze and Cu-rich glasses are a glassy phase made of Si, Ca and O, rich in Na and/or K from the

The COST action “Standardising output-based surveillance to control non-regulated diseases of cattle in the European Union (SOUND control),” aims to harmonise the results of surveillance and control programmes (CPs) for non-EU regulated cattle diseases to facilitate safe trade and improve overall control of cattle infectious diseases. In this paper we aimed to provide an overview on the diversity of control for these diseases in Europe. A non-EU regulated cattle disease was defined as an infectious disease of cattle with no or limited control at EU level, which is not included in the European Union Animal health law Categories A or B under Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2002. A CP was defined as surveillance and/or intervention strategies designed to lower the incidence, prevalence, mortality or prove freedom from a specific disease in a region or country. Passive surveillance, and active surveillance of breeding bulls under Council Directive 88/407/EEC were not considered as CPs. A questionnaire was designed to obtain country-specific information about CPs for each disease. Animal health experts from 33 European countries completed the questionnaire. Overall, there are 23 diseases for which a CP exists in one or more of the countries studied. The diseases for which CPs exist in the highest number of countries are enzootic bovine leukosis, bluetongue, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis, bovine viral diarrhoea and anthrax (CPs reported by between 16 and 31 countries). Every participating country has on average, 6 CPs (min–max: 1–13) in place. Most programmes are implemented at a national level (86%) and are applied to both dairy and non-dairy cattle (75%). Approximately one-third of the CPs are voluntary, and the funding structure is divided between government and private resources. Countries that have eradicated diseases like enzootic bovine leukosis, bluetongue, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis and bovine viral diarrhoea have implemented CPs for other diseases to further improve the health status of cattle in their country. The control of non-EU regulated cattle diseases is very heterogenous in Europe. Therefore, the standardising of the outputs of these programmes to enable comparison represents a challenge.

This conceptual paper aims to expand the notion of “farming newcomers” in Europe by also including those that we label “involuntary newcomers”, who correspond to the workforce coming unwillingly to farming for reasons associated with spatial (im)mobilities. We fully develop our aim in four steps. Firstly, we present an integrative literature review which describes how the interplay between the key concepts of the sustainable farming framework (i.e., sustained development, networked rural development, and spatial (im)mobilities) tailor the newcomers’ arrival to the farming sector. Secondly, we define involuntary newcomers, describe their profiles and list the barriers to their engagement with sustainable farming. Thirdly, we advance some implications and limitations of our work for mobility research agendas. Fourthly, we conclude with an overview of the main inputs provided by our paper. We contribute to the literature by showing that: (a) newcomers must be defined beyond land ownership; (b) involuntary newcomers are very diverse, due to trends in spatial (im)mobilities; and (c) there is a high risk of the sustainable farming framework failing to meet its ambitions if it continues to ignore involuntary newcomers (and the barriers they encounter) in sustainable forms of agriculture.

The world increasingly needs an alternative approach to economic development. This paper endorses the Integration of Knowledge (IoK) approach as the wisdom of humanity through Islamic Economics (IE). A review of relevant literature through qualitative methodologies of library research, discourse and critical content analysis highlights the civilisational practices of integration, how development of economics diverged from such practices and how heterodox approaches reacted to such divergence. A section on learning the wisdom of humanity from each other emphasizes the inevitable historical civilizational integration (IoK) and exchange of knowledge. It follows with a literature review of the development of mainstream economics, how it abandoned such historical civilizational practice and its sound foundations, namely ontology, epistemology, axiology and methodology. A highlight of heterodox economics (HE) responses reveals the alternatives to the mainstream-focused positivistic approach to economics. The inadequacy of those alternatives led us to demonstrate Muslim responses and the centrality of IE as a comprehensive alternative heterodox economic approach. The analysis shows how IE grew along Islamisation of Knowledge (IOK) as two parallel and major intellectual iṣlaḥ (reform) and tajdīd (renewal) movements. A brief review of the development of each shows the potential of IE’s IoK methodological reasoning to revive the IoK approach in economics as the wisdom of humanity. The sound IE philosophical foundations, namely ontology, epistemology, axiology and methodology, have a major impact in that process. Thus, utilising the core IoK objective within IOK together with IE contributions shape the process of overcoming problems and issues of mainstream economics. Actionable recommendations to practitioners and academics depict how the IE approach to economics could be implemented and sustained along SDGs agenda.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) have been reported to be present in different types of human cancers, including CRCs, where they can play a key role in the onset and/or progression of these cancers. Thus, we herein explored the prevalence of high-risk HPVs and EBV in a cohort of 94 CRC tissue samples and 13 colorectal normal tissues from the Lebanese population using polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and tissue microarray methodologies. We found that high-risk HPVs are present in 64%, while EBV is present in 29% of our CRC samples. Additionally, our data showed that high-risk HPV types (16, 18, 35, 58, 51, 45, 52, 31, and 33) are the most frequent in CRC in the Lebanese cohort, respectively. Our data point out that HPVs and EBV are copresent in 28% of the samples. Thus, this study clearly suggests that high-risk HPVs and EBV are present/copresent in CRCs, where they could play an important role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Nevertheless, further investigations using a larger cohort are needed to elucidate the possible cooperation between these oncoviruses in the development of CRC.