This paper presents the results of influence of extraction technique on phytochemical composition and biological activity of aqueous extracts of commercial apricot kernels. Three techniques were used for extraction: maceration, ultrasonic and Soxhlet extraction. The content of total phenols, flavonoids, bioelements, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity was analyzed in the extracts. Antioxidant activity was analyzed in vitro using DPPH and FRAP methods. Antimicrobial screening was performed by diffusion technique on reference strains from the ATCC collection. The content of total phenols and flavonoids is highest in extracts obtained by ultrasonic extraction and maceration. These techniques have proven to be the best for the extraction of macro and micronutrients. The aqueous extract obtained by maceration at 300 rpm for 3 hours showed a greater inhibitory effect against the tested microorganisms, compared to the extracts obtained by other techniques. The least efficient method of extracting bioactive components from apricot kernels is Soxhlet extraction, with the lowest dry extract yield of 5.5%.   

We consider the problem of approximating maximum Nash social welfare (NSW) while allocating a set of indivisible items to n agents. The NSW is a popular objective that provides a balanced tradeoff between the often conflicting requirements of fairness and efficiency, defined as the weighted geometric mean of the agents’ valuations. For the symmetric additive case of the problem, where agents have the same weight with additive valuations, the first constant-factor approximation algorithm was obtained in 2015. Subsequent work has obtained constant-factor approximation algorithms for the symmetric case under mild generalizations of additive, and O(n)-approximation algorithms for subadditive valuations and for the asymmetric case. In this paper, we make significant progress towards both symmetric and asymmetric NSW problems. We present the first constant-factor approximation algorithm for the symmetric case under Rado valuations. Rado valuations form a general class of valuation functions that arise from maximum cost independent matching problems, including as special cases assignment (OXS) valuations and weighted matroid rank functions. Furthermore, our approach also gives the first constant-factor approximation algorithm for the asymmetric case under Rado valuations, provided that the maximum ratio between the weights is bounded by a constant.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a globally recognized cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The aim of our cross-sectional study, conducted in a Serbian tertiary care hospital, was to investigate clinical characteristics of HAIs caused by the PA, the prevalence of various drug-resistant phenotypes of this pathogen, and risk factors for their occurrence. Prolonged ICU stay and previous carbapenem administration were independent risk factors for HAIs caused by carbapenem-resistant PA, while HAIs caused by multidrug-resistant PA were more frequent in patients with prolonged stay in an ICU, who were previously hospitalized at another department and previously treated with aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones or glycopeptides. The prolonged ICU stay was the only significant risk factor for HAIs caused by extensively drug-resistant PA. To decrease the incidence of HAIs caused by drug-resistant PA, a multifaceted approach is necessary, including staff education, antibiotic stewardship, improving hygiene, shortening hospitalization, and minimizing exposure to invasive medical procedures/devices.

INTRODUCTION This survey aims to assess knowledge, attitude and stigma towards HIV patients, among medical students in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina. We also aimed to assess potential risk factors for HIV infection among fourth year medical students. METHODOLOGY Data were collected from specific questionnaire that was completed by 171 students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tuzla. A multivariable logistic regression was performed. RESULTS Majority of students (79%) had a good knowledge of HIV, (median value of correct answers was 9 (95%) with at least 6 correct responses). Also, majority of students (73.6%) had a positive attitude towards HIV patients and the median positive value was 6 (95% CI: 6-7). More than a third of students considered that all hospitalized patients should be tested for HIV. Total of 81% of students considered that they should inform the sexual partner of HIV positive patient, although she/he disagrees. 61.4% of students had a discriminatory attitude towards HIV, with the median values of 3 (95% CI: 3-3). Multivariate regression analysis identified positive attitude towards HIV patients as an independent predictor for a non-discriminatory attitude. Moreover, an overall attitude towards HIV patients defines student`s determination to work with AIDS population. Male gender, and older age, were identified as predictors of risky behavior. CONCLUSIONS Preventive measures, including better HIV education, are crucial. Knowledge can increase awareness of HIV infection, decrease the incidence and reduce stigma towards HIV patients.

In addition to soda, the Solway production process yields large amounts of waste sludge that contains a high percentage of CaCO3 and Ca(OH)2. In this paper, solid waste sludge from a soda factory in Bosnia and Herzegovina of a certain granulation was used to remove metal ions from the binary system initial concentrations of 500 mg/L. The research results showed that the precipitation efficiency for the binary system Cu - Ni was 99.810% at a pH of 11.42 for Cu2+ and 99.896% for Ni2+ at a pH of 10.86, while for the binary system Pb - Zn it was 99.84% at the same pH value of 10.64. This research has shown that it is very difficult to separate and remove metal precipitation from binary systems because the optimal pH for one metal does not correspond to another metal.

The purpose of this study was to establish the validity, reliability, and usefulness of a low-cost contact mat equipment (CM) with a force plate (FP) as the reference. Eleven female (18.6 ± 3.67 yrs.) and male (18.2 ± 2.71 yrs.) basketball athletes performed hands-on-waist countermovement jump (CMJ) and squat jump (SJ) trials. Flight time (FT) and jump height (JH) in CMJ and SJ were subjected for analysis. Relative error expressed as percentage (%RE) was utilized to examine criterion validity between CM and FP. Concurrent validity was also established using Pearson moment correlation (r). Absolute reliability was determined using coefficient of variation (%CV). Relative reliability was identified using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Usefulness was established by comparing typical error (TE) vs. smallest worthwhile change (SWC). Results revealed that CMJ and SJ from a low-cost CM can be used as an alternative tool in assessment of jump performance.

Background: In the present study, the main goal was to establish whether the disciplines are equal and should the Code of Points (COP) women's artistic gymnastics be revised in terms of point standardization on apparatus. Material and methods: The sample included all-around senior female gymnasts who participated in the qualification (C-I) competitions at World Championships held in 2009-2019. Results: The biggest differences are even two points between the two apparatus vault and balance beam. Vault compared to other apparatus is different for 1.559 points. Presentation of correlations between each apparatus the evidence that nothing has changed significantly in recent years, whereas correlations of the difficulty values of elements are extremely high between the present COP. Conclusions: With this analysis, we have found that the results achieved at the vault and other apparatus were significantly different in terms of success in all-around competition.

The natural plant Cornus mas, sometimes called Cornelian cherry, has been known since ancient times and the fruit is used for various purposes. Cornus mas gives healthy fruits without the use of chemical protection, which are used as healthy, tasty and medicinal food. Cornus mas fruits can be used for eating fresh or in the form of numerous processed products: marmalade, jam, sweet, compote, syrup, juice, fruit yogurt, liqueur, wine and brandy. Due to its antioxidant, antiallergic, antimicrobial and antihistamine properties, it is increasingly used as a dietary supplement, as well as for medical purposes. Taking into account all the above, the aim of this paper is to examine samples of a mixture of honey and fresh wild Cornelian cherry, as well as a sample of honey and Cornelian cherry and determine the physical - chemical parameters: electrical conductivity, pH value, vitamin C content, HMF (hydroxy methyl furfural), as well as individual heavy metals such as iron, cadmium, lead, zinc, copper. Based on the obtained results, appropriate conclusions will be given and the possibility of registering these products as food supplements will be determined.  Based on the performed analyzes, it was shown that the sample of honey and Cornelian cherry mixture had the highest pH value and electrical conductivity, and that the honey sample had the lowest value. Also, the highest value of water activity had the sample of a mixture of honey and Cornelian cherry, while the highest content of hydroxymethylfurfural had the content of Cornelian cherry. The analysis showed the absence of manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in all samples, while it was shown that the highest content of Cu and Zn has the sample of Cornelian cherry 2.665 mg/kg Cu ​​and 14.41 mg/kg Zn, followed by a mixture of Cornelian cherry and honey Cu 2.778 mg/kg, Zn 14.670 mg/kg, while the honey sample has the highest Fe content of 16.72 mg/kg. This shows that the samples are rich in zinc, iron and copper, and that they are a good source for those minerals that could meet daily needs.

Background: In the present study, the main goal was to establish whether the disciplines are equal and should the Code of Points (COP) women's artistic gymnastics be revised in terms of point standardization on apparatus. Material and methods: The sample included all-around senior female gymnasts who participated in the qualification (C-I) competitions at World Championships held in 2009-2019. Results: The biggest differences are even two points between the two apparatus vault and balance beam. Vault compared to other apparatus is different for 1.559 points. Presentation of correlations between each apparatus the evidence that nothing has changed significantly in recent years, whereas correlations of the difficulty values of elements are extremely high between the present COP. Conclusions: With this analysis, we have found that the results achieved at the vault and other apparatus were significantly different in terms of success in all-around competition.

In accordance with the advancement in robotics and the scholarly literature, the extents of utilizing robots for autistic children are widened and could be a promising method for individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) treatments, where the different form of robot (humanoid, non-humanoid, animal-like, toy, and kits) can be employed effectively as a support tool to augment the learning skills and rehabilitate of the individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Thus, the robots were exploited for ASD children in different aspects namely; modelling, teaching, and skills practicing; testing, highlighting and evaluating; providing feedback or encouragement; join Attention; eliciting social behaviours; emotion recognition and expression; imitation; vocalization; turn-taking; and diagnostic. The related literature published recently in journals and conferences is taken into account. In this paper, we review the use of robots that help in the therapy of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The articles on using robots for autistic children rehabilitation and education which reported results of experiments on a number of participants were implicated. After looking in digital libraries under this criteria, and excluding non-related, and duplicated studies, 39 studies have been found. The findings were focused mainly on the social communication skills of autistic children and how the extent of the robots mitigate their stereotyped behaviours. Deeper research is required in this area to cover all applications of robotic on autistic children in order to design feasible and low-cost robots that ensure provide high validity.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the addition of different amounts of organic selenium (ALKOSEL® R397) in concentrate mixtures on the selenium content in the blood plasma and feces of ducks. The experiment was performed on 240 one-day-old ducklings (Cherry Valley) which were freely selected into 4 groups, one control K0 group, and three experimental K1, K2 and K3 groups. In two phases of feeding in fattening, ducklings were fed with two and nutritionally different concentrate feed mixtures: starter (from 1 to 14 days) and finisher (from 15 to 49 days of fattening). The control group of ducklings (K0) during feeding received food without added organic selenium in both phases of fattening. In both phases of fattening, the experimental group of ducks K1 was fed with food as well as the control group, but with the addition of 0.2 mg/kg of organic selenium, while the experimental group K2 used food with 0.4 mg/kg, and the experimental group K3 with 0.6 mg/kg of organic selenium. The addition of organic selenium to duck feed had the effect of increasing selenium content in both blood plasma and duck feces. The highest content of selenium in blood plasma and feces was determined in the group of ducks that received the highest amount of organic selenium through food during the entire experiment.

Chemical precipitation is a useful conventional process to remove heavy metals from aqueous solutions. In this work, a waste sludge from the Solway process was used as a precipitation agent for the precipitation of Cu (II), Ni (II), Pb (II) and Zn (II) ions with an initial concentration of 50 mg/L. The results of the research showed that the waste sludge from the Solway process completely removed Pb (II) ions from the solution in the pH range of 8.39 -11.74, also good efficiency was shown in other cations. The maximum precipitation efficiency for Cu (II) is 99.890% at pH 10.98, Ni (II) 99.940% at pH 11.81, Zn (II) 99.616% at 10.1. Waste sludge is proved to be a good precipitate for cation separation.