This document presents a new complete standalone system for a recognition of sleep apnea using signals from the pressure sensors placed under the mattress. The developed hardware part of the system is tuned to filter and to amplify the signal. Its software part performs more accurate signal filtering and identification of apnea events. The overall achieved accuracy of the recognition of apnea occurrence is 91%, with the average measured recognition delay of about 15 seconds, which confirms the suitability of the proposed method for future employment. The main aim of the presented approach is the support of the healthcare system with the cost-efficient tool for recognition of sleep apnea in the home environment.

The ballistocardiography is a technique that measures the heart rate from the mechanical vibrations of the body due to the heart movement. In this work a novel noninvasive device placed under the mattress of a bed estimates the heart rate using the ballistocardiography. Different algorithms for heart rate estimation have been developed.

Methods based exclusively on heart rate hardly allow to differentiate between physical activity, stress, relaxation, and rest, that is why an additional sensor like activity/movement sensor added for detection and classification. The response of the heart to physical activity, stress, relaxation, and no activity can be very similar. In this study, we can observe the influence of induced stress and analyze which metrics could be considered for its detection. The changes in the Root Mean Square of the Successive Differences provide us with information about physiological changes. A set of measurements collecting the RR intervals was taken. The intervals are used as a parameter to distinguish four different stages. Parameters like skin conductivity or skin temperature were not used because the main aim is to maintain a minimum number of sensors and devices and thereby to increase the wearability in the future.

BACKGROUND Stroke volume response during stress is a major determinant of functional status in heart failure and can be measured by two-dimensional (2-D) volumetric stress echocardiography (SE). The present study hypothesis is that SE may identify mechanisms underlying the change in stroke volume by measuring preload reserve through end-diastolic volume (EDV) and left ventricular contractile reserve (LVCR) with systolic blood pressure and end-systolic volume (ESV). METHODS We enrolled 4,735 patients (age 63.6 ± 11.3 yrs, 2800 male) referred to SE for known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and/or heart failure (HF) in 21 SE laboratories in 8 countries. In addition to regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA), force was measured at rest and peak stress as the ratio of systolic blood pressure by cuff sphygmomanometer/ESV by 2D with Simpson's or linear method. Abnormal values of LVCR (peak/rest) based on force were ≤1.10 for dipyridamole (n=1,992 patients) and adenosine (n=18); ≤2.0 for exercise (n=2,087) or dobutamine (n=638). RESULTS Force-based LVCR was obtained in all 4,735 pts. Lack of stroke volume increase during stress was due to either abnormal LVCR and/or blunted preload reserve, and 57 % of patients with abnormal LVCR nevertheless showed increase in stroke volume. CONCLUSIONS Volumetric SE is highly feasible with all stresses, and more frequently impaired in presence of ischemic RWMA, absence of viability and reduced coronary flow velocity reserve. It identifies an altered stroke volume response due to reduced preload and/or contractile reserve.

Hercegovački pršut as a traditional dry-cured smoked ham (prosciutto) produced by using an open fire that can be potentially contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and can pose a health risk for consumers. The aim of this research was to identify the types and concentrations of 16 PAHs in 34 samples of traditionally smoked prosciutto. Out of 16 investigated PAHs, identified in the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) list of priority pollutants, 14 compounds were detected. Average levels of cancerogenic benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and PAH4 (benzo[a]anthracene (BaA), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), chrysene (Chry), and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)) ranged from <LOQ (level of quantification) to 5.08 μg/kg and 0.45 μg/kg to 22.67 μg/kg. Two analyzed samples exceeded currently prescribed values according to the Bosnia and Herzegovina legislation for BaP concentrations and one sample for PAH4 content. PAH16 concentrations were on average between 2.92 μg/kg and 87.6 μg/kg. The highest PAH concentrations were found in samples from the Herzegovina-Neretva canton. The results of the research highlight the importance of standardizing smoking procedures and manufacturing practice, in the production of Hercegovački pršut, in order to reduce the PAH content.

Increasing changes in the market have caused companies to turn largely to lowering all unnecessary costs in order to be competitive. Competitiveness is a concept that is being explored progressively. This paper offered a way to measure enterprise competitiveness. Competitiveness testing was conducted on companies in the field of food industry in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). A systematic sample was used. The collected data were analysed by factor analysis. Out of a total of 8 dimensions used, the factor analysis performed a reduction of these dimensions and led to the final 6 dimensions that determine the competitiveness of companies in the field of food industry in B&H. The obtained results showed that these dimensions stand out from others and represent the competitiveness of the company. These dimensions are: cost competition, price competition, product and business process innovation, customer satisfaction, delivery reliability and organisational learning. This research will help managers of companies in the food industry in B&H to improve market competitiveness. The methodology used in this paper will help other companies to improve competitiveness and achieve better results in the market.

Introduction: A Holter blood pressure monitoring is a basic method for the diagnosis and evaluation of hypertension therapy. Hypertension in children and adolescents is defined as an increase of systolic/diastolic pressure, which is equal, or above 95th percentile blood pressure for sex, age, and height. Aim: The aim of this study is to analyze the etiology of arterial hypertension (AH) in the pediatric population. Methods: Research had descriptive and retrospective character. During the period from March 2006 to April 2020, 1527 registered continuous Holters of blood pressure were analyzed. Data were taken from the medical documentation of patients that were hospitalized on Pediatric Clinic (register of continuous Holter of blood pressure). Results: Out of the total number of registered and analyzed patients 833 were male (54.5%) with dominant age 15–19 years of life 774 (50.6%), school-age children 660 (43.2%), preschool children 93 (6.1%). We had 902 (59%) first registrations and 626 (41%) control registrations. AH was verified in 52 patients (387 records of continuous Holter of blood pressure were performed to them). Primary AH was verified in 27 patients and secondary AH in 25 patients. Forty patients (76.9%) were treated with monotherapy while combined therapy was used in 12 (23.1%) of cases. Renal cause was in 28% patients, endocrine in 24%, cardiovascular in 24%, neurological in 16%, and rheumatic in 8% of patients with secondary AH. Conclusion: Continuous Holter of blood pressure represents useful diagnostic method and method of control of high blood pressure in children and adolescents. It should be routine method in everyday pediatric clinical practice especially in pediatric cardiology.

Contemporary wireless networks dramatically enhance data rates and latency to become a key enabler of massive communication among various low-cost devices of limited computational power, standardized by the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) downscaled derivations LTE-M or narrowband Internet of Things (NB IoT), in particular. Specifically, assessment of the physical-layer transmission performance is important for higher-layer protocols determining the extent of the potential error recovery escalation upwards the protocol stack. Thereby, it is needed that the end-points of low processing capacity most efficiently estimate the residual bit error rate (BER) solely determined by the main orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) impairment–carrier frequency offset (CFO), specifically in small cells, where the signal-to-noise ratio is large enough, as well as the OFDM symbol cyclic prefix, preventing inter-symbol interference. However, in contrast to earlier analytical models with computationally demanding estimation of BER from the phase deviation caused by CFO, in this paper, after identifying the optimal sample instant in a power delay profile, we abstract the CFO by equivalent time dispersion (i.e., by additional spreading of the power delay profile that would produce the same BER degradation as the CFO). The proposed BER estimation is verified by means of the industry-standard LTE software simulator.

Quercetin (QU), a hyperthermic sensitizer, when combined with cisplatin (CP) affects tumor growth. To determine the effects of QU and CP and their interactions, multimodal treatment in vitro and in vivo models under physiological and hyperthermic conditions was performed. In vitro, different sensitivity of T24 and UMUC human bladder cancer cells was observed after short-term exposure to QU (2 h) and CP (1 h). Effects of both compounds were investigated at low and high micromolar concentrations (1 and 50 µM, respectively) under both thermal conditions. QU acted in additive or synergistic manner in combination with CP between physiological condition and hyperthermia. As determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, short-term application of QU and CP reduced cell viability. Clonal assay also indicated that combined treatment with QU and CP is lethal to bladder cancer cells in both conditions. In vivo, CP (5 or 10 mg kg−1) and QU (50 mg kg−1) acted synergistically with hyperthermia (43 °C) and inhibited tumor growth, activated immune effectors and increased mice survival. Our results demonstrate that combined treatment with CP and QU may increase death of tumor cells in physiological and hyperthermic conditions which could be clinically relevant in locoregional chemotherapy.

Reptiles, especially turtles, are becoming increasingly popular as pets. The haematological evaluation of turtles is an irreplaceable diagnostic tool in veterinary practice. However, the morphologic distinctiveness of turtle blood limits the use of electronic cell-counting devices, making time-consuming, manual counting techniques and evaluation of blood smears necessary. Many samples are dispatched to a laboratory over long distances, where a delay of 24 h or more may occur. At weekends, this interval may exceed 48 h. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of storage duration at refrigerator temperature (4 °C) on the counts of red blood cells (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC), and on the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and packed cell volume (PCV) in blood samples from healthy adult red-eared sliders. Blood samples were collected by venipuncture from the occipital venous sinus from six apparently healthy adult red-eared sliders, aged 2 to 4 years. Blood samples were analysed immediately after sampling to obtain the baseline value (BV) of the red blood cell count, white blood cell count and packed cell volume percentage. Blood was stored at 4 °C and the haematological analyses were performed after 24h, 48h and 72h. The results showed the same level of stability for RBC and WBC count, and MCV values during 72 hours of storage at 4 °C and for PCV during 48 hours. Handling of blood samples, and duration of storage of the blood samples can significantly influence the results/values of haematological tests. Consequently, the obtained values of the determined haematological parameters of improperly stored or handled blood samples can give a misleading interpretation of the results on the animal’s health status.

A new method substantially improves the accuracy of mapped brain networks using anatomy and microstructure informed tractography. Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging is a noninvasive imaging modality that has been extensively used in the literature to study the neuronal architecture of the brain in a wide range of neurological conditions using tractography. However, recent studies highlighted that the anatomical accuracy of the reconstructions is inherently limited and challenged its appropriateness. Several solutions have been proposed to tackle this issue, but none of them proved effective to overcome this fundamental limitation. In this work, we present a novel processing framework to inject into the reconstruction problem basic prior knowledge about brain anatomy and its organization and evaluate its effectiveness using both simulated and real human brain data. Our results indicate that our proposed method dramatically increases the accuracy of the estimated brain networks and, thus, represents a major step forward for the study of connectivity.