Rails are a part of track structure where corrosion process inevitably occurs, except if they are fully insulated and devoid of contact with any other part of the structure (sleepers, fastening accessories) or electrolyte like moist soil or water in track structure. Corrosion occurs much faster in the presence of stray currents, which very soon results in the loss of material at the rail foot. The paper presents an overview and description of parameters influencing stray current levels, such as electrical potential in rail and longitudinal rail conductivity, rail-to-earth electrical resistance, electrical conductivity of load-bearing concrete layers of truck structure, and electrical conductivity of soil.

Die Standsicherheit historischer Mauerwerksbauten muss nicht nur bei gewöhnlichen Einwirkungen, sondern auch während Naturkatastrophen gewährleistet sein. Die seismische Bestandsbewertung der gründerzeitlichen Bausubstanz in Wien ist ein zentrales Thema in der qualitativen sowie konstruktiven Tragwerksbeurteilung. Obwohl der Mauerwerksbau seit vielen Jahrhunderten Anwendung findet, stellt die realistische Tragwerksbewertung eine hochkomplexe Herausforderung dar. Die nach aktuellen Regelwerken zur Nachbemessung herangezogenen Berechnungsmethoden vermögen nur unzureichend das reale Tragverhalten sowie die mögliche Aktivierung der globalen Versagensmechanismen wiederzugeben. Dies führt dazu, dass vereinfachte Nachweise rechnerisch oftmals nur schwer gelingen und zur Kompensation fragwürdige Verstärkungsmaßnahmen ergriffen werden, obwohl der Altbestand bereits einige Beben erlebt und überwiegend schadfrei überstanden hat. Der vorliegende Beitrag befasst sich mit den aktuell zur Erdbebennachbemessung verwendeten Ansätzen und verfolgt den Zweck, Problempunkte aufzuzeigen und sie einem leistungsfähigen, an Versuchsreihen gestützten Materialmodell zur räumlichen Tragwerksanalyse des historischen Altbestandes gegenüberzustellen. Es wird gezeigt, dass die herkömmlichen Berechnungsmethoden für den gemauerten Altbestand ohne Berücksichtigung der Interaktions‐ und Lastumlagerungseffekte sowie der charakteristischen Konstruktionsweise das reale Tragverhalten nur teilweise abbilden. Die Arbeit soll einen Beitrag zur technischen Fachdiskussion zur Erdbebensicherheit des Altbestandes darstellen sowie die Diskussion zur Formulierung realistischer Berechnungsmodelle beleben.

Object tracking is one of the fundamental tasks in computer vision. It is used almost everywhere: human-computer interaction, video surveillance, medical treatments, robotics, smart cars, etc. Many object tracking methods have been published in recent scientific publications. However, many questions still remain unanswered, such as, which object tracking method to choose for a particular application considering some specific characteristics of video content or which method will perform the best (quality-wise) and which one will have the best performance? In this paper, we provide some insights into how to choose an object tracking method from the widespread OpenCV library. We provide benchmarking results on the OTB-100 dataset by evaluating the eight trackers from the OpenCV library. We use two evaluation methods to evaluate the robustness of each algorithm: OPE and SRE combined with Precision and Success Plot.

Introduction: Monitoring and diagnosing glaucoma until 2017 included funduscopy, IOP measurements, gonioscopy, pachymetry, as well as visual field tests, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A). Radial peripapillary capillaries (RPC) can be observed by fluorescein angiography, as well as histologically - superficial and deep capillary layer. Aim: To correlate density of radial peripapillary capillary network (RPC) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in eight peripapillary segments in patients with a primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) which have the disease under 10 years of duration, over 10 years of duration and in a group of healthy patients. Methods: This is a cross-sectional review which included three groups of patients: POAG patients under 10 years of disease duration, over 10 years of disease duration and control group of patients. The study is performed on the commercial optical coherence tomography angiography system (AngioVue, Avanti RTVue-XR, Optovue, CA). Sectoral RPC density values, RPC maps and RNFL thickness were analyzed in three groups of patients, data was compared and correlation between parameters was examined. Results: Mean RPC Density values in both superior segments (S1, S2) were significantly lower in patients with glaucoma over 10 years of disease duration compared to patients with glaucoma under 10 years of disease duration (p<0.05). Statistically significant positive correlation was established between RNFL thickness and RPC density in all eight peripapillary segments. Conclusion: Analysis of radial peripapillary capillary network density on optical coherence tomography angiography may provide an earliest functional sign of progressive optic nerve disease and new insights into the pathophysiology of glaucomatous damage.

Aim Phlebotominae sandflies are primary vectors of phleboviruses, causing the sandfly fever disease. The aim of this study was to detect and report the presence of flaviviruses in Phlebotominae sandflies captured in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods After a microscopic and morphometric analysis, the final identification of collected Phlebotomus specimens was confirmed by PCR, using a hemi-nested polymerase chain reaction on extracted and reversely transcribed RNA. Results We obtained a 155 nt long fragment of the viral non-structural protein 5 (NS5) gene (GenBank accession no. MN090154). The acquired nucleotide sequence, provisionally named as Drežnica, showed a maximum of 70-80% identity in 70-88% (110-137 nucleotides) of the query coverage with several Anopheles, Sabethes, Calbertado and Culex flaviviruses. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis showed that the new flavivirus Drežnica clusters together with the flavivirus isolated from Culiseta annulata mosquitos. Conclusion We report the presence of flavivirus in Phlebotominae sandflies, captured in Drežnica, Herzegovina for the first time. The next phase of research will be directed towards virus cultivation, obtaining a longer or complete virus sequence and clarifying the medical and epidemiological importance of the Drežnica virus.

Aim To present characteristics of collecting autologous peripheral blood stem cells over a one-year period with an emphasis on efficiency and safety. Methods A retrograde analysis of 24 leukapheresis in 20 adult patients with malignant haematological diseases in the Blood Transfusion Institute of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, was done. Cell separators Amicus and Spectra Optia were used for collection procedures. Results The patient's age ranged from 27 to 65 years. Target cells were collected in one procedure in sixteen patients, while in four patients they were collected in two procedures. The mean CD34+ collection efficiency was 57.7%. The median number of CD34+ cells and percentage of CD34+ cells in the products were 5.52x10e6/kg (range 3.28-9.00) and 1.57% (range 0.96-2.91). A strong positive correlation was found between the number of CD34+ cells in peripheral blood on the apheresis day and the amount of CD34+ cells collected in the products (rs =0.73). A total of 95% of patients collected the amount of ≥3x10e6/kg and 55% of ≥5x10e6/kg CD34+ cells for a single transplant. A decrease in platelet count, haemoglobin and haematocrit values after the procedure was not significant. Potassium decrease showed statistical significance (p<0.000). Adverse events occurred during one procedure (4.2%). Conclusion A low number of adverse events and good collection efficiency with adequate patient monitoring, indicate that leukapheresis is a safe procedure that is successfully used in the autologous transplantation process in the treatment of malignant haematological diseases.

– Eurasian jays ( Garrulus glandarius ) do not habitually use tools, yet they can be trained to solve object-dropping tasks, i.e., to insert a tool into an apparatus to release a food reward. Previous research suggests that these jays can learn a preference toward functional tools – objects allowing them to obtain a food reward placed inside an apparatus – according to their density (Cheke et al., 2011). However, it is not yet known whether they can also select functional tools (tool selectivity) according to other physical properties such as size and shape and use different kinds of tools to solve a similar task. Here we conducted three object-dropping experiments aimed at exploring these abilities in Eurasian jays. In Experiment 1, jays tended to select large stones as tools irrespective of the diameter of the apparatus. However, jays progressively developed a preference for the small tool, which was functional with both the wide and the narrow apparatuses. In Experiment 2, only vertically oriented long stones could fit into the narrow apparatus, whereas both long and round stones were functional with the wide apparatus. Jays showed a preference for the long stone and, with the narrow apparatus, tended to achieve the correct manipulation after one or more unsuccessful attempts. In Experiment 3, jays were able to use sticks and adopt a novel technique on the same object-dropping apparatus, thus providing the first evidence that Eurasian jays can use sticks as tools. Taken together, these results do not support the notion that tool selectivity abilities can be found in Eurasian jays but nonetheless show that these corvids can use different kinds of tools to solve similar tasks.

Aim To determine the degree of accuracy in determining the sex of the skull based on classical morphometric analysis of the mastoid process. Morphometric analysis excluded a subjective approach expressed in osteoscopic analysis. Methods The study was conducted on a sample of 100 macerated skulls of known gender and age from the second half of the 20th century, including the Bosnian population. Of the 100 skulls, 50 (50%) were male and 50 (50%) were female. Male skulls were on average 60 (47-71) years old and female 57 (43-76) years old. At each mastoid process, 3 measurements were made: mastoid length, mastoid width (medio-lateral diameter) ML) and anteroposterior diameter (AP) of the mastoid process. Results Using the univariate method, we found a significant difference between length, width, AP diameter and size of mastoid processes as well as between gender (p <0.05). Multivariate binary logistic regression showed statistically significant differences in AP diameter of the mastoid process (p<0.05). Conclusion The created model "P" ("P"=exp [X]/1+exp [X]) for sex determination based on mastoid process showed sensitivity of 82% correct prediction for female skulls and 65% accurate prediction for male skulls. This discourse with respect of population standards grants most effective anthropological proof and as such may be suggested for forensic expertise based on human skull.

Aim Steady progress in intensive treatment worldwide has increased the survival of immature neonates, but with multiple invasive procedures, which have increased the risk of infection, thus the bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The aim of this study was to analyse the epidemiology of multidrug resistance pathogens as causative agents of neonatal sepsis in the neonatal intensive care unit. Methods A retrospective cohort study conducted at the Intensive care unit of the Paediatric Clinic of Tuzla over a three-year period (2016-2018) analysed epidemiology of neonatal sepsis caused by multidrug resistance pathogens. Statistical analysis applied standard methods, and the research was approved by the Ethics Committee of the institution. Results Of the total of 921 treated neonates, multidrug resistance (MDR) pathogens among causative agents of neonatal sepsis were found in 22 neonates (2.38%) with no gender difference. Prematurity and low birth weight were confirmed as the most significant risk factors. From the maternal risk factors a significant difference was found in the first birth and in vitro fertilization. Clinically, MDR sepsis manifested frequently as late onset sepsis, with longer hospital stay and higher mortality. The findings of leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and coagulation disorders were significant. Gram negative bacteria were frequently isolated, in particular Acinetobacter, which showed the greatest resistance to antibiotics. Conclusion Neonatal MDR sepsis is a threat to life, it complicates the treatment, increases costs and mortality. Outcomes can be improved by preventive strategies, earlier and more accurate diagnosis and rational use of antibiotics.

In this short demo paper, we introduce godash 2.0 godash is a headless HTTP adaptive streaming (HAS) video streaming platform written in the Google programming language GO. godash has been extensively rewritten for this release so as to provide ease of use, and a host of new features. godash includes options for eight different state of the art adaptive algorithms, five HAS profiles, four video codecs, the ability to stream audio and video segments, two transport protocols (TCP and QUIC), realtime output from five Quality of Experience (QoE) models, as well as a collaborative framework for the evaluation of cooperative HAS streaming. In this demo, we will introduce each of the options available in the godash configuration file, and illustrate examples of how to use the collaborative players using both godash on a native machine as well as godash within godashbed. godashbed is an integrated large-scale testbed framework for the evaluation of HAS streaming, which uses a virtual environment to serve video content locally (which allows setting security certificates) through the Mininet virtual emulation tool. In this manner, godash provides a framework for rapid deployment and testing of new HAS algorithms, QoE models and transport protocols.

Manufacturers of automated systems and their components have been allocating an enormous amount of time and effort in R&D activities. This effort translates into an overhead on the V&V (verification and validation) process making it time-consuming and costly. In this paper, we present an ECSEL JU project (VALU3S) that aims to evaluate the state-of-the-art V&V methods and tools, and design a multi-domain framework to create a clear structure around the components and elements needed to conduct the V&V process. The main expected benefit of the framework is to reduce time and cost needed to verify and validate automated systems with respect to safety, cyber-security, and privacy requirements. This is done through identification and classification of evaluation methods, tools, environments and concepts for V&V of automated systems with respect to the mentioned requirements. To this end, VALU3S brings together a consortium with partners from 10 different countries, amounting to a mix of 25 industrial partners, 6 leading research institutes, and 10 universities to reach the project goal.