Seismology provides important constraints on the structure and dynamics of the deep mantle. Computational and methodological advances in the past two decades improved tomographic imaging of the mantle and revealed the fine-scale structure of plumes ascending from the core-mantle boundary region and slabs of oceanic lithosphere sinking into the lower mantle. We discuss the modeling aspects of global tomography including theoretical approximations, data selection, and model fidelity and resolution. Using spectral, principal component, and cluster analyses, we highlight the robust patterns of seismic heterogeneity, which inform us of flow in the mantle, the history of plate motions, and potential compositionally distinct reservoirs. In closing, we emphasize that data mining of vast collections of seismic waveforms and new data from distributed acoustic sensing, autonomous hydrophones, ocean-bottom seismometers, and correlation-based techniques will boost the development of the next generation of global models of density, seismic velocity, and attenuation. ▪  Seismic tomography reveals the 100-km to 1,000-km scale variation of seismic velocity heterogeneity in the mantle. ▪  Tomographic images are the most important geophysical constraints on mantle circulation and evolution.

Computerization of education process is a contemporary trend that is emerging at the global scale, but with substantial regional disparities in the level of its implementation. The present study is aimed at revealing the current situation regarding computer technology use in geographical education in primary and secondary education in Bosnia and Herzegovina through a survey conducted among geography teachers from two typical regions – Canton of Sarajevo with predominantly urban features and Central Bosnia region, where majority of population lives in rural areas. The obtained results suggest that general situation with regard to the level of computer skills identified among geography teachers is satisfying, but that there are still certain disparities across different categories of respondents. It turns out that younger teachers, as well as those from urban region possess a higher level of IT skills and use this technology more frequently for the preparation and implementation of teaching process. At the same time, significant differences regarding the respondents gender have not been found, except in the context of extracurricular activities.

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still progressing and has been recorded in more than 210 countries and territories worldwide. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the first cases of COVID-19 were detected on March 5, 2020 in the entity of the Republic of Srpska and on March 9, 2020 in the entity of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. By May 16, 2020, more than 2,200 COVID-19 cases had been recorded in both entities, with a mortality rate of 5.8% (131 of 2,231 cases). The aim of this ongoing study is to present the current epidemiological and sociodemographic parameters of 380 COVID-19 patients diagnosed at the University Clinical Hospital Mostar (UCH Mostar) during the first two months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of those 380 patients, 60 (15.8%) required hospitalization. The mortality rate was 5% (19/380). The highest mortality rate (15.2%, 12/79) was recorded in the patients aged ≥65 years. In addition to this single-center experience of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we discuss the epidemiological measures imposed in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an emphasis on the restrictive measures. The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This case trial reports the effects of L-carnosine supplementation on neuromuscular performance, brain metabolism, and various patient- and clinician-reported outcomes in a case series of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Two women (aged 37 and 48) and a man (age 48 years) who fulfilled the 2017 McDonald criteria for MS diagnosis, and were free of other major chronic diseases or acute disorders were recruited for this case study. The duration of illness was 4 years in CASE 1 (37-year old women), 5 years in CASE 2 (48-year old men), and 15 years in CASE 3 (48-year old women). L-carnosine (2 g/day) was administered orally during 8 weeks in all MS patients. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID NCT03995810). The intensity of symptoms and signs of MS after L-carnosine administration diminished in 5 out of 7 domains in CASE 1, in 3 out of 7 domains in CASE 2, and one domain in CASE 3; general fatigue has been reduced in all three cases at the follow-up. The Visual Analog Scale scores for numbness, weakness, pain, and depression decreased in all MS patients at post-administration. This was accompanied by an improved walking distance to exhaustion in all patients, with values improved for 51.1% in CASE 1, 19.5% in CASE 2, and 2.1% in CASE 3 at 8-week follow-up. An increase in serum total antioxidant capacity was found at 8-week follow-up in all patients (from 4.6 to 49.6%); this was accompanied by lower blood lactates at follow-up in all cases (23.5% on average). Single-voxel 1.5 T MRS revealed an increased brain choline-contained compounds (18.9% on average), total creatine (21.2%), and myo-inositol levels (12.3%) in girus cinguli at 8-week follow; this was accompanied by a drop in brain glutamate for 22.6% on average. This case report suggests the favorable effects of medium-term L-carnosine as a possible adjuvant treatment to improve selected patient- and clinician-reported outcomes in a man and two women suffering from MS. There is a need for larger and more rigorous human intervention studies to corroborate these preliminary findings. This study was funded by the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (#175,037); the Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research (#114–451-710); the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, Novi Sad; and CarnoMed LLC, Novi Sad.

Abstract Osteoprotegerin (OPG) regulates bone metabolism by reducing the activation of osteoclasts, but may also be involved in blood vessel calcification and atherosclerosis. Within endothelial cells OPG is stored in Weibel–Palade bodies (WPBs). Blood kinetics of OPG are essentially unknown. We aimed to assess these using two distinct in vivo models; one after stimulation with desmopressin (DDAVP) and another after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Both clinical trials were conducted at the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria. Participants received desmopressin (0.3 µg/kg), LPS (2 ng/kg), or placebo (sodium chloride 0.9%) with subsequent blood sampling at time points up to 24 hours after administration. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the plasma kinetics of OPG after stimulation with desmopressin and LPS. Secondary analyses included the release of other WPB contents including von Willebrand factor (vWF). This analysis included 31 healthy volunteers (n = 16 for desmopressin and placebo, n = 15 for LPS). Infusion of desmopressin did not increase OPG concentrations compared with placebo, while LPS infusion significantly increased OPG levels, both compared with desmopressin (p < 0.0001) and to placebo (p = 0.004), with a maximum of ∼twofold increase in OPG levels ∼6 hours after infusion. von Willebrand factor levels increased after both desmopressin and LPS infusion (p < 0.0001), with a maximum of ∼threefold increase 2 hours after desmopressin and a maximum of ∼twofold increase 6 hours after LPS administration. In conclusion, we report that, in contrast to vWF, OPG is not released upon stimulation with desmopressin, but increases significantly during experimental endotoxemia.

The purpose of this recommendation of the Oncology Task Force of the European Society of Paediatric Radiology (ESPR) is to indicate reasonable applications of whole-body MRI in children with cancer and to address useful protocols to optimize workflow and diagnostic performance. Whole-body MRI as a radiation-free modality has been increasingly performed over the last two decades, and newer applications, as in screening of children with germ-line mutation cancer-related gene defects, are now widely accepted. We aim to provide a comprehensive outline of the diagnostic value for use in daily practice. Based on the results of our task force session in 2018 and the revision in 2019 during the ESPR meeting, we summarized our group’s experiences in whole-body MRI. The lack of large evidence by clinical studies is challenging when focusing on a balanced view regarding the impact of whole-body MRI in pediatric oncology. Therefore, the final version of this recommendation was supported by the members of Oncology Task Force.

Abstract Xanthene derivatives have become a group of molecules of great importance in discovering of new anticancer drugs. Recent studies of our group performed on xanthen-3-one and xanthen-1,8-dione derivatives have shown their antiproliferative activity on HeLa cervical cell lines. Obtained IC50 values together with calculated molecular descriptors were subjected to Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship (QSAR) study in order to identify the most relevant molecular features responsible for the observed antiproliferative activity of compounds. Partial least square statistical method and the same training and test set were used to obtain statistical parameters for internal and external validation in 2D- and 3D-QSAR study. The obtained QSAR models have shown next results: 2D-QSAR: R 2 = 0.741, Q 2 = 0.792, R 2 pred = 0.875 and 3D-QSAR: R 2 = 0.951, Q 2 = 0.830, R 2 pred = 0.769. Based on the performed QSAR analysis and calculated ADMET properties, novel xanthene derivatives with enhanced antiproliferative activity were designed. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Abstinence is a conscious and voluntary waiver of one original political right, the right to vote. Often, the very act of abstinence is understood as a kind of election, as an expression of disagreement with political alternatives, candidates and parties participating in the elections. Abstinence is close to the notion of apolitical, that is the disinterest and indifference of citizens, of individuals and groups to politics and participation in the political life of the community. The paper analyzes the difference between abstinence in elections and apoliticality and attempts to point to the problem of increasing abstinence from voting in general elections in post-Dayton Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This study strives to explore the nexus between entrepreneurial orientation (EO), total quality management (TQM), competitive intensity (CI) and firm performance in the context of an emerging laggard economy in the South-Eastern European region. Moreover, the present study aims to examine the effect of each dimension of EO (innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking) on the TQM and firm performance. The proposed conceptual model and research hypotheses were tested through structural equation modelling (SEM). Our results show that TQM partially mediates the relationship between EO and firm performance and that as the intensity of competition increases, the direct effect of EO on firm performance becomes stronger. Thus, this study contributes to the EO and TQM literature by arguing that EO as a strategic orientation is positively related to firm performance outcomes through the mechanism of TQM practices. Moreover, this study adds to the current literature by revealing that the effectiveness of the synergetic effect of EO and TQM of firm performance outcomes is contingent on the market environment conditions (i.e. competitive intensity). Regarding the relative importance of EO dimensions, findings indicate that innovativeness and proactiveness are vital pillars of organisational processes aimed at developing TQM practices to enhance firm performance outcomes.

Conference Report: Izvještaj sa Međunarodne naučne konferencije „Migracije i njihov uticaj na društvena i privredna kretanja na širem području Brčkog od početka XVII do kraja XX stoljeća, Brčko, 13. i 14. septembar 2019.

In this paper, the author emphasizes the specific case of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian intraparty dispute in the context of the reconstruction of the republican leaderships in Yugoslavia, the change of “Croatian Spring participants” and “liberals” as well as the so-called “senior cadres” at the beginning of 1970s. Pasaga Mandzic's years-long dispute with the current political leadership in Tuzla and also in the Republic will touch upon various issues, from plans and results of economic and urban development, integration of enterprises, organization and activities of political and party leadership to establishing the "historical truth" about the events throughout the war years 1941 and 1942. Considering the current socio-political discourse, Mandzic will come out very boldly, demanding that it is finally time to "speak openly" about the actual war events, the consequences of Partisan-Chetnik cooperation at the end of 1941, the dominance of the Serb element in the communist leadership and its attitude towards the Bosniaks during the war, but also in the post-war period. The insistence on establishing the "real truth" entailed a revision of the existing image of a "glorious war past", which also raised the question of consistent application of the principles of brotherhood and unity. Ultimately, years of clarification resulted in the political elimination and moral discredit of Pasaga Mandzic.