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In order not to lose continuity in education during COVID-19, universities mainly found the solution in Emergency remote teaching. Student satisfaction with online learning experience is one of the measures of the excellence of learning practice. Our goal was to test the hypothesis that the predictors of students' satisfaction with emergency remote online learning are their prior experience, attitude toward online learning, their motivation, aspects of the learning situation they value (expectations), and their digital competencies. For estimating students' satisfaction, a survey was created and disseminated, resulting with 547 responses from students of engineering education. Results showed that all students had some experience with online learning platforms and MS Teams. Attitude toward online learning in this situation was neutral, as well as the level of motivation. Their expectations were relatively high in comparison to their satisfaction with all relevant aspects of the online learning situation, while their digital competency was rather perceived as advanced. Our results showed that the prediction of the emergency remote online learning satisfaction for engineering students can be achieved based on previous positive experience with learning platform, motivation for learning in a specific situation, the importance they put to the learning achievement, and their level of digital competency.

Social distance is operationalized as the willingness of respondents of the general population to engage in direct, immediate, reciprocal social interactions with persons of another group and to achieve a degree of closeness through these interactions. The aim of this study was to examine the willingness of students with typical development to accept a certain type of social relations with peers with disabilities in inclusive education, as well as the association of gender and age differences in social distance with the type of disability. A modified Bogardus social distance scale was used for research purposes. The sample consisted of students with typical development sand their peers with disabilities (N-398), aged from 7 to 15 years of age who attend inclusive primary schools on the territory of the Republic of Serbia. The results of the study showed that students with typical development do not generally reject social contacts with their peers with disabilities, as shown by the overall lower social distance, but social distance grew in areas of emotional and physical closeness. Students expressed the highest social distance toward peers with autism, while the lowest social distance was manifested towards peers with sensory impairments. Gender and age differences were confirmed. The girls expressed lower social distance, as did the students of higher school age (from 11 to 15 years of age).

The aim of the research was to examine the quality of adolescents' lives in order to assess how much it serves the purpose of effective lifelong education. The sample consisted of 220 pupils from the first to the fourth grade of secondary school on the territory of Serbia. The quality of life of the respondents was assessed by means of a questionnaire on the quality of life--PedsQL™. The following was examined: Emotional, Social and Physical functioning. The results of the research showed a high level of life quality related to the aspects of physical functioning and social functioning, while emotional functioning is marked as a dimension with a lower degree of quality. Factor analysis revealed six relatively independent factors. The results indicate that the quality of students' life is still not at an enviable level and that it is important to work systematically in this field.

This paper examines how children aged 6-7, see scientists. By combining the data collected through the analysis of the drawings (Draw-a-scientist-test) and interviews, it was established that boys are more inclined to expressing gender stereotypes about scientists and showing them in their pictures. Among other stereotypical elements referring to scientists, formerly established in other studies, the most observable ones among considered preschoolers refer to the presence of the following: a lab coat, eyeglasses, scientist's messy hair, and activity related to the field of natural sciences. The significance of this kind of research lies in getting a more complete view on children's image of scientists through the analysis of data obtained by means of two instruments, and in the possibility of developing adequate approaches in preschool teachers' work that could help reduce preschoolers' stereotypical views of science and scientists.

The aim of the article is to contribute to research on the history of early childhood education in Serbia and to advance understanding of neoliberal influences in this region. The article covers the key events that have changed educational practices in Serbia over a period of 150 years. This article offers an overview of the history of preschool education in Serbia and an analysis of the processes of democratization and of the change in the system of preschool education in Serbia that occurred in phases at the turn of this century. The article emphasizes that the qualitative base for the ongoing reform was the good legacy of the previous system, including the existence of the concept and practice of integrated care for children, planned introduction of models for curriculum development and the tradition of exchanging information and organizing professional gatherings of staff. The article identifies possibilities for further development of the quality of preschool education based on a new concept of diversified programs of preschool education, which takes into account contemporary theories about childhood and early childhood education and relevant international and national documents, as well as traditional Serbian concepts of preschool education.

Background and Objectives: Death is an unavoidable experience in any person's life and affects not only the dying person but also their caregivers. The dying process has been displaced from homes to health care facilities in the majority of cases. Facing death and dying has become an everyday life of health care professionals (HCP), especially in palliative care (PC) settings. This study aimed to investigate the death attitudes among HCPs in Serbia. Materials and Methods: The Serbian version of the Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-RSp) was used as a measurement instrument. Results: The average age of the 180 included participants was 42.2 ± 9.9 years; the majority were females (70.0%), with more than 10 years of working experience (73.0%), physicians (70.0%) and those working in a non-oncological (non-ONC) field (57.78%). The mean total score of DAP-RSp was 124.80 ± 22.44. The highest mean score was observed in the neutral acceptance dimension (NA) (5.82 ± 0.90) and lowest in the Escape acceptance (EA) (2.57 ± 1.21). Higher negative death attitudes were reported among nurses compared to physicians (p = 0.002). Statistically significant differences were observed in the fear of death (FD) and death avoidance (DA) domains, favoring PC specialists and oncologists (p = 0.004; p = 0.015). Physicians working in Oncology (ONC) showed lower FD values (p = 0.001) compared to non-ONC departments. Conclusions: Attitudes toward death among HCPs are of great importance for the well-being of both HCPs and patients. Negative attitudes can lead to deficient care. The fear of death is highly represented among Serbian HCPs working in non-ONC fields, including both nurses and physicians. This study emphasizes the need for further research to comprehensively explore and understand HCPs' attitudes toward death. This research highlights the need for the development of an educational curriculum across all levels of medical education, aimed at overcoming the fear of death and enhancing coping strategies, which will improve the care for patients diagnosed with terminal illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and its etiological role in the development of cervical cancer are well established. The cervical cancer mortality rate in Serbia is one of the highest among European countries, and this cancer is the second-leading cause of death in Serbian women aged from 15 to 44. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina. A total of 10,062 cervical specimens from Serbian women were collected and HPV tested in ten years. The study patients were divided into five age groups. HPV genotype testing was performed using a commercial kit to detect 14 high-risk (HR) HPV genotypes. Additionally, cervix cytology data have been available for patients tested in 2022 and 2023. Results: An overall positive rate was found in 43.3% of patients (4356/10,062). A single HPV infection (62.1%) was the main infection pattern. The most frequent HR HPV genotypes were HPV 16, 31, 52, 56, 39, and 51, comprising 62.3% of the detected genotypes, including multiple infections. A significant difference was noted in the HPV prevalence across the different age groups, with a bimodal distribution of HPV infection. The highest prevalence was recorded in the age group ≤ 30 and those after 61 years. Women diagnosed with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) were significantly older compared to others. HR HPV is the most prevalent in patients with HSIL cytological findings (76.5%). The most common type, according to age-specific distribution and cytological findings, was HR HPV 16. Conclusions: This study provides comprehensive data on HR HPV distribution among Serbian women, which can serve as a basis for subsequent monitoring of genotypic distribution. It is particularly significant considering they are missing in the updated ICO/IARC Report for Serbia, and the cervical cancer mortality rate in Serbia is one of the highest among European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microbiological quality of dairy products from small-scale producers in Serbia was analysed. A total of 302 dairy products [raw (n = 111) and pasteurized milk cheeses (n = 79) and kajmak (n = 112)], were collected and tested for the presence of pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp., and enumerated for Coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), Escherichia coli, and yeasts and moulds. None of the samples tested positive for Salmonella spp., while L. monocytogenes was recovered from one raw milk cheese and five kajmak samples. Raw milk cheese and kajmak also had higher levels of indicator microorganisms, namely E. coli and yeast and moulds. Molecular serotyping grouped L. monocytogenes isolates into serogroups 1 (1/2a and 3a) and 3 (1/2b, 3b, and 7). When exposed to eight antibiotics, L. monocytogenes isolates were mostly sensitive, with the exception of oxacillin and reduced susceptibility to clindamycin, penicillin G, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, emphasizing the importance of continuous surveillance for antimicrobial resistance. Samples that tested positive for Listeria spp. also had higher loads of indicator microorganisms, namely E. coli and yeast and moulds, suggesting lapses in hygiene practices during production. Collectively, these data emphasize the need for improved food safety and hygiene practices among small-scale dairy producers. This is crucial to reduce the microbial contamination and improve both the quality and safety of dairy products in the Serbian market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS), the most frequent microdeletion syndrome in humans, is related to a high risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders. About 95% of patients with 22q11.2DS have speech and language impairments. Global articulation, story generation, and verbal memory tests were applied to compare articulatory characteristics of speech sounds, spontaneous language abilities, and immediate verbal memory between four groups of Serbian-speaking children: patients with 22q11.2DS, children with clinical presentation of 22q11.2DS that do not have the microdeletion, children with non-syndromic congenital heart defects, and their peers with typical speech–sound development. The obtained results showed that children with this microdeletion have impaired articulation skills and expressive language abilities. However, we did not observe weaker receptive language skills and immediate verbal memory compared to healthy controls. Children with 22q11.2DS should be considered a risk category for the development of speech–sound pathology and expressive language abilities. Since speech intelligibility is an instrument of cognition and adequate peer socialization, and language impairment in school-aged children with 22q11DS might be an indicator of increased risk for later psychotic symptoms, patients with 22q11.2 microdeletion should be included in a program of early stimulation of speech–language development immediately after diagnosis is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comprehension of constituent questions is an important topic for language acquisition research and for applications in the diagnosis of language impairment. This article presents the results of a study investigating the comprehension of different types of questions by 5-year-old, typically developing children across 19 European countries, 18 different languages, and 7 language (sub-)families. The study investigated the effects of two factors on question formation: (a) whether the question contains a simple interrogative word like "who" or a complex one like "which princess", and (b) whether the question word was related to the sentential subject or object position of the verb. The findings show that there is considerable variation among languages, but the two factors mentioned consistently affect children's performance. The cross-linguistic variation shows that three linguistic factors facilitate children's understanding of questions: having overt case morphology, having a single lexical item for both "who" and "which", and the use of synthetic verbal forms.

This descriptive study finds out the problems most frequently facing the children with special needs in regular schooling. The sample included 500 teachers in elementary schools from Serbia. The results point out the problems in inclusive education. Most educational problems occur in relations and communications with their peers in typical population and teachers. Teachers are ready to support inclusive education by including the experts in special education and rehabilitation in schools for typical population. The study point up the empirical experience in last ten years from the beginning of inclusive education in Serbia. (Contains 8 figures and 5 tables.)

Purpose: This paper aims to address the problem of enhancing the selection of titles offered by a digital library, by analysing the differences in these titles when they are cited by local authors in their publications and when they are listed in the digital library offer. Design/methodology/approach: Text mining techniques were used to identify duplicate references. Moreover, the process of identifying syntactically different data was improved with the automated discovery of thesauri from correctly matched data, and the generated thesaurus was further used in semantic clustering. The results were effectively visually represented. Findings: The paper finds that the function based on the Jaro-Winkler algorithm may be efficiently used in the de-duplication process. A generated thesaurus that utilises domain-specific knowledge can also be used in the semantic clustering of references. It was shown that semantic clustering may be most useful in partitioning data, which is particularly significant when dealing with large amounts of data, which is usually the case. Moreover, those references that have the same or similar scores may be considered as candidate matches in the further de-duplication process. Finally, it proved to be a more efficient way of visually representing the results. Originality/value: This function can be implemented to enhance the selection of titles to be offered by a digital library, in terms of making that offer more compliant with what the library users frequently cite. (Contains 5 figures and 10 tables.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare home and office BP in the adjustment of antihypertensive treatment. Methods: This study was an open, prospective, noninterventional, multicenter clinical trial that occurred between July 2019 and February 2020, in 34 cities in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, which monitored 1581 participants for 6 months. Depending on the used blood pressure monitoring method used, all patients were divided into control (office BP monitoring) and experimental (home BP telemonitoring) groups. We collected anamnestic data and data about systolic blood pressure (SP), in mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (DP), in mmHg, and heart rate (HR), in beats/minute, from all patients. Results: SP values were significantly different at baseline, and at the second, third, and fourth visits between the two tested groups. Home and office BP decreased significantly (p < 0.000) during the 6-month follow-up. We observed a statistically significant influence of the presence of diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia on the dynamics of differences between SP monitoring values. Conclusions: Our study suggests that novel technologies in BP monitoring can be excellent alternatives for BP assessment in hypertensive patients with other cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes and dyslipidemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sanamed is the property of Sanamed and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The complete understanding of the genomic contribution to complex traits, diseases, and response to treatments, as well as genomic medicine application to the well-being of all humans will be achieved through the global variome that encompasses fine-scale genetic diversity. Despite significant efforts in recent years, uneven representation still characterizes genomic resources and among the underrepresented European populations are the Western Balkans including the Serbian population. Our research addresses this gap and presents the first ever targeted sequencing dataset of variants in clinically relevant genes. By measuring population differentiation and applying the Principal Component and Admixture analysis we demonstrated that the Serbian population differs little from other European populations, yet we identified several novel and more frequent variants that appear as its unique genetic determinants. We explored thoroughly the functional impact of frequent variants and its correlation with the health burden of the population of Serbia based on a sample of 144 individuals. Our variants catalogue improves the understanding of genetics of modern Serbia, contributes to research on ancestry, and aids in improvements of well-being and health equity. In addition, this resource may also be applicable in neighboring regions and valuable in worldwide functional analyses of genetic variants in individuals of European descent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sanamed is the property of Sanamed and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study evaluates the pre-vaccination prevalence of HPV infection in women from Vojvodina, Serbia, according to age and cytological status. A total of 1,495 women, ranging from 18 to 65 years of age, with different cytological results were enrolled. The HPV genotyping assay was performed using the EUROArray HPV test in order to detect thirty genitally relevant HPV subtypes. In our study, the most prevalent genotypeswere HPV 16, 31, 51, and 53. Among these, HPV 16 was consistently present in all cytological subgroups. Twelve HPV genotypes classified as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) were detected in 77.8.0% of HSIL/ASCH and 55.0% of NILM with abnormal colposcopy findings. Six possible carcinogens—HRs (group 2B) were often found in women with normal cytology (14.8%) and mild abnormalities (ASCUS and LSIL), but with lower frequence in HSIL/ASCH lesions (7.1%). HPVs 6 and 11(Group 3) were not found in the cases of HSIL/ASCH. Unclassified HPV types were equally distributed in all cytology groups: 20.7%, 19.1%, 16.3% and 13% of NILM, ASCUS, LSIL and HSIL/ASCH, respectively. Our findings highlight that majority of abnormal Pap test results are caused by Group 1 HPVs among women from our region. Low frequency HPVs of group 2A/2B, especially HSIL/ASCH, supports the conclusion that individual genotypes require consideration of each type as an individual agent. We expect a positive impact of HPV vaccine in reducing HPV-associated cervical lesions among women from Vojvodina province, after establishing vaccination programs in our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the adequacy of foreign exchange reserves in the Republic of Serbia (RS) and the factors that influence their accumulation is analyzed by means of an econometric model. The relevant variables, such as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) and monetary aggregate M2/GDP are included in the analysis. The unit root tests applied in the research led to the conclusion that the timeseries were integrated of the order I(1). The cointegration test revealed that there was one cointegration equation. The regression model was estimated using the quarterly data for the period from 2002q1 to 2020q3. The estimated cointegration coefficients showed that the economic activity approximated in terms of the GDP had a significant influence on foreign exchange reserves accumulation, which is only followed by appreciation pressure on the dinar (approximated by the REER index) and money supply growth (estimated through the monetary aggregate M2/GDP). In addition to conventional factors, the analysis also points out specific factors and their impact on foreign exchange reserve accumulation in RS. The results of the research study show that foreign exchange reserves in RS are greater than the levels suggested by standard optimality criteria. The findings also suggest that it is necessary to take into account the dividends realized by foreign investors, as well as some segments of portfolio investment in assessing the specific indicator of the adequate level of foreign exchange reserves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: As an important public health concern, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is related to lack of knowledge among healthcare professionals. Since the Global Action Plan on AMR highlights the importance of training all healthcare professionals, it is essential to focus our attention on the education related to judicious antimicrobial use. The current study was the first attempt in southeastern Europe to quantify the knowledge about antimicrobial usage and biosecurity measure among veterinary students. Methods: This questionnaire-based study was performed between April and May of 2019 on 213 veterinary students of the University of Novi Sad, Serbia and the University of Zagreb, Croatia. Results: Veterinary students appeared to be little aware of antimicrobial use in veterinary medicine contribution to overall AMR since only 56.8% have chosen strong contribution as the answer. Of the students surveyed, only 22.1%/35.7% of them strongly agreed/agreed that the amount of teaching time for pharmacology was about right. Students who denied having good knowledge of the pharmacology of antimicrobials showed higher knowledge about systemic use of antimicrobials in different clinical scenarios (p = 0.002). High importance of some antimicrobials for human medicine was not recognized by surveyed students. Only 8.5% of them identified gentamicin correctly, as first-line therapy. Students expected to graduate later were more likely to identify the importance of rating antimicrobials correctly than those who thought they would graduate earlier (p = 0.002). More than half of students gave correct answer at scenario regarding a dog with recurrent pyoderma by choosing culture and susceptibility (C & S) testing. Our students who think they will graduate sooner have higher knowledge level on C & S testing sample submission for range of clinical scenarios (p = 0.004). Moreover, appropriate use of PPE (personal protective equipment) procedure and biosecurity measure were reported for two thirds of our students in case of only for two clinical scenarios. Conclusion: This study reveals that among veterinary students from Croatia and Serbia improved undergraduate education is needed on the AMR with emphasis on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and appropriate biosecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Archives of Veterinary Medicine / Arhiv Veterinarske Medicine is the property of Scientific Veterinary Institute Novi Sad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Intracranial aneurisms are ongoing problem for neurosurgeons and especially for interventional neuroradiologists due to its morbidity and mortality. The method of choice for treatment of the unruptured and ruptured intracranial aneurysms is endovascular coiling on account of its minimal invasiveness and high effectiveness. The aim of our study was to evaluate the safety and successfulness of endovascular coiling procedure in unruptured and ruptured intracranial aneurysms. Our study was designed as case series and consisted of patients older than 18 years, who underwent endovascular coiling of unruptured and ruptured intracranial aneurysms and follow-up examination 6 months after the interventional procedure. The procedures were performed from December 2010 to December 2016, by experienced interventional neuroradilogists (more than 400 performed embolizations each) at the Department for Interventional Neuroradiology, Clinical Center Kragujevac, Serbia. There were 681 patients (average age 47.5 ± 11.2 years) treated with endovascular coiling, out of them 324 (234 females, 90 males) had unruptured intracranial aneurysm and 357 (138 females, 219 males) had ruptured intracranial aneurysm. In our series, total complication rate was 11.71 %. Analysis of the results after first endovascular procedure has shown that complete aneurysm occlusion was accomplished in 546 patients (80.3%), near-complete in 81 patients (11.8%), and incomplete in 54 patients (7.9 %). Our results were satisfying regarding the procedure's success, safety, outcomes and study material. However, further technical development of the materials and constant training of the interventional radiologists, are a necessity in order to improve treatment outcomes and patients' benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to estimate the pre-vaccination prevalence of 12 hrHPV types among 564 women from Vojvodina province (Serbia). The corrected contingency coefficient (Ccorr) was used to estimate the importance of association of examined HPV types and cytological diagnosis. The highest association with the abnormal cytology was observed for HPV 16 (Ccorr = 0.493) in all age groups of participants. The effect of HPV 16 was especially clear within the group of women older than 35 years (Ccorr = 0.691), compared with women younger than 35 (Ccorr = 0.333). The molecular characterization at the level of L1 gene of HPV 16, 18, 31 and 33 variants was for the first time assessed in our region. Nearly all HPV 16 isolates cluster with variant lineage A (96.4%) the remaining isolates clustering with variant lineage D. All of HPV 18 and HPV 33 isolates are clustering within the lineage A while isolates of HPV 31 group with lineages A and C. This contributes to understanding of intrinsic geographical and biological differences of examined HPV types and could be useful for development of cervical cancer screening strategies in Vojvodina (Serbia) and diagnosis of HPV related cervical cancer in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical and psychological changes during menopausal transition may affect various aspects of everyday functioning including women's work ability and work productivity. Presence of menopausal symptoms has been well-acknowledged to negatively affect quality of life (QOL). However, data on factors associated with occupational QOL among women at this period of life are lacking. The authors' purpose in this study was to evaluate factors affecting occupational QOL in a sample of employed mid-life women who are experiencing menopause. The authors performed a cross-sectional study among 335 employed women aged 40 to 65 years from Serbia. Socio-demographic questionnaire, Utian's Quality of Life Scale, and Beck's Depression Inventory were used in data collection. Women's average monthly household income and educational level were positively correlated, while having uterine prolapse was negatively associated with occupational QOL. Significant regression models assessing impact of gynecological illnesses and menopause-specific symptoms on occupational QOL (direct value and categories—below vs. above mean) showed that having insomnia, uterine prolapse, and genital inflammations may differentiate "good" from "poor" occupational QOL. Uterine prolapse, genital inflammation, and insomnia were associated with worse occupational QOL among working women in menopausal transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed factors associated with quality of life (QOL) among Serbian peri- and postmenopausal women using two menopause-specific scales. This cross-sectional study included 500 women aged 40–65 years who had a gynecologic check-up in one of two Community Health Centers in Belgrade during February 2014 to January 2015. Women completed: a questionnaire about socio-demographics, habits, and health status; a menopause-specific questionnaire, Utian’s Quality of Life Scale (UQOL); and a Women’s Health Questionnaire (WHQ) and Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI). Higher education was associated with better occupational UQOL and memory/concentration, but with lower emotional UQOL and more anxiety/fears. City center residency was associated with better occupational and sexual UQOL. Being employed was associated with better occupational UQOL and lower anxiety/fears. Higher income was associated with better emotional UQOL. Not having uterine prolapse, insomnia, or tachycardia was associated with better occupational UQOL and fewer sleep problems. Higher parity was associated with better sexual UQOL. Having regular recreation was associated with better health and sexual UQOL but with more frequent vasomotor symptoms. Leaner women felt more attractive. QOL during the menopausal transition does not entail only somatic symptoms and therefore requires a more comprehensive approach that includes psychosocial underpinnings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: To assess factors associated with better sexual quality of life (QOL) in midlife period among women who are and are not sexually active.Methods: Participants were 500 women aged 40-65 years from Belgrade, Serbia. Data were collected through general questionnaire (regarding socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, general medical, and gynecological history) in which one item investigated having partnered sexual activity (heterosexual intercourses). The sexual domain of the Utian Quality of Life Scale was used to assess the sexual QOL. The sexual QOL consisted of reflections on the satisfaction with frequency of sexual interactions, as well as sexual and romantic life in general. Higher scores indicated better sexual QOL.Results: Most women were sexually active in midlife (81.6%). The mean sexual QOL score for the overall sample was 9.99 (range 3-15). The level of sexual QOL did not differ between sexually active and non-active women. Factors associated with better sexual QOL in sexually active menopausal women were being married or coupled, being physically active, having more children, having hot flushes, and not having tachycardia. Factors associated with better sexual QOL in sexually inactive menopausal women were drinking alcohol, being physically active, not having insomnia or skin rash.Conclusions: Sexual QOL among Serbian urban midlife women was good and did not differ between women who were sexually active and those who were not. Further studies are needed to determine in what manner women who are not sexually active in midlife achieve high level of satisfaction with their sexual QOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview and analysis of the structure of the energy system and consumers of natural gas on the territory of the Serbia with special attention to one category of consumers – households. It gives an overview of data on the energy system of Serbia – the natural gas sector, concepts, and directions of the development with projections until 2030. In addition to the projection of consumption of natural gas, it also gives the legal framework in force in the field of energy sector in Serbia. It presents data on natural gas consumption in Serbia in the period from 2010 to 2015, with projections of future consumption until year 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the low- and middle-income countries some non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such are cardiac diseases, strokes, chronic lung diseases, certain cancers, and diabetes, tend to overtake the morbidity and mortality of poverty diseases (Adams and Butterly, 2015; Jakovljevic and Getzen, 2016). Such diseases, conditionally labeled as diseases of affluence (Nutrition Health Topics, 2016), are growing rapidly in the developing countries, making almost 80% of deaths due to NCDs (New WHO report: deaths from noncommunicable diseases on the rise, with developing world hit hardest, 2011). Until a century ago, infectious diseases were the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. For example, in the United States at the beginning of the twentieth century, the crude death rate for the infectious diseases amounted to 800 per 100,000 population per year, reaching nearly 1000 during influenza pandemic at the end of the WWII. Afterwards, significant drop in the morbidity and mortality due to infectious causes was noticed, mostly as a consequence of a variety of the conducted preventive measures in sanitation and hygiene area, vaccination strategies and the development of different antimicrobial agents (Achievements in Public Health, 1900-1999: Control of Infectious Diseases, 1999; Wang et al., 2016). Due to the globalization, the flow rate of people, ideas and financial capital increased worldwide (Jakovljevic et al., 2016). Non-communicable diseases have achieved high morbidity and mortality rates, first in the developed (affluent) and afterwards in the low- and middle-income countries, dislodging the rich-countries exclusivity premise. On the contrary, the wealthier people live, socially and economically, the better their health (Fair Society Healthy Lives, 2010). Morbidity and mortality rates are rising faster in developing countries; inequalities in health access within particular country favor the growth of such rates (Human Development Report 2013, 2013). The chronic illnesses make a profound impact on patients and society, regarding complex and expensive treatment strategies, decreased quality of life and working disability. Most of them are treatable, but not curable, which additionally prolongs the enormous influence on the health funds (Jakovljevic and Milovanovic, 2015; EU Reflection on Chronic Disease, 2016). The objectives of this study were to estimate the impact of drug utilization related to NCDs on Serbian health funds, and compare it with the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita values for the observed period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer users over 65 years of age in Serbia are rare. The purpose of this study was to (i) describe main demographic characteristics of computer users older than 65; (ii) evaluate their online health information literacy and (iii) assess factors associated with computer use in this population. Persons above 65 years of age were recruited at the Community Health Center 'Vracar' in Belgrade from November 2012 to January 2013. Data were collected after medical checkups using a questionnaire. Of 480 persons who were invited to participate 354 (73.7%) agreed to participate, while 346 filled in the questionnaire (72.1%). A total of 70 (20.2%) older persons were computer users (23.4% males vs. 17.7% females). Of those, 23.7% explored health-related web sites. The majority of older persons who do not use computers reported that they do not have a reason to use a computer (76.5%), while every third senior (30.4%) did not own a computer. Predictors of computer use were being younger [odds ratio (OR) = 2.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.30-4.04; p = 0.019], having less members of household (OR = 2.97, 95% CI 1.45-6.08; p = 0.003), being more educated (OR = 3.53, 95% CI 1.88-6.63; p=0.001), having higher income (OR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.17-4.58; p = 0.016) as well as fewer comorbidities (OR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.23-0.79; p= 0.007). Being male was independent predictor of online health information use at the level of marginal significance (OR = 4.43, 95% CI 1.93-21.00; p = 0.061). Frequency of computer and Internet use among older adults in Belgrade is similar to other populations. Patterns of Internet use as well as non-use demonstrate particular socio-cultural characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Serbia, as the largest market of the Western Balkans, has entered socioeconomic transition with substantial delay compared to most of Eastern Europe. Its health system reform efforts were bold during the past 15 years, but their results were inconsistent in various areas. The two waves of global recession that hit Balkan economies ultimately reflected to the financial situation of healthcare. Serious difficulties in providing accessible medical care to the citizens became a reality. A large part of the unbearable expenses actually belongs to the overt prescription of pharmaceuticals and various laboratory and imaging diagnostic procedures requested by physicians. Therefore, a broad national survey was conducted at all levels of the healthcare system hierarchy to distinguish the ability of cost containment strategies to reshape clinician's mindsets and decision-making in practice. Aims: Assessment of healthcare professionals' judgment on economic consequences of prescribed medical interventions and evaluation of responsiveness of healthcare professionals to policy measures targeted at increasing cost-consciousness. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted through a hierarchy of medical facilities across diverse geographical regions before and after policy action, from January 2010 to April 2013. In the middle of the observed period, the National Health Insurance Fund (RFZO) adopted severe cost-containment measures. Independently, pharmacoeconomic guidelines targeted at prescribers were disseminated. Administration in large hospitals and community pharmacies was forced to restrict access to high budget-impact medical care. Economic Awareness of Healthcare Professionals Questionnaire--29 (EAHPQ-29), developed in Serbian language, was used in face-to-face interviews. The questionnaire documented clinician's attitudes on: Clinical-Decision-Makingbetween- Alternative-Interventions (CDMAI), Qualityof- Health-Care (QHC), and Cost-Containment-Policy (CCP). The authors randomly and anonymously recruited 2000 healthcare experts, with a total of 1487 responding; after eliminating incomplete surveys, 649 participants were considered before and 651 after policy intervention. Results: Dentists (1.195±0.560) had a higher mean CDMAI score compared to physicians (1.017±0.453). The surgical group compared to the internist group had a higher total EAHPQ-29 score, CCP score and CDMAI score. Policy intervention had a statistically significant negative impact on the QHC score (F=4.958; df=1; p=0.027). There was no substantial impact of policy interventions on professional behavior and judgment with regard to the CDMAI, CCP, and total EAHPQ-29 scores. Conclusion: Although cost savings were forcibly imposed in practice, the effects on clinical decision-making were modest. Clinicians' perceptions of quality of medical care were explained in a less effective manner due to the severely constrained resources allocated to the providers. This pioneering effort in the Balkans exposes the inefficiency of current policies to expand clinicians' cost consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aim was to translate the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) to Serbian language and assess its validity and reliability in the population of Serbian menopausal women.Methods: The study included 200 peri- and postmenopausal women from two Community Health Centers (city center and outskirts) in the Serbian capital-Belgrade. Women filled out general questionnaire (socio-demographics, habits, medical history), the MRS, Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36) and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). The MRS was translated according to recommended methodology and its psychometric properties (internal consistency, factor analysis, discriminant, construct and criterion validity) were assessed.Results: The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the whole scale was 0.884 (psychological α = 0.902, somato-vegetative α = 0.761, urogenital α = 0.734). Values of the CI-TC coefficient for Serbian MRS were adequate for 10 items, proving their suitability in the scale. On factor analysis, we obtained the same 3 factors as in the original scale (73.1 % of variance). Communalities of all items were appropriate (>0.4). There was no common method bias. The MRS total score was correlated positively with BDI score (p = 0.001) and negatively with all SF-36 domains (p = 0.001) except General Health. Based on ROC analysis, MRS scores were more consistent for post- than perimenopausal Serbian women. Similar results of two raters (p > 0.05) implied on adequate translation and reliability of MRS.Conclusion: Serbian version of MRS demonstrated excellent reliability and validity. The MRS in Serbian language can be used in daily clinical work with menopausal women for assessing their symptoms and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neodymium yttrium-aluminium-garnet ( Nd : YAG) laser resection is one of the mostly used interventional pulmonology techniques for urgent desobstruction of malignant central airway obstruction ( CAO). The major aim of this trial was to evaluate potential influence of Nd : YAG laser resection on overall quality of life ( QoL) in patients with central lung cancer. Patients with malignant CAO scheduled for Nd : YAG laser resection were prospectively recruited in the trial. All patients were given European Organization for Research and Treatment, Quality of Life questionnaire ( EORTC QLQ-30 v.3) before the procedure and approximately 2 weeks after the treatment. There were 37 male and 10 female patients, average age 54 ± 10 years. Most common tumour type was adenocarcinoma diagnosed in 51% of patients. Majority of patients were diagnosed in stage IIIB (53.2%) and stage IV (25.5%). Most common Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was 1 (72.3%). Nd : YAG laser resection significantly improved ( P < 0.0001) QoL and overall health according to EORTC QLQ-30. However, in some of the questions dealing with nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, family life, social activities and financial situation, we did not observe statistically significant improvement. Nd : YAG laser resection of malignant CAO significantly improves QoL and overall health in patients with lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Although south-Slavic populations have been studied to date from various aspects, the population of Serbia, occupying the central part of the Balkan Peninsula, is still genetically understudied at least at the level of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation. We analyzed polymorphisms of the first and the second mtDNA hypervariable segments (HVS-I and HVS-II) and informative coding-region markers in 139 Serbians to shed more light on their mtDNA variability, and used available data on other Slavic and neighboring non-Slavic populations to assess their interrelations in a broader European context. The contemporary Serbian mtDNA profile is consistent with the general European maternal landscape having a substantial proportion of shared haplotypes with eastern, central, and southern European populations. Serbian population was characterized as an important link between easternmost and westernmost south-Slavic populations due to the observed lack of genetic differentiation with all other south-Slavic populations and its geographical positioning within the Balkan Peninsula. An increased heterogeneity of south Slavs, most likely mirroring turbulent demographic events within the Balkan Peninsula over time (i.e., frequent admixture and differential introgression of various gene pools), and a marked geographical stratification of Slavs to south-, east-, and west-Slavic groups, were also found. A phylogeographic analyses of 20 completely sequenced Serbian mitochondrial genomes revealed not only the presence of mtDNA lineages predominantly found within the Slavic gene pool (U4a2a*, U4a2a1, U4a2c, U4a2g, HV10), supporting a common Slavic origin, but also lineages that may have originated within the southern Europe (H5*, H5e1, H5a1v) and the Balkan Peninsula in particular (H6a2b and L2a1k). Am J Phys Anthropol 156:449-465, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Gamma-glutamyl hydrolase ( GGH), cyclin D1 ( CCND1) and thymidylate synthase ( TS) genes encode enzymes that are involved in methotrexate (MTX) action. In a group of 184 RA patients treated with MTX, we have investigated whether selected polymorphisms in these genes modulate MTX efficacy and/or have impact on adverse drug effects (ADEs). Methods: The efficacy of the MTX therapy has been estimated using the disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28-ESR) based on EULAR criteria and relative DAS28 values (rDAS28). All adverse drug events were recorded. Patients were genotyped for selected polymorphisms of the GGH ( -354 G > T and 452 C > T), CCND1 ( 870 A > G) and TYMS (variable number of tandem repeats, VNTR, and G to C substitution of triple repeat, 3R allele) gene. Association studies have been performed between obtained genotypes and the efficacy and toxicity of MTX. Results: According to the EULAR response criteria, 146 RA patients (79.3 %) were classified as responders (good/moderate response) and 38 (20.7 %) as non-responders (poor response). Higher frequency of the TYMS 3 G/3 G genotype has been found among non-responders as compared to individuals with remaining genotypes (p = 0.02). ADEs were recorded in 53 patients. Among those patients eight experienced bone marrow toxicity, all of them carried GGH -354GG genotype ( p = 0.003). No other significant association were observed. Conclusion: The 3 G/3 G genotype of the TYMS gene may indicate predisposition of poor response to MTX and GG genotype of GGH -354 T > G polymorphism may have high predictive value for myelosuppression in RA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Balkan Wars of 1991 to 2002 left the former Yugoslavia in ruins, a situation made only worst with the recent worldwide recession. Untreated civilians and Veterans caught up in the war, the worst in Europe since World War II, has had an even greater impact on youth. Sectarian hostilities and prejudices within and between the three major ethnic populations in Bosnia–Herzegovina—Orthodox Serbs, Muslim Bosniaks, and Catholic Croats, as well as the Orthodox Serbs and Muslim Albanians in Serbia/Kosovo—has led to impulsive violence and increasing mental and physical health problems among these second-generation war victims. The authors' pilot study administered a Slavic-language Problem-Oriented Screening Instrument for Teens to schools in Bosnia–Herzegovina that represented the three major sectarian groups (Orthodox, Bosniak, Catholic) as well as in the war-torn Vojvodina province of Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aim To describe characteristics and outcome of mechanically ventilated patients admitted to three newly established intensive care units (ICU) in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia for 2009 H1N1 influenza infection. Methods The retrospective observational study included all mechanically ventilated adult patients of three university- affiliated hospitals between November T 2009 and March 1 2010 who had 2009 H1N1 influenza infection confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerasechain- reaction (RT-PCR) from nasopharyngeal swab specimens and respiratory secretions. Results The study included 50 patients, 31 male (62%), aged 43±13 years. Median time from hospital to ICU admission was 1 day (range 1-2). Sixteen patients (30%) presented with one or more chronic medical condition: 8 (16%) with chronic lung disease, 5 (10%) with chronic heart failure, and 3 (6%) with diabetes mellitus. Thirty-two (64%) were obese. Forty-eight patients (96%) experienced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), 28 (56%) septic shock, and 27 (54%) multiorgan failure. Forty-five patients (90%) were intubated and mechanically ventilated, 5 received non-invasive mechanical ventilation, 7 (14%) high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, and 7 (14%) renal replacement therapy. The median duration of mechanical ventilation was 7 (4-14) days. Hospital mortality was 52%. Conclusion Influenza 2009 H1N1 infection in three southeast European ICUs affected predominantly healthy young patients and was associated with rapid deterioration after hospital admission and severe respiratory and multiorgan failure. These emerging ICUs provided contemporary ICU services, resulting in case-fatality rate comparable to reports from well-established ICU settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Observation of drug use patterns during pregnancy is necessary for the recognition of potential bad practices and improvement of safe drug use in pregnancy. Objective To investigate prescription and over the counter drug use among Serbian women in the 6 months before pregnancy and in the first 6 months of pregnancy, and to evaluate the drugs used according to the risk to a fetus. Setting Six maternity care units and five community pharmacies Method A multi-center study was performed in Serbia during the period from March 2009-March 2010. A self-reporting questionnaire was used as a data source. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) risk classification system was used to determine the risk of used drugs for the fetus. Differences between subgroups were assessed using McNemar's test on paired proportions. Main outcome measure Proportion of women exposed to drugs or class of drugs. Results The overall drug exposure was higher in pregnancy (34.7 %) than before pregnancy (29.9 %), p > 0.05, in the cohort of 311 pregnant women. A significantly greater prescription drug use, 19.0 versus 27.3 % of women, p < 0.05, and less selfmedication with over the counter drugs in pregnancy, 15.1 versus 8.7 %, p < 0.05, were observed. Commonly used drugs were musculoskeletal drugs, analgesics/antipyretics and respiratory system drugs before pregnancy (13.8, 12.5, and 6.4 % of women, respectively), and progestogens, analgesics/antipyretics, and antibiotics for the systemic use in pregnancy (9.0, 7.7, and 7.4 %, respectively). A greater exposure to drugs belonging to the FDA risk category A (3.9 vs. 60.8 %, p < 0.05), B (18.0 vs. 19.6 %, p > 0.05), C (10.0 vs. 10.3 %, p > 0.05) and D (2.9 vs. 10.9 %, p < 0.05), as well as less exposure to drugs belonging to category X (0.3 vs. 0 %, p > 0.05) were observed in pregnancy. Folic acid was used by 60.8 % of women in pregnancy, and by only 3.9 % before pregnancy. Conclusion Besides higher overall drug use in pregnancy than before pregnancy, particularly the use of progestogens, and, subsequently, D category drugs, less selfmedication with over the counter drugs was observed in pregnancy. Insufficient use of folic acid before pregnancy requires public health service activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent of noise in five printing companies in Novi Sad, Serbia, was determined using TES-1358A Sound Analyzer with RS-232 Interface. The data on equivalent A-level (dBA), as well as, maximum and minimum sound pressure levels were collected. It was found that folders and offset printing units are the predominant noise sources, with the average L levels of 87.66 and 82.7 dBA, respectively. Forty percent of the machines produced noise levels above the limiting threshold level of 85 dBA, allowed by law. The noise in all printing companies was dominated by higher frequency noise, and the maximum level mostly appeared at 4,000 Hz. For offset printing machines and folders, the means of L levels exceeded the permissible levels given by NR-80 curve at higher frequencies. There are no published studies of occupational noise and hearing impairment of workers exposed to hazardous noise in printing industry in Serbia. More extensive studies are needed to determine the exact impact of noise on the workers. Technical and organizational measures in order to control noise and prevent noise exposure, and general hearing conservation program to protect workers, should be introduced in printing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study level of soil contamination by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in two oil refineries in Vojvodina region of Serbia was assessed using combined bio/chemical approach. Toxicity of the samples, determined by microEROD analysis, could not be exclusively attributed to the content of measured PCBs and PAHs, but also to the presence of unknown dioxin-like compounds (DLC), and/or positive interactions among similarly acting chemicals. The results proved that biotests, when applied in ecotoxicological assessments, should be used either as a screening tool or initial step in effect-directed analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to characterize a collection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates of human and animal origin from Serbia. In total, 36 MRSA isolates—30 obtained from humans and six from companion animals—were investigated by PCR for the presence of antibiotic and biocide resistance determinants and virulence genes (PVL—Panton–Valentine leukocidin, ETs—exfoliative toxins, TSST—toxic shock syndrome toxin, SEs—staphylococcal enterotoxins, and MSCRAMMs—microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules and biofilm). Isolates were analyzed by staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), spa, and dru typing, as well as by multiple locus variable number of tandem repeat analyses (MLVA), multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and subsequently, eBURST. The majority of human MRSA isolates were resistant to gentamicin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and ciprofloxacin. Different antibiotic resistance genes were detected: aac-aphD, ant(6′)-Ia, erm(A), erm(B), erm(C), tet(K), tet(M), fexA, and catpC221. All isolates were susceptible to teicoplanin and linezolid. SCCmec type III was prevalent in human isolates, while SCCmec elements in animals were mostly nontypeable. t037 was the predominant spa type in human and t242 in animal MRSA isolates. The prevalent dru type was dt11c in human and dt10a in animal MRSA isolates. MRSA isolates exhibited 27 different MLVA types. ST239 was predominant in human, while ST5 was prevalent in canine MRSA isolates. PVL was found in two, while tsst-1 was detected in three human isolates. Human-associated clones belonging to ST5, ST45, and ST239 MRSA clones were discovered in companion animals, which suggests anthropozoonotic transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the first REP-LECOTOX Workshop in Nove Sad, Serbia. It mentions that the workshop provided participants with a comprehensive insight into the application of omic technologies in the field of ecotoxicology with experts in the field of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and bioinformatics as lecturers. The workshop contributed to popularization of ecotoxicogenicology research in general in Serbia and in the region.

Background: The family is institution in which the life is born and rise. Homicide is cruel form of violence that is ruining and stopping the life. Those two, exclusive extremities, appear in one phenomenon- homicide in family. Materials and methods: This research is one part of comparative analytic prospective study, which last 10 years. In the Department of forensic psychiatry in Prison hospital in Belgrade we examined 266 perpetrators of homicide in family, 212 (79.70%) were male and 54 (20.30%) were female. Among those perpetrators we identified psychotic disorders in 77 mails (36.32 %) and 12 female (22.22 %). Thos groups committed 89 homicides in family with 99 victims. Results: We found statistically significant difference between males and females with regard to previous psychiatric treatment, alcohol abuses and intoxicated with alcohol at the time of the homicide. In male group with psychotic disorders, dominate schizophrenia (40, 26%) and paranoid psychosis (37, 66%), and in female dominate paranoid psychosis (50, 00%). Many perpetrators (41% male and 27% female) were not treated because of psychiatric disorder before, and psychiatric disorder diagnosed after the homicidal act. Conclusions: Among perpetrators of homicide in family there were two times more male than female with psychopathological symptoms. In both groups, psychoses are most usual diagnosis. The arm of future research should be recognizing factors that increased risk of violent behaviors and comparing those factors among person with and without mental disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There are no precize estimation of problem drug use prevalence in Serbia. The research about drug use in a whole population has been done two years ago, but the results have shown far to much underestimated results regarding problem drug use then expected. Preliminary preparations for an ESPAD survey have been done in 2005. The results were concordant with similar researches conducted on a local or municipality level and they have shown that 13% adolescent at the age of 16 have had an experience with cannabis. Official records show that a wide mayority of patients in state or private medical facilities request an opiate dependency treatment. There is far too more requests then available medical capacities and trained professionals for different treatment programs. An intensified efforts are made for overcoming this actual discordance and an adopting and implementing a national strategy and an action plan to fight drug problems in society are of a greatist significance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Wastewater canal (WWC) in Pancevo industrial area in Serbia, whose main environmental receptor is the River Danube, is a well known hot-spot of contamination. WWC sediments have been assessed by UNEP based on chemical target analysis. However, integrative biological data on exposure to hazardous compounds are only provided by the present study which aims at evaluating whether the monitored compounds sufficiently reflect potential hazards and to suggest additional compounds to include in monitoring and hazard assessment by applying effect-directed analysis (EDA) based on arylhydrocarbon receptor-mediated activity and cytotoxicity. Multistep NP-HPLC fractionation provided 18 fractions co-eluting with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and more polar compounds. PAHs fractions exhibited great potencies to induce ethoxyresorufin-o-deethylase (EROD) in H4IIE rat hepatoma cell line expressed as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (TCDD-EQ) (0.1–34.6×103 pgg−1 dry weight). Chemical analysis of the most active fractions revealed great concentrations of PAHs (up to 292×102 ngg−1 sediment equivalents (SEQ)), methylated PAHs (up to 900×102 ngg−1 SEQ), and other alkyl-substituted PAHs. Only minor portions of biologically derived TCDD-EQs could be attributed to monitored PAHs with known relative potencies (REPs). We hypothesize that a major part of the activity is due to non-monitored alkylated and heterocyclic PAHs. Results of the cell cytotoxicity/proliferation assay on H4IIE cell line suggest the presence of sediment pollutants with pronounced potency to disturb cell growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Substantial genetic diversity of the NA gene of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses was found. • Permisive mutations V241, N369K, N386K and K432E were found. • Five potential T-cell epitopes within the NA were detected. • Fourteen sequences within the NA were identified as potential B-cell epitopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the costs and survival estimates of metastatic colorectal carcinoma patients treated with conventional cytostatic protocols and adjuvant monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)., Methods: Retrospective randomized case series and cost-of-illness analysis was used. Metastatic colorectal carcinoma cases (62) were randomly selected from the archive of the largest university military hospital in Southeastern Europe., Results: A 6-month longer survival was attributed to mAbs (p = 0.581). Conventional protocols incurred € 5137 (95% CI: € 3758-€ 6517) versus € 22,113 (95% CI: € 16,201-€ 28,025) total direct medical costs in mAb-based group. ICER of € 32,108 per life year gained attributable to mAbs three-fold exceeded informal willingness to pay threshold of Serbia., Conclusion: mAbs adjuvant protocols had modest positive impact on 5-year survival rates. Costs were driven by targeted biologicals, but significantly higher costs of care were recorded in mAb-treated group in other domains, as well. More selective prescription and reimbursement criteria should be applied to increase cost-effectiveness of targeted oncology agents.