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The purpose of this research was to evaluate which medical waste treatment would benefit Brčko Hospital the most by using multicriteria decision-making, combining extended sustainability criteria with technical criteria. Six medical waste treatments were observed using these criteria. The evaluation was conducted through expert group decision-making and linguistic evaluations. These evaluations were converted into fuzzy numbers and assessed using the IMF SWARA (Improved Fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) and fuzzy WASPAS (Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment) methods. The weights of the criteria were determined using the IMF SWARA method, revealing that the ecological criteria carried the greatest weight. Fuzzy WASPAS was employed to rank the treatments, and the results indicated that the microwave and autoclave treatments showed the best indicators. This conclusion was supported by validating the research findings using six additional fuzzy methods and conducting sensitivity analysis. According to the research conducted, it is necessary to first treat medical waste and then dispose of it in the prescribed manner to reduce the impact on the environment and the health of living beings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than two years, coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has represented a threat to global health and lifestyles. Computed tomography (CT) imaging provides useful information in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. However, this diagnostic modality is based on exposure to ionizing radiation, which is associated with an increased risk of radiation-induced cancer. In this study, we evaluated the common dose descriptors, CTDIvol and DLP, for 1180 adult patients. This data was used to estimate the effective dose, and risk of exposure-induced death (REID). Awareness of the extensive use of CT as a diagnostic tool in the management of COVID-19 during the pandemic is vital for the evaluation of radiation exposure parameters, dose reduction methods development and radiation protection.

Introduction: Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) is one of the main causes of low back pain (LBP). Standardized diagnostic algorithms for adequate estimation and classification of changes of lumbar discs are mandatory before starting with therapy. Methods: One hundred patients who were indicated for lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included in the study. Pfirrmann grading system was used for the determination of IDD, while the visual analog scale (VAS) is used for evaluation of the intensity of LBP. To quantification of disability for LBP, we used the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Result: Results showed higher Pfirrmann grades II and III for L2/L3 and L3/L4 lumbar levels and lower scores at L4/L5 and L5/S1. The analysis also showed low scores at the L2/3 and L3/4 lumbar level for Pfirrmann grades IV and V, and there was an increased at more inferior lumbosacral levels L4/5 and L5/S1. There was a significant correlation between Pfirrmann grades and ODI (p = 0.24) as well as VAS (p = 0.16). Conclusion: Higher Pfirrmann grades correlated with increased ODI and VAS. Therefore, MRI can be used as a strong indicator of clinical appearance, but it is important to take into consideration that LBP should be correlated with clinical features. By summing Pfirrmann grades of all lumbar intervertebral levels in each patient, we can get more accurate insight for the status of the lumbar spine.

Introduction: The introduction of hybrid imaging systems such as single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) has completely changed the scanning procedure of conventional diagnostic nuclear medicine protocols. Modern bone scintigraphy protocols include standardized uptake value quantification and whole body (WB) SPECT/CT scanning modality. The major limitation of these new technologies is the relatively long scanning time. New detector systems with modern reconstruction software have been developed for fast scanning SPECT protocols. These new technologies can produce images of reduced acquisition with the same quality as full scanning acquisition. As a result, new studies suggest that planar WB scintigraphy should be replaced with WB SPECT/CT. Methods: One hundred oncology patients performed SPECT/CT as a part of their clinical follow-up. Three different scanning and three reconstruction protocols have been evaluated. Two nuclear medicine physicians evaluated with Likert scale image sharpness, lesion visibility, and lesion background detectability. The overall image quality was determined as the sum of these three parameters. Results: In terms of scan duration reduction on image quality, Volumetrix Evolution for Bone performed during ultra-fast SPECT acquisition achieved the highest score, which is superior compared to the standard SPECT acquisition protocol. The overall image quality was the best with the Volumetrix MI Evolution for Bone protocol for ultra-fast acquisition. Conclusion: The Evolution for Bone protocol for ultra-fast acquisition showed the best results compared to other protocols. The adoption of the new acquisition SPECT protocol may offer more comfortable examinations, resulting in higher patient satisfaction. The implementation of this new protocol can lead to an improvement in SPECT sensitivity, primarily due to the reduction of SPECT motion artifacts: SPECT has significantly improved nuclear medicine diagnostics. The disadvantage of SPECT methods is the relatively low signal-to-noise ratio and contrast-to-noise ratio. The low number of image photons is a major problem with SPECT imaging, as the signal decreases as the noise (image background) increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the material collected in 2002, the text explores burial practices of Bosniaks in Mahala. Its primary objective is to identify non-Islamic elements that are characteristic of the entire population of this area. The starting point of this study was the perception of informants that burial practices of Bosniaks are completely subordinate to religious regulations and recommendations, and exempt from any environmental influences. However, research confirmed the presence of several elements that are common to the entire population of the area under research, which indicates that the environment plays an extremely important role in the formation of cultural practices.

Purpose: Thanks to the positive health effects of physical exercise, physical education is an integral part of the education system, with two hours per week, which is insufficient to achieve an optimal effect in transforming the anthropological status of children. The aim of the research was to determine the effects of regular and modified physical education with the application of contents from sports games (basketball, volleyball and handball) in the duration of one semester to changes in basic motor skills in pupils of the fifth grade of elementary school. Material: The study included N = 106 students of the V class, aged 10 to 11 years, clinically and mentally healthy, and with no pronounced morphological and locomotor impairments. The sample of examinees was divided into two subgroups. The first was an experimental group of 53 students, who carried out physical education classes according to the modified plan and program of sports games (basketball, volleyball and handball) for a semester. The other was a control group of 53 students who attended regular classes from physical education according to the current curriculum. Results: The results of the research at the descriptive level showed noticeable differences between the same groups in the final versus the initial measurements. Based on the results of the t-test for the control and experimental group, it can be concluded that there have been statistically significant changes in values on all variables of basic motor in the final compared to the initial measurement. By analyzing the results of the t-tests, it can be seen that the groups differ in the initial measurement only in one basic motor variable, MTAPN, and this difference is statistically significant in favor of the control group. In the final measurement, there are no significant differences between the control and the experimental group in the average values of all variables of basic motoring. Conclusions: Improving basic motor skills depends on the teacher's ability, the ability to transform the age with which he is working, and the success of certain training processes. The modified program of the experimental group has led to changes and thus proves the significant effect of the group's work program.

This study involved 3,644 elementary school students from grades 2-9. It aimed to evaluate students' basic motor skills across these grades, utilizing the Eurofit battery of tests. Analysis of results revealed that most students attained a score of 1 in the flamingo test, with the fewest achieving a score of 4. Similarly, in the handtapping test, most students achieved a score of 4, while the fewest scored a 2. Results from the gray test showed that the highest proportion of students received a grade of 1, whereas the smallest proportion received a grade of 4. In the standing long jump test, the greatest number of students received a grade of 5, while the smallest number received a grade of 2. Regarding the hand strength test, the largest proportion of students achieved a grade of 5, with the fewest scoring a 1. For the lying down test, the highest number of students scored 2, and the fewest scored 1. In the push-up test, most students scored 3, with the fewest scoring 1. In the 10×5 m running test, the largest number of students achieved a grade of 5, while the smallest attained a grade of 2. Of the respondents, 43% reported engagement in sports, while 57% did not. Given the larger proportion of non-sporting respondents, the basic motor skills results appear notably low. Descriptive statistics were employed alongside various statistical methods during analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The packaging of fresh meat has been studied for decades, leading to improved packaging types and conditions such as modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). While commonly used meat packaging uses fossil fuel-based materials, the use of biodegradable packaging materials for this application has not been studied widely. This study aimed at evaluating the sustainability of biodegradable packaging materials compared to established conventional packaging materials through analyses of the quality of freshly packaged pork. The quality was assessed by evaluating sensory aspects, meat color and microbiological attributes of the pork products. The results show no significant differences (p > 0.05) in ground pork and pork loin stored in biodegradable MAP (BioMAP) and conventional MAP for the evaluated sensory attributes, meat color or total bacterial count (TBC) over extended storage times. The data suggest that BioMAP could be a viable alternative to MAP using conventional, fossil fuel-based materials for the storage of fresh meats, while simultaneously fulfilling the customers’ wishes for a more environmentally friendly packaging alternative.

Herzegovinian donkey is a very important animal resource of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There have been no works attempted at determining the normal values of hematological parameters of Herzegovinian donkey. For this reason, the objective of the present study was to investigate some hematological parameters in Herzegovinian donkey. The research was performed on 30 apparently healthy donkeys (18 female and 12 male) of ages from 1 to 20 years. Blood samples (3 ml) were obtained by jugular vein puncture (vena jugularis externa) in vacuum tubes with EDTA. The mean value of hematocrit was 29.19 %, hemoglobin concentration 10.6 g/dl, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration 36.33 g/dl, white blood cells 9.33 x109/L, granulocytes (109/L) 5.45 x109/L, granulocytes (%) 59.47%, lymphocyte/monocyte (109/L) 3.89 x109/L, lymphocyte/monocyte (%) 40.53% and platelet cells 148.97 x109/L. Parameters were determined using an automated analyzer IDEXX QBC VET AutoRead. Data were analyzed by SPSS V 15. All hematological parameters (except platelet cells) were consistent with the recommended reference ranges for donkeys, and the values found in literature so far. Platelet cells values were much lower than in the literature for the other donkey breeds and the recommended reference ranges for donkeys. The slight differences found between our results and those reported in the previous works confirm the need for further studies to investigate the reference values of hematological parameters of Herzegovinian donkey. This work is a contribution to the study of hematological parameters of Herzegovinian donkey, and we expect these data to be applied to the further studies.

Aim To evaluate possibilities of computed tomography (CT) perfusion in differentiation of solitary focal liver lesions based on their characteristic vascularization through perfusion parameters analysis. Methods Prospective study was conducted on 50 patients in the period 2009-2012. Patients were divided in two groups: benign and malignant lesions. The following CT perfusion parameters were analyzed: blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV), mean transit time (MTT), capillary permeability surface area product (PS), hepatic arterial fraction (HAF), and impulse residual function (IRF). During the study another perfusion parameter was analyzed: hepatic perfusion index (HPI). All patients were examined on Multidetector 64-slice CT machine (GE) with application of perfusion protocol for liver with i.v. administration of contrast agent. Results In both groups an increase of vascularization and arterial blood flow was noticed, but there was no significant statistical difference between any of 6 analyzed parameters. Hepatic perfusion index values were increased in all lesions in comparison with normal liver parenchyma. Conclusion Computed tomography perfusion in our study did not allow differentiation of benign and malignant liver lesions based on analysis of functional perfusion parameters. Hepatic perfusion index should be investigated in further studies as a parameter for detection of possible presence of micro-metastases in visually homogeneous liver in cases with no lesions found during standard CT protocol

In the present study, for the first time we investigated the genetic diversity among horse breeds from Bosnia and Herzegovina: potential Bosnian and Herzegovinian mountain horse, Arabian horse, Thoroughbred horse and crossbreeds, with special emphasis on the gene pool of potential Bosnian and Herzegovinian mountain horse. In total, 138 animals were genotyped for 17 microsatellite loci. Compared to the other breeds, potential Bosnian and Herzegovinian mountain horse showed quite a high genetic variability. The mean number of alleles was 14.1765. The average observed heterozygosity was 0.6589 and the expected heterozygosity was 0.8451. The mean value of polymorphic information content was 0.8286. The results of AMOVA test showed 8,44% of genetic variation among populations. The highest genetic variation within population was showed by potential Bosnian and Herzegovinian mountain horse (27.13). The same breed showed the highest individual variation (17.35). Overall FST value showed high level of the genetic differentiation among breeds (8.87 %), and the pairwise FST values were all significant. Highest inter-group genetic differentiation was observed among Arabian horse and Thoroughbred horse (groups of pure breeds) and potential Bosnian and Herzegovinian mountain horse. The results show that the potential Bosnian and Herzegovinian mountain horse has a high in-breed variability, more than could be expected. In the gene pool of potential Bosnian and Herzegovinian mountain horse, a part of the gene pool of other breeds is present. Also, these results show that there are very good preconditions for the revitalization of the gene pool of potential Bosnian and Herzegovinian mountain horse. Keywords: Horse, genetic diversity, microsatellites