Search

(1) Background: Sports games are one of the best ways of engaging in physical activity for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and Down syndrome (DS). This systematic review of the current literature aims to identify and sum relevant data on motor skills and clarify whether there are positive effects of sports programs in motor skills games in children, adolescents, and youth with ID and DS. (2) Methods: The systematic review of the papers was carried out following the methodological guidelines and by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) consensus. The following electronic databases were researched: PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and ERIC from 2001 to 2023. (3) Results: The basketball test battery can be used to improve and monitor basketball training. Basketball players with lower levels of ID achieved better results, especially those with disabilities of the II and III degrees. Futsal has a positive impact on the coordination, and the differences between the test results of the vertical jump with and without an arm swing, that can be seen indirectly as a coordination factor, were statistically significant. (4) Conclusions: Basketball is recommended as an effective and practical rehabilitation program for children, adolescents, and youth with ID and DS. Futsal is an interesting and helpful activity for individuals with ID as well.

Background and Objectives: Treatment of cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge worldwide. In accordance with the current recommendations for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management during the COVID-19 pandemic, loco-regional therapy such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) was proposed with the purpose of achieving local tumor control and improving overall survival. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate the outcomes of TACE treatment in patients with HCC during the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison with the outcomes of patients treated in the pre-pandemic period. Materials and Methods: Between September 2018 and December 2021, 154 patients were managed by serial TACE procedures for different liver tumors. Ninety-seven patients met the study criteria and were divided into two groups: the study group n = 49 (patients treated from May 2020 to December 2021); the control group n = 48 (patients treated from September 2018 to May 2020). Results: The mean waiting time for TACE was significantly longer in the study group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). No significant difference in survival between the groups is noted (log-rank test p = 0.823). In multivariate analysis, the MELD score (HR 1.329, 95% CI 1.140–1.548, p < 0.001) remained a significant predictor of mortality. Conclusions: COVID-19 pandemic did not affect the final outcome of TACE treatment.

This paper presents the behavior of various optoelectronic devices after gamma irradiation. A number of PIN photodiodes, phototransistors, and solar panels have been exposed to gamma irradiation. Several types of photodiodes and phototransistors were used in the experiment. I-V characteristics (current dependance on voltage) of these devices have been measured before and after irradiation. The process of annealing has also been observed. A comparative analysis of measurement results has been performed in order to determine the reliability of optoelectronic devices in radiation environments.

This study investigates the effects of neutron radiation on I-V characteristics (current dependance on voltage) of commercial optoelectronic devices (silicon photodiodes, phototransistors, and solar panels). Current-voltage characteristics of the samples were measured at room temperature before and after irradiation. The diodes were irradiated using Am-Be neutron source with neutron emission of 2.7×106 n/s. The results showed a decrease in photocurrent for all samples which could be due to the existence of neutron-induced displacement defects introduced into the semiconductor lattice. The process of annealing has also been observed. A comparative analysis of measurement results has been performed in order to determine the reliability of optoelectronic devices in radiation environments.

The increased cancer risk associated with hormone therapies has encouraged many women to seek non-hormonal alternatives including botanical supplements such as hops (Humulus lupulus) and licorice (Glycyrrhiza spec.) to manage menopausal symptoms. Previous studies have shown estrogenic properties for hops, likely due to the presence of 8-prenylnarigenin, and chemopreventive effects mainly attributed to xanthohumol. Similarly, a combination of estrogenic and chemopreventive properties has been reported for various Glycyrrhiza species. The major goal of the current study was to evaluate the potential estrogenic effects of three licorice species (Glycyrrhiza glabra, G. uralensis, and G. inflata) in comparison with hops. Extracts of Glycyrrhiza species and spent hops induced estrogen responsive alkaline phosphatase activity in endometrial cancer cells, estrogen responsive element (ERE)-luciferase in MCF-7 cells, and Tff1 mRNA in T47D cells. The estrogenic activity decreased in the order H. lupulus > G. uralensis > G. inflata > G. glabra. Liquiritigenin was found to be the principle phytoestrogen of the licorice extracts; however, it exhibited lower estrogenic effects compared to 8-prenylnaringenin in functional assays. Isoliquiritigenin, the precursor chalcone of liquiritigenin, demonstrated significant estrogenic activities while xanthohumol, a metabolic precursor of 8-prenylnaringenin, was not estrogenic. Liquiritigenin showed ERβ selectivity in competitive binding assay and isoliquiritigenin was equipotent for ER subtypes. The estrogenic activity of isoliquiritigenin could be the result of its cyclization to liquiritigenin under physiological conditions. 8-Prenylnaringenin had nanomolar estrogenic potency without ER selectivity while xanthohumol did not bind ERs. These data demonstrated that Glycyrrhiza species with different contents of liquiritigenin have various levels of estrogenic activities, suggesting the importance of precise labeling of botanical supplements. Although hops shows strong estrogenic properties via ERα, licorice might have different estrogenic activities due to its ERβ selectivity, partial estrogen agonist activity, and non-enzymatic conversion of isoliquiritigenin to liquiritigenin.

Abstract Only praziquantel is available for treating schistosomiasis, a disease affecting more than 200 million people. Praziquantel-resistant worms have been selected for in the lab and low cure rates from mass drug administration programs suggest that resistance is evolving in the field. Thioredoxin glutathione reductase (TGR) is essential for schistosome survival and a validated drug target. TGR inhibitors identified to date are irreversible and/or covalent inhibitors with unacceptable off-target effects. In this work, we identify noncovalent TGR inhibitors with efficacy against schistosome infections in mice, meeting the criteria for lead progression indicated by WHO. Comparisons with previous in vivo studies with praziquantel suggests that these inhibitors outperform the drug of choice for schistosomiasis against juvenile worms.

It has been estimated that in 2010, over two million patients with end-stage kidney disease may have faced premature death due to a lack of access to affordable renal replacement therapy, mostly dialysis. To address this shortfall in dialytic kidney replacement therapy, we propose a novel, cost-effective, and low-complexity hemodialysis method called allo-hemodialysis (alloHD). With alloHD, instead of conventional hemodialysis, the blood of a patient with kidney failure flows through the dialyzer’s dialysate compartment counter-currently to the blood of a healthy subject (referred to as a “buddy”) flowing through the blood compartment. Along the concentration and hydrostatic pressure gradients, uremic solutes and excess fluid are transferred from the patient to the buddy and subsequently excreted by the healthy kidneys of the buddy. We developed a mathematical model of alloHD to systematically explore dialysis adequacy in terms of weekly standard urea Kt/V. We showed that in the case of an anuric child (20 kg), four 4 h alloHD sessions are sufficient to attain a weekly standard Kt/V of >2.0. In the case of an anuric adult patient (70 kg), six 4 h alloHD sessions are necessary. As a next step, we designed and built an alloHD machine prototype that comprises off-the-shelf components. We then used this prototype to perform ex vivo experiments to investigate the transport of solutes, including urea, creatinine, and protein-bound uremic retention products, and to quantitate the accuracy and precision of the machine’s ultrafiltration control. These experiments showed that alloHD performed as expected, encouraging future in vivo studies in animals with and without kidney failure.

Background: Recognized as one of the most serious musculoskeletal deformities, occurring in 1–2 per 1000 newborns, 80% of clubfeet are idiopathic while 20% present with associated malformations. The etiopathogenesis of clubfoot is described as multifactorial, including both genetic and environmental risk factors. The aim of this study was to analyze possible genetic causes of isolated and syndromic clubfoot in Serbian children, as well as to correlate clinical and genetic characteristics that would provide insight into clubfoot etiopathogenesis and possibly contribute to global knowledge about clinical features of different genetically defined disorders. Methods: We evaluated 50 randomly selected, eligible children with clubfoot aged 3 to 16 years that were initially hospitalized and treated at University Children’s Hospital between November 2006 and November 2022. The tested parameters were gender, age, dominant foot, affected foot, degree of deformity, treatment, neuromuscular disorders, positive family history, and maternal smoking. According to the presence of defined genetic mutation/s by whole exome sequencing (WES), patients were separated into two groups: positive (with genetic mutation/s) and negative (without genetic mutation/s). Results: Seven patients were found to be positive, i.e., with genetic mutation/s. A statistically significant difference between categorical variables was found for families with a history of clubfoot, where more than half (57.14%) of patients with confirmed genetic mutation/s also had a family history of genetic mutation/s (p = 0.023). Conclusions: The results from this study further expand the genetic epidemiology of clubfoot. This study contributes to the establishment of genetic diagnostic strategies in pediatric patients with this condition, which can lead to more efficient genetic diagnosis.

Background and Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of six weeks of pulmonary rehabilitation on functional and psychological outcomes in long-COVID patients. Material and Methods: The prospective clinical study included 46 patients that were diagnosed with COVID-19. A respiratory rehabilitation program was implemented for six weeks. Further valuables were tested before the beginning of the rehabilitation program (admission) and six weeks after (discharge): SpO2, heart rate, respiratory rate, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, Borg score, Sit-to-Stand (StS) test number of repetition, distance of 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) 9 score and Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) anxiety score. These parameters were tested before the rehabilitation program on admission and at discharge and after the rehabilitation program on admission and at discharge. The results were presented with standard descriptive and analytical methods. Differences between the continuous variables before and after physical rehabilitation intervention were tested using the Wilcoxon test. Graphical analysis is presented with a box plot. Results: On discharge, in comparison with admission, the values of SpO2 were significantly lower (p = 0.007) before the 6MWT, and VAS scores were significantly higher (p = 0.036), while after the 6MWT, VAS scores were significantly lower (p < 0.001) as were Borg scores (p = 0.016). On discharge, in comparison with admission, the respiratory rate was significantly higher (p = 0.005) before the StS test, and Borg scores were significantly lower (p = 0.001), while after the StS test, SpO2 levels were significantly higher (p = 0.036) and VAS scores were significantly lower (p < 0.001), as were Borg scores (p = 0.008). After discharge, the values of the StS test were significantly higher (p = 0.011), PHQ9 scores were significantly lower (p < 0.001) and GAD anxiety scores were significantly lower as well (p = 0.005), while the distances measured in meters on the 6MWT were significantly increased (p < 0.001). Conclusions: A structured rehabilitation program in our study was shown to have beneficial effects on physiological, psychological and functional improvements in patients with long-COVID, and therefore it is advisable for these patients.

Nowadays, children are able to enrich their reality via the Internet. Unfortunately, this may increase their risk of becoming victims of cyberbullying. We analyzed the health characteristics and risk behavior of two cohorts of children in Serbia; those who reported being exposed to cyberbullying and those who did not. The statistical differences and logistic regression models were applied to the data on 3267 students collected from 64 schools participating in the 2017 Serbian Study on health behavior in school-age children (HBSC). Children exposed to cyberbullying reported having the following health problems on a daily basis: headache (18.5%), back pain (19.5%), depression (21.6%), irritability or bad mood (17.7%), nervousness (16.0%), sleep problems (16.1%), and dizziness (21.2%). As for the different types of risk behavior, cigarette smoking ranging from six to nine days ever was the most prevalent (26.9%). It was followed closely by getting drunk more than 10 times ever (24.1%). Compared to non-victims, victims were found to be at a higher risk of perceived back pain (OR = 2.27), depression (OR = 1.43), irritability or bad mood (OR = 2.07), nervousness (OR = 2.23), and dizziness (OR = 2.43) as well as being injured once or twice (OR = 1.98) or three or more times (OR = 4.09). Victims were associated with further risk factors: having smoked more than five cigarettes ever in life (OR = 1.73) and having gotten drunk two to three times (OR = 1.71) or four or more times (OR = 1.65). As the number of school-age children using social media continues to rise, we must prioritize educating them about self-help and community resources for addressing related health issues with greater speed and intensity. The findings from Serbia suggest that while children may be aware of their health issues, they may be unaware of their link to cyberbullying, which could hinder their ability to address these issues promptly. The respondents’ attention to the health implications of cyberbullying could be increased by reformulating the survey questions used in the HBSC study.

Migraine is a prevalent neurological disorder that significantly impacts the quality of life for affected individuals. The pathogenesis behind migraines is not yet fully understood, but hormonal changes, especially fluctuations in, estrogen and progesterone levels, have a significant role in the susceptibility of women to migraines. Pregnancy introduces a unique set of challenges for women who experience migraines, as they must navigate the complexities of managing their condition while safeguarding the health of both them and their unborn child. Pharmacological options for treating migraines during pregnancy are limited, and, therefore, there is a growing interest in exploring alternative approaches to migraine symptom relief and management. Physical activity during pregnancy provides a range of benefits, and it has gained attention as a potentially valuable tool for alleviating migraine symptoms in pregnant patients. This review explores the intricate relationship between migraines and pregnancy, emphasizing how physical activity and other alternative approaches may influence the frequency, severity, and overall experience of migraines during pregnancy. Through collaboration with healthcare providers and the adoption of personalized management strategies, women can strike a balance that supports both their own well-being and the healthy development of their unborn child. By examining existing research and emerging insights, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential benefits and considerations of incorporating physical activity and other treatment options into migraine management strategies for pregnant women. Further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms linking migraines, pregnancy, and physical activity, enabling the development of more targeted interventions and guidelines.

Introduction: Monoclonal protein bands are present mainly in blood and secondary in urine representing specific antibody produced in excess by abnormal lymphocytes or plasma cells.We describe a case of a patient with acute encephalitis associated with an unexpected finding of a monoclonal protein band present in blood, urine and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Case presentation: This 50-year-old woman with no significant past medical history, with the exception of unintentional weight loss exceeding 5 kg over the last 3 months, presented to the emergency department with seizures and altered mental status, after 3 days of vomiting and headaches. Magnetic Resonance Imaging showed lesions suspicious for infectious encephalitis/meningitis and for ischemia possibly related to central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune vasculopathy/vasculitis. The patient died the following day after losing brainstem reflexes. Testing for the previously mentioned etiologies returned negative with the exception of high protein concentration and increased immunoglobulin gamma (IgG) concentration in the CSF. Protein electrophoresis, ordered in error, showed a well-defined IgG with lambda light chain monoclonal protein band running in similar positions in serum, urine and in CSF. Due to SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity no autopsy was performed. Conclusion: The presence of this monoclonal protein band produced in the CNS suggests the diagnosis of CNS myeloma. The accelerated course in this case could be the result of the CNS myeloma or lymphoma responding to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Testing for monoclonal protein bands in CSF, in patients with pertinent clinical presentation would boost the awareness of this these diseases improving patient care.

Background and Study Aim. The curriculum of physical education in high schools is based on learning motor skills, as well as their development in sports sections, where the 100-meter sprint dominates. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of motor skills on the 100 m running results. Material and Methods. The research was conducted on a sample of 80 high school students in Novi Pazar and Kraljevo, aged 16 and 17 years (± 6 months). 12 variables were used to assess motor skills, three variables each: explosive power, segmental speed, repetitive power, and flexibility (standing long jump), triple jump, five jumps. For estimating segmental speed: foot tapping, hand tapping, foot tapping on the wall. For the assessment of repetitive power: lifting the torso on the Swedish bench, mixed pull-ups, squats. To assess flexibility: deep bench press, twine, stick twist. Results. Results were obtained to confirm that there is a positive influence of motor skills on the 100 m sprint results at the level of (p=.000). The results in the 100 m sprints are statistically significantly dependent on the motor skills that manifest segmental speed and explosive power. Variables (standing long jump, foot tapping on the wall and foot tapping) have a statistically significant effect on the criterion variable of the 100 m sprint. Conclusions. Recommendation to future researchers would be to conduct a study over a longer period of time with the aim of examining the biomechanical factors that determine the success in sprint, is the production of force in the phase of sprint acceleration and sprint deceleration.

Stroke during pregnancy and preeclampsia are two distinct but interrelated medical conditions, sharing a common denominator—blood control failure. Along with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypercoagulability, hypertension is undoubtedly a major risk factor associated with stroke. Even though men have higher age-specific stroke rates, women are facing higher life-long stroke risk, primarily due to longer life expectancy. Sex hormones, especially estrogen and testosterone, seem to play a key link in the chain of blood pressure control differences between the genders. Women affected with stroke are more susceptible to experience some atypical stroke manifestations, which might eventually lead to delayed diagnosis establishment, and result in higher morbidity and mortality rates in the population of women. Preeclampsia is a part of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy spectrum, and it is common knowledge that women with a positive history of preeclampsia are at increased stroke risk during their lifetime. Preeclampsia and stroke display similar pathophysiological patterns, including hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, dyslipidemia, hypercoagulability, and cerebral vasomotor reactivity abnormalities. High-risk pregnancies carrying the burden of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy have up to a six-fold higher chance of suffering from stroke. Resemblance shared between placental and cerebral vascular changes, adaptations, and sophisticated auto-regulatory mechanisms are not merely coincidental, but they reflect distinctive and complex cardiovascular performances occurring in the maternal circulatory system during pregnancy. Placental and cerebral malperfusion appears to be in the midline of both of these conditions; placental malperfusion eventually leads to preeclampsia, and cerebral to stoke. Suboptimal performances of the cardiovascular system are proposed as a primary cause of uteroplacental malperfusion. Placental dysfunction is therefore designated as a secondary condition, initiated by the primary disturbances of the cardiovascular system, rather than an immunological disorder associated with abnormal trophoblast invasion. In most cases, with properly and timely applied measures of prevention, stroke is predictable, and preeclampsia is a controllable condition. Understanding the differences between preeclampsia and stroke in pregnancy is vital for healthcare providers to enhance their clinical decision-making strategies, improve patient care, and promote positive maternal and pregnancy outcomes. Management approaches for preeclampsia and stroke require a multidisciplinary approach involving obstetricians, neurologists, and other healthcare professionals.

This paper demonstrates the benefits that high-frequency surface wave radars (HFSWR) are bringing to maritime safety and security in off-shore activities at over the horizon distances. As a primary means for remote sensing of marine and maritime environment, a network of HFSWRs is deployed in the western part of the Gulf of Guinea and covers an area of over 100 km2. Alongside HFSWRs, usual maritime sensors are utilized for vessel tracking as well, however, only satellite automatic identification systems (SAIS) and land automatic identification systems (LAIS) are capable of covering over the horizon distances. Unfortunately, both LAIS and SAIS require vessel cooperation in order to provide any data, which is often abused by vessels conducting illegal activities. Here, analysis is done in which AIS and HFSWR data are compared in order to identify a pattern of behavior of non–cooperative vessels (vessels with onboard AIS devices turned off) so a proper risk assessment may be achieved. It is shown that typical patterns can be easily recognized for two illegal activities which plague the waters where this study is conducted. Those illegal activities are oil bunkering and piracy, both conducted off-shore and out of the reach of the usual coastal sensors such as X or S band radars. Furthermore, tracks created whilst conducting illegal activities are easily distinguishable from others in the overall operational picture. Additionally, it should be pointed out that numerous vessels are switching off their AIS devices when they leave the coastal regions in order to avoid detection by pirate vessels. This behavior can also be easily recognized and must not be mixed with the illegal activities mentioned above.

In order to efficiently cover maritime areas at over the horizon (OTH) distances and thus increase marine safety in a nation's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a network of maritime sensors built around High Frequency Surface Wave Radars (HFSWR) can be an excellent choice. The critical parameter for success of the deployed sensor network is a real time tracking of all detected vessels. During the tracking process, data association (DA) is the first step and it defines the complexity and thus the speed of the whole tracking process. This paper presents a density based clustering DA procedure where the cluster complexity determines the applied DA procedure within the cluster itself. It is demonstrated that the great majority of clusters (over 98 % of all clusters in the worst case) may be processed in a timely manner with an optimal DA procedure, or more precisely, a Joint Probability Data Association (JPDA). However, a small number of unusually large clusters (less than 2 % of all clusters) requires the application of a sub-optimal DA procedure, more accurately, the Roecker's suboptimal JPDA algorithm, in order to maintain real time performance of the whole tracking process. Moreover, unlike standard JPDA procedure which tends to be inapplicable for real time tracking in heavily cluttered environment, the density based clustering DA procedure presented here provides real time performances in the very same environment. The whole analysis is done on real HFSWR data obtained from two HFSWR, located in the Gulf of Guinea. The data set used for the experiments includes data obtained during a month and a half of constant HFSWR operation.

During the last three years, since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant number of scientific publications have focused on resolving susceptibility to the infection, as well as the course of the disease and potential long-term complications. COVID-19 is widely considered as a multisystem disease and a variety of socioeconomic, medical, and genetic/epigenetic factors may contribute to the disease severity and outcome. Furthermore, the SARS-COV-2 infection may trigger pathological processes and accelerate underlying conditions to clinical entities. The development of specific and sensitive biomarkers that are easy to obtain will allow for patient stratification, prevention, prognosis, and more individualized treatments for COVID-19. miRNAs are proposed as promising biomarkers for different aspects of COVID-19 disease (susceptibility, severity, complication course, outcome, and therapeutic possibilities). This review summarizes the most relevant findings concerning miRNA involvement in COVID-19 pathology. Additionally, the role of miRNAs in wide range of complications due to accompanied and/or underlying health conditions is discussed. The importance of understanding the functional relationships between different conditions, such as pregnancy, obesity, or neurological diseases, with COVID-19 is also highlighted.

Background and Objectives: The immature skeleton in a pediatric population exposed to frequent physical activity might be extremely prone to injuries, with possible consequences later in adulthood. The main aim of this study is to present specific morphometric parameters and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) morphological changes of the knee and patella in a physically active pediatric population. Additionally, we wanted to investigate the morphological risk factors for patellar instability. Materials and Methods: The study included the MRI findings of 193 physically active pediatric patients with knee pain. The participants underwent sports activities for 5 to 8 h per week. Two divisions were performed: by age and by patellar type. We evaluated three age groups: group 1 (age 11–14), group 2 (age 15–17), and group 3 (age 18–21 years). In addition, participants were divided by the patellar type (according to Wiberg) into three groups. The following morphometric parameters were calculated: lateral trochlear inclination (LTI), the tibial tubercle–trochlear groove distance (TT-TG), trochlear facet asymmetry (TFA), Insall–Salvati index, modified Insall–Salvati index, Caton–Deschamps index, articular overlap, morphology ratio and contact surface ratio. Results: We found a statistically significant association between patellar type groups in LTI (p < 0.001), TFA (p < 0.001), Insal–Salvati (p = 0.001) index, and Caton–Deschamps index (p = 0.018). According to age groups, we found statistical significance in the Caton–Deschamps index (p = 0.039). The most frequent knee injury parameter, according to Wiberg, in physically active pediatric patients was patella type 2 in boys and type 3 in girls. Conclusions: The MRI morphometric parameters observed in our study might be factors of prediction of knee injury in physically active children. In addition, it might be very useful in sports programs to improve the biomechanics of the knee in order to reduce the injury rate in sports-active children.

During the last two and a half years, clinical manifestations, disease severity, and pregnancy outcomes have differed among pregnant patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. These changes were preceded by the presence of new variants of SARS-CoV-2, known in the literature as variants of concern. The aim of this study is to describe the differences between maternal clinical characteristics and perinatal outcomes among pregnant women with COVID-19 during four waves of the COVID-19 epidemic in Serbia. This retrospective study included a series of 192 pregnant patients who were hospitalized due to the severity of their clinical status of SARS-CoV-2 infection. During four outbreaks of COVID-19 infection in Serbia, we compared and analyzed three sets of variables, including signs, symptoms, and characteristics of COVID-19 infection, clinical endpoints, and maternal and newborn parameters. During the dominance of the Delta variant, the duration of hospitalization was the longest (10.67 ± 1.42 days), the frequency of stillbirths was the highest (17.4%), as well as the frequency of progression of COVID infection (28.9%) and the requirement for non-invasive oxygen support (37%). The dominance of the Delta variant was associated with the highest number of prescribed antibiotics (2.35 ± 0.28), the most common presence of nosocomial infections (21.7%), and the highest frequency of corticosteroid therapy use (34.8%). The observed differences during the dominance of four variants of concern are potential pathways for risk stratification and the establishment of timely and proper treatments for pregnant patients. Early identification of the Delta variant, and possibly some new variants with similar features in the future, should be a priority and, perhaps, even an opportunity to introduce more accurate and predictive clinical algorithms for pregnant patients.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to validate the Serbian version of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) and to evaluate temporal stability for the purpose of its implementation in the evaluation of Serbian patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Materials and Methods: For the validation of the Serbian version of the BCTQ (BCTQSR), we tested 69 individuals with diagnosed CTS that were referred for a conservative treatment at the Institute for Rehabilitation. Neurophysiological tests were used for the electrophysiological grading (EG) of CTS severity in the study sample. The final version of the BCTQSR was given to the tested participants from the study on two occasions: test and retest, with a five-day period between the two measurements. Results: The mean value for the symptom severity subscale (SSS) of the BCTQSR was 3.01 ± 0.94; for the functional status subscale (FSS) of the BCTQSR it was 2.85 ± 1.00. Cronbach’s α for the SSS was 0.91 and 0.93 for the FSS. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) concerning the test–retest were significant (p < 0.001) and were 0.949 for the SSS and 0.959 for the FSS. Those with a higher EG grade had higher values of the SSS and FSS but without a statistical significance (p = 0.103 and p = 0.053, respectively). The intercorrelation of the BCTQSR subscales (SSS and FSS) on the test was significant (p < 0.001) with a correlation coefficient equal to 0.777. Conclusion: The Serbian version of the BCTQ (BCTQSR) was successfully culturally adopted. The BCTQSR was a valid and reliable instrument for the measurement of symptom severity and functional status in adults with CTS. Therefore, it can be used in clinical practice for patients with CTS.

Introduction The aim was to evaluate patients’ perception of function and physical and mental dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with end-stage knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA) immediately prior to surgery and to identify the factors associated with the outcomes. Material and methods The study included 200 patients with end-stage OA (100 knee OA and 100 hip OA patients). Self-reported physical function was assessed using the Oxford Knee Score or Oxford Hip Score. Physical and mental dimensions of HRQoL were assessed using the physical and mental component summary scores of the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to identify the sociodemographic, clinical and psychological factors associated with self-reported function and physical and mental dimensions of HRQoL. Results End-stage knee or hip OA patients had poor function and physical dimension of HRQoL, while the mental dimension of HRQoL was not impaired. In knee OA, pain, flexion range of motion (ROM), catastrophizing, and anxiety were significantly associated with self-reported function (explained 56% of the variance), whereas catastrophizing explained 10% of the variance of the physical dimension of HRQoL. In hip OA, flexion ROM, catastrophizing and being employed were significantly associated with self-reported function (explained 44% of the variance), whereas catastrophizing and flexion ROM explained 34% of the variance of the physical dimension of HRQoL. Conclusions Many investigated factors were associated with poor self-reported function and HRQoL in knee and hip OA. However, the most important factors for both knee and hip OA were catastrophizing and flexion ROM.

This paper focuses on the impacts that noise generated by the light emitting diodes (LED) have on high-frequency surface wave (HFSW) radars. Initially, the measurements of the electromagnetic interference caused by the LED lights were conducted in an anechoic chamber, in order to eliminate the influences of other interference sources. It was determined that the most significant interference in the HF range is generated between 6 and 12 MHz. Next, the HFSW radar measurements in real field conditions were conducted at an operating frequency of 6.7 MHz. The LED influence on the HFSW radar was analyzed using the range-Doppler (RD) images. A novel algorithm based on the image segmentation and image processing methods for the automatic detection of the LED noise in the HFSW radar RD image is proposed. The proposed algorithm was experimentally validated using the data obtained from the HFSW radar sites located in the Gulf of Guinea. It was concluded that the proposed algorithm is capable of identifying and eliminating the noise originating from the LEDs with a probability of 91%.

High-frequency (HF) surface-wave (SW) radar systems have demonstrated their capability to capture the signals from seismic and non-seismic tsunami events using the estimation of surface current changes. Several ocean radar systems, operating in the upper HF band, were already optimized for tsunami alerting and installed for real-time tsunami monitoring at the coast. If the shelf extends tens of kilometers off the coast then the first appearance of tsunami waves can be monitored at the shelf quite early. On May 25, 2018, an HF SW phased-array radar system, operating in the lower HF band (6.9 MHz), detected strong changes in measured radial currents at distances up to 60 km off the coast. The system tracked the tsunami-like current pattern in the Bight of Benin. The wave propagation coincided with an atmospheric cold front passage. No earthquake occurred at that time but a strong atmospheric disturbance was present and it is the most likely reason for the detected disturbance. This localized event could be classified as a meteorological tsunami (meteotsunami). It is important to note that this is the very first detection of meteotsunami in the whole West African region. This detection showed the capability of the radar to measure unusual surface current velocities induced by tsunami waves using the lower part of the HF band. The detection of this tsunami-like event has shown good applicability of HF phased-array radar technology for offshore tsunami monitoring and providing safe navigation, in real-time. At the same time, it has been shown that a single HF SW radar system, originally optimized for vessel tracking at very long ranges using a proper output power, transmitter's noise optimization and integration time, can also be utilized as a component of Tsunami early warning systems (TEWS).

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to examine the impact of postacute rehabilitation duration on the outcome of the functional recovery and patients’ quality of life after the stroke. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients (52 females, 48 males, mean age: 66.5 ± 7.3; range 53 to 79 years) who experienced a stroke (50 with ischemic stroke (IS) and 50 with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH)) took part in the study. Patients (treated with postacute rehabilitation measures for six months) were examined after one, three, and six months of postacute rehabilitation. Functional independence was measured using the functional independence measure (FIM) test, while the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. Results: Patients with ICH had a slightly lower FIM score (FIM motor = 29.8 ± 11.8; FIM cognitive = 14.4 ± 4.6) on admission compared to patients with IS (FIM motor = 41.8 ± 18.8; FIM cognitive = 18.7 ± 6.3), but, after six months of postacute rehabilitation, patients with ICH reached an approximate level of functional independence (FIM motor = 53.8 ± 14.4; FIM cognitive = 25.8 ± 4.7), as did patients with IS (FIM motor = 67.6 ± 16.4; FIM cognitive = 29.2 ± 4.0). The motor and cognitive FIM, as well as quality of life, was statistically significantly increased at all four measurement points (p < 0.001). Furthermore, there is a statistically significant connection between functional independence and quality of life at all tested times. Conclusion: Patients achieved the highest degree of functional independence after six months. Furthermore, our findings point out that inpatient rehabilitation as well as outpatient rehabilitation are effective in functionality and quality of life improvement after a stroke; thus, both should be emphasized and regularly implemented.

Background and objectives: Pediatric Outcome Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) is among the most described scales developed to evaluate the physical status of children and adolescents with various musculoskeletal disorders. We aimed to translate PODCI from English to Serbian, culturally adopt items and domains, evaluate the temporal stability, internal consistency and the test–retest reliability of PODCISR in children with obstetrical brachial plexus lesion (OBPL), and finally, to test the construct validity of PODCISR against muscular manual test (MMT) Materials and Methods: The study included 48 eligible participants aged between 2 and 10 years with OBPL. The MMT was used to test the construct validity. Results: There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between test and retest for all PODCISR domains. Correlations for all tested domains with MMT were statistically significant except for biceps muscle and domains II and IV. Cronbach’s alpha value of the Global Functioning Scale was good and equaled 0.838 for test and 0.832 for retest session. Cronbach’s α was more than 0.600 for all PODCISR domains except for Domain II and for Domain IV. The observed Test–Retest ICC for all PODCISR domains scores ranged from 0.899 to 0.996. Conclusion: The Serbian version of PODCI (PODCISR) was successfully translated and transculturally adopted. It has satisfactory temporal stability, construct validity and test–retest reliability as well as relevant internal consistency.

Background: The forearm is the most common fracture site in childhood, accounting for every fourth pediatric fracture. It is well described that vitamin D is involved in the regulation of bone mineralization and skeletal homeostasis by the regulation of calcium absorption. The aim of our study was to determine the influence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels on forearm fracture falls in a pediatric population, depending on level of energy impact. Additionally, we also aimed to evaluate the correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and other tested risk factors for pediatric fractures. Methods: We evaluated 50 eligible children aged 3 to 12 years with a forearm fracture. According to energy impact, patients were grouped into low-energy fractures (LEF) and high-energy fractures (HEF) groups. The general characteristics of the patients included age, gender, sport participation, and fractured bone and its localization. We analyzed 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, magnesium, phosphate, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and body mass index (BMI). Results: There is a significant difference in the 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels distribution between LEF and HEF (p < 0.001) and PTH levels (p = 0.002). For magnesium levels, calcium levels, phosphate levels, and CRP levels, there were no significant differences in their frequency distribution. For the group of patients with LEF, there is a significantly positive correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and calcium levels (p = 0.019) and a borderline significantly positive correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and magnesium levels (p = 0.050). For the group of patients with HEF, there was only a significantly positive correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and PTH levels (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Children with LEF were more frequently insufficient in 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels but had normal calcium levels, compared to the ones with HEF. These findings suggest that LEF and HEF in children might to a certain degree have different pathophysiological mechanisms.

Background and objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences in the degree of the anxiety and comorbidity levels in patients with different chronic pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive bronchitis (COPD) without emphysema phenotype, pulmonary emphysema, bronchial asthma and lung cancer. Materials and Methods: The prospective clinical study included 272 patients that were diagnosed and treated of pulmonary pathology. COPD (without emphysema phenotype) (Group-1), pulmonary emphysema (Group-2), bronchial asthma (Group-3) and lung cancer (Group-4) were assessed. For the evaluation of the anxiety degree, we used Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Results: The degree of cardiovascular symptoms was significantly higher in Group-1 versus Group-2 (p < 0.001), Group-3 (p = 0.001) and Group-4 (p = 0.013), and significantly higher in Group-4 versus Group-2 (p = 0.046). The degree of respiratory symptoms was significantly higher in Group-1 versus Group-2 (p < 0.001), Group-3 (p < 0.001) and Group-4 (p = 0.002), and significantly higher in Group-4 versus Group-2 (p = 0.013) and versus Group-3 (p = 0.023). For gastrointestinal symptoms, the degree of one was significantly higher in Group-1 versus Group-2 (p < 0.001), Group-3 (p < 0.001) and Group-4 (p = 0.017). Somatic subscale values were significantly higher in Group-1 versus Group-2 (p < 0.001), Group-3 (p < 0.001) and Group-4 (p = 0.015), and significantly higher in Group-4 versus Group-2 (p = 0.024). Total HAM-A score was significantly higher in Group-1 versus Group-2 (p = 0.002) and Group-3 (p = 0.007). Conclusions: Patients with COPD (without emphysema phenotype) followed by the lung cancer are at elevated risk of being more mentally challenged in terms of increased anxiety. Furthermore, patients with exacerbation of evaluated pulmonary pathologies have various levels of comorbidities degrees.

Participating in physical fighting and bullying can be a cause of severe injury and death among school-age children. Research evidence can support school and health actors’ efforts to improve school-age children’s development and health capacity for life. The study aims to assess the prevalence of school-age children’s participation in fights and bullying in Serbia, and to examine the relevance of students’ socio-demographic characteristics and perceptions of school and relations with other students and professors for participation in fights and bullying. A secondary analysis is also performed on the original data of the 2017 HBSC study, which was conducted on 3267 students in a nationally representative sample of primary and high schools in Serbia. We sought to investigate the relationship between eight socio-demographic characteristics and nine school-related perceptions, with two outcome variables: taking part in fights and taking part in bullying, examined by using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The main results show that 50.8% of boys and 17.1% of girls have taken part in fights, while 17.7% boys and 10.4% of girls have taken part in bullying. Students who felt a large and very large burden of school obligations were 1.43 times more likely to participate in bullying at least once, while they were 1.38 and 2.12 times more likely to participate in multiple fights and 4.04, 1.24, and 2.78 times more likely to participate multiple times in bullying. Multiple participation in fights and in bullying is significantly negatively associated with female gender, younger age years, good and very good perception of family financial status and quality of life, and positive perceptions of school and relations they have with other students and professors. Fights among school-age children are significantly positively associated with living with relatives/legal guardians and poor quality of life. In conclusion, the prevalence of participating in at least one fight/bullying is higher than in multiple fights/bullying. These associations suggest a necessity to enhance the monitoring and control of peer behavior among school-age children. The findings of the study imply key enablers of protection, such as building relationships based on team spirit and work, friendly behavior, empathy, and help, which should be included in the value system of school and family activities in programs to combat fights and bullying in school-age children.

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathies (MEMP) are heterogeneous multisystem disorders frequently associated with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations. Clinical presentation varies considerably in age of onset, course, and severity up to death in early childhood. In this study, we performed molecular genetic analysis for mtDNA pathogenic mutation detection in Serbian children, preliminary diagnosed clinically, biochemically and by brain imaging for mitochondrial encephalomyopathies disorders. Sanger sequencing analysis in three Serbian probands revealed two known pathogenic mutations. Two probands had a heteroplasmic point mutation m.3243A>G in the MT-TL1 gene, which confirmed mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episode syndrome (MELAS), while a single case clinically manifested for Leigh syndrome had an almost homoplasmic (close to 100%) m.8993T>G mutation in the MT-ATP6 gene. After full mtDNA MITOMASTER analysis and PhyloTree build 17, we report MELAS’ association with haplogroups U and H (U2e and H15 subclades); likewise, the mtDNA-associated Leigh syndrome proband shows a preference for haplogroup H (H34 subclade). Based on clinical–genetic correlation, we suggest that haplogroup H may contribute to the mitochondrial encephalomyopathies’ phenotypic variability of the patients in our study. We conclude that genetic studies for the distinctive mitochondrial encephalomyopathies should be well-considered for realizing clinical severity and possible outcomes.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on maternal and fetal perinatal parameters, as well to evaluate the influence of GDM on neonatal early motoric development. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, we evaluated 203 eligible participants that were admitted to obstetrics department for a labor. GDM was assessed by evaluation of maternal parameters, fetal parameters, as well its impact on infants early motoric development (Alberta Infant Motor Scale—AIMS). Results: Presence of GDM was significantly positively associated with: pre-pregnancy weight, obesity degree, weight at delivery, gestational weight gain (GWG), body mass index (BMI) at delivery, GWG and increased pre-pregnancy BMI, glucose levels in mother’s venous blood after the delivery, positive family history for cardiovascular disease, pregnancy-related hypertension, congenital thrombophilia, drug use in pregnancy, large for gestational age (LGA), mode of delivery (Cesarean section and instrumental delivery). Likewise, GDM association was detected for tested ultrasound parameters (biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), femoral length (FL)), length at birth, birth weight, newborn’s head circumference, newborn’s chest circumference, AIMS supination and pronation at three months, AIMS supination, pronation, sitting and standing at six months. Only Amniotic Fluid Index and AIMS supination at three months of infant’s age remained significantly associated in multivariate regression model. Conclusions: The presence of significant positive association of numerous tested parameters in our study on perinatal outcomes and early motoric development, points to the necessity of establishing appropriate clinical decision-making strategies for all pregnant woman at risk and emphasize the importance of providing adequate glycaemia control options and further regular follow ups during the pregnancy.

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the impact of rehabilitation treatment on social functioning in elderly patients after hip fracture during a rehabilitation program. Methods: This study included 203 patients with hip fracture. Four groups were analyzed on rehabilitation: Group 1, at admission, Group 2, at discharge, Group 3, three months after discharge and Group 4, six months after discharge. The analyzed parameters included: musculoskeletal, neurological and cognitive impairments. Impairment severity was graded by cumulative index rating scale for geriatrics (CIRS-G). Evaluation of social functioning was completed by social functioning component (SFC) from quality of life (SF-36) questionnaire. Results: There was a significant improvement in SF-36 SFC values for observed impairments from admission to six months after discharge for each severity degree (p

Our study aimed to analyze the reliability, consistency, and temporal stability of the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) in Serbian infants. Additionally, we aimed to present a percentile distribution of AIMS in the tested population. The prospective study included 60 infants that were divided into three age groups: 0−3 months, 4−7 months, and 8−14 months. The Serbian version of AIMS was tested by two raters on two different occasions (test/retest) with a five day period between tests. The observed inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)) was more than 0.75 for all AIMS scores, except for standing (ICC 0.655 = moderate) in the age group of 4−7 months on retest between raters. The observed intra-rater reliability (ICC) was more than 0.75 for all AIMS scores except standing (ICC 0.655 = moderate) in the age group 4−7 months in test−retest for Rater One, and for sitting (ICC 0.671 = moderate) and standing (ICC 0.725 = moderate) in the age group between 0−3 months on test−retest for Rater Two. The Serbian version of AIMS was shown to have high consistency and high reliability with good to high temporal stability. Thus, it can be used in the evaluation of infants’ motor development in Serbia.

The steady increase of the world population and economy leads to an increase in both types and amounts of goods transported over seas, which further inevitably leads to an increase of criminal activities in the maritime arena. In order to stifle criminal activities nations are forced to develop sophisticated sensor networks. The backbone of any sensor network is a communication network which connects all sensors with the command centers, most often located hundreds of kilometers away from the sensors. In developing countries, communication networks are very often poorly developed, leaving only satellite links as somewhat reliable means of communication. Henceforth, in this paper, a laboratory for the Internet of Things (IoT) communication infrastructure environment designed to facilitate maritime sensor network design process in areas where communication network is dependent on data transfer over satellite links is presented. In order to successfully describe and develop a laboratory for IoT communication infrastructure environment, necessary data are collected during the design and deployment of a maritime surveillance network in the Gulf of Guinea. The main advantage of the proposed laboratory environment is the inclusion of satellite link simulation in the IoT laboratory environment. This feature provides an opportunity to cover a much broader scope of IoT solutions compared to other IoT laboratories.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of morphogenetic variability in functional outcome of patients with ischemic stroke. The prospective study included 140 patients with acute ischemic stroke, all of whom were tested upon: admission; discharge; one month post-discharge; and three months post-discharge. The age was analyzed, as well. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) test and the Barthel Index (BI) were used for the evaluation of functional outcomes for the eligible participants. We analyzed the presence of 19 homozygous recessive characteristics (HRC) in the studied individuals. There was a significant change in FIM values at discharge (p = 0.033) and in BI values upon admission (p = 0.012) with regards to the presence of different HRCs. Age significantly negatively correlated for the FIM score and BI values at discharge for the group with 5 HRCs (p < 0.05), while for BI only, negative significant correlation was noticed for the group with 5 HRCs at three months post-discharge (p < 0.05), and for the group with 3 HRCs at one month post-discharge (p < 0.05) and three months post-discharge (p < 0.05). Morphogenetic variability might be one among potentially numerous factors that could have an impact on the response to defined treatment protocols for neurologically-impaired individuals who suffered an ischemic stroke.