Balkan Peace Index decision EXpert model and data.

This paper details the data collection process, dataset, and reuse potential of the Balkan Peace Index, a model designed to evaluate the levels of peacefulness in the Western Balkans. Data was gathered in phases: initially, a team of local experts conducted on-ground data collection, interviews, and focus groups, as well as using external international databases describing different notions of peace. This data was then processed and classified on a predefined scale by another team of experts using the Decision EXpert model.

Sensory Deprivation in the Elderly Population of the Republic of Serbia: Sociodemographic Factors as Key to Understanding Sensory Challenges.

Background: Sensory impairments, notably hearing loss (68% in those aged 70+) and vision loss (24%-50%), are prevalent in older individuals. We investigated the correlation between visual and hearing impairments in older adults, considering sociodemographic factors, mental health, and social support.

Methods: The study is part of The Serbian 2019 National Health Survey, conducted in 2019.

The Importance of Biochemical Parameters, Immunonutritional Status, and Social Support for Quality of Life in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients.

: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing public health problem and one of the leading causes of premature death worldwide. The progressive nature of CKD is associated with serious complications that can reduce the quality of life in CKD patients. Additional factors that can worsen well-being include dialysis treatment, malnutrition, inflammation, and lack of social support.

Socioeconomic and Health Characteristics as Predictors of Social Support in Elderly People with Visual Impairment: Evidence from Serbia.

Background: Social networks and support have an independent and strong influence on health and quality of life at all stages of the life cycle, especially in the elderly. We aimed to determine the level of social support among the elderly population of the Republic of Serbia.

Methods: The survey is part of the fourth Health survey of the population of Serbia, which was conducted in 2019 by the Republic Institute of Statistics with the Institute for Public Health of Serbia "Dr.

Association of uremic toxins and systemic inflammation with depression and anxiety among hemodialysis patients in Montenegro.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between uremic toxins, inflammation, depression and anxiety among hemodialysis patients in Montenegro.

Method: The cross-sectional study included 88 patients undergoing hemodialysis. Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).

Association between Sociodemographic Factors and Depressive Symptoms among Adult Population in Serbia.

Background: Lower socioeconomic groups were more affected by depressive symptoms among adults of Serbia. In this study, we tested a model that examines association between sociodemographic factors and depressive symptoms among adult population in Serbia.

Methods: The study was conducted within the National Health Survey of the Serbian population in 2019.

Influence of Epilepsy Characteristics on the Anxiety Occurrence.

The presence of anxiety in individuals with epilepsy significantly influences their medical treatment and quality of life and often goes unrecognized or untreated, posing a challenge to differential diagnosis. The study aimed to investigate the influence of epilepsy characteristics on anxiety. The research involved 155 patients with generalized and focal drug-sensitive [DSE] and drug-resistant [DRE] epilepsy.

Exploring the Association between Socioeconomic Environment, Eating Habits and Level of Nutrition in Children of High School Age: A Part of National Survey.

Background/objectives: One of the raising public health problems in the adolescent population is obesity, which has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. The aim of this work is to determine the prevalence of obesity in the population of children of secondary school, age 15 to 19 years in Serbia and the determinate connection with demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and their eating habits and physical activity.

Methods: The research is part of the fourth National Population Health Survey conducted in 2019, which was conducted by the Republic Institute of Statistics, in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health of Serbia and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia.

The impact of sociodemographic and health aspects on cognitive performance in the older adult population in the republic of Serbia.

The aim of this study was to investigate how sociodemographic and health factors contribute cognitive abilities in the older population of the Republic of Serbia, using data from the 2019 national health survey. The study included 3,743 participants, of whom 2,061 (55.1%) were women and 1,682 (44.

Analysis and Forecast of Birth Related Indicators in Selected Balkan and Eastern European Countries.

Background: Health indicators are often used for a variety of purposes, including program management, resource allocation, monitoring of country progress, performance-based payment, and global reporting. Real progress in health towards the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and other national health priorities is vitally dependent on stronger health systems. We aimed to analyse the progress of "birth related indicators" of selected countries of Balkan and Eastern Europe and to forecast their values in the future.

Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Breast Cancer Screening among Women in Serbia, National Health Survey.

Background: Approximately 2.3 million female breast cancer cases were identified globally in 2020, resulting in 685,000 fatalities among women. Serbia too experiences a high breast cancer burden.

Zolpidem improves task-specific dystonia: A randomized clinical trial integrating exploratory transcranial magnetic stimulation and [18F] FDG-PET imaging.

Background: Task-specific dystonia (TSFD) is a disabling movement disorder. Effective treatment options are currently limited. Zolpidem was reported to improve primary focal and generalized dystonia in a proportion of patients.

Demographic and Socioeconomic Predictors of Prehypertension and Hypertension in the Adult Population: Serbian National Health Survey.

: Prehypertension and hypertension are the most common cardiovascular disorders worldwide and are increasingly considered one of the most serious public health problems, particularly in developing countries. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and demographic and socioeconomic predictors of prehypertension and hypertension in the adults in Serbia, and to examine the relationship between prehypertension and hypertension and health behavior determinants (smoking, alcohol use, physical activity) and individual aspects of health (a health self-assessment, multimorbidity, BMI, depressive symptoms). : The research is part of the fourth National Population Health Survey conducted in 2019, which was conducted by the Republic Institute of Statistics, in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health of Serbia and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia.

Exposure to Stress and Burnout Syndrome in Healthcare Workers, Expert Workers, Professional Associates, and Associates in Social Service Institutions.

Workplace burnout syndrome is often as sociated with particular aspects of certain job positions, especially those that entail working with people with special needs. The burnout syndrome in healthcare jobs is a serious problem that has grown into an epidemic among healthcare workers and associates. The aim of this research is to assess the presence of stress and burnout syndrome at work with healthcare workers, expert workers, professional associates, and associates in social service institutions in Belgrade.

Gait Characteristics during Dual-Task Walking in Elderly Subjects of Different Ages.

Background: In older age, walking ability gradually decreases due to factors including impaired balance, reduced muscle strength, and impaired vision and proprioception. Further, cognitive functions play a key role during walking and gradually decline with age. There is greater variability in gait parameters when the demands during walking increase, in dual- and multiple-task situations.

Demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with cervical cancer screening among women in Serbia.

Objectives: Effective reduction of cervical cancer incidence and mortality requires strategic measures encompassing the implementation of a cost-effective screening technology. Serbia has made significant strides, introducing organized cervical cancer screening in 2012. However, various impediments to screening implementation persist.

Developing a machine learning model for bleeding prediction in patients with cancer-associated thrombosis receiving anticoagulation therapy.

Background: Only 1 conventional score is available for assessing bleeding risk in patients with cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT): the CAT-BLEED score.

Objectives: Our aim was to develop a machine learning-based risk assessment model for predicting bleeding in CAT and to evaluate its predictive performance in comparison to that of the CAT-BLEED score.

Methods: We collected 488 attributes (clinical data, biochemistry, and International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, diagnosis) in 1080 unique patients with CAT.

The 'peptide for life' initiative in the emergency department study.

Aims: Natriuretic peptide (NP) uptake varies in Emergency Departments (EDs) across Europe. The 'Peptide for Life' (P4L) initiative, led by Heart Failure Association, aims to enhance NP utilization for early diagnosis of heart failure (HF). We tested the hypothesis that implementing an educational campaign in Western Balkan countries would significantly increase NP adoption rates in the ED.

Burnout syndrome among medical nurse-technicians in intensive care units in cardiovascular surgery.

Background: Healthcare workers in intensive care units work under specifically hard conditions compared to healthcare workers who work under regular clinical conditions. In this sense, the research aims at assessing the level of burnout symptomatology among nurse technicians working in intensive care units for cardiovascular surgery and to compare those burnout levels with those recorded for medical technicians working under regular clinical conditions.

Method: The research was designed as a cross-sectional study.

Resolution of peri-implant mucositis following standard treatment: A prospective split-mouth study.

Background: Peri-implant mucositis (PIM) is a pathological precursor of peri-implantitis, but its pattern of conversion to peri-implantitis is unclear and complicated to diagnose clinically, while none of the available protocols yield complete disease resolution. The aim of this study was the evaluation of PIM responsiveness to standard anti-infective mechanical treatment (AIMT) at clinical and biomarker levels, and estimation of the diagnostic capacity of bone markers as surrogate endpoints and predictors.

Methods: Systemically healthy outpatients presenting one implant exhibiting clinical signs of inflammation confined within the soft tissue (PIM) and one healthy control (HC) implant at a non-adjacent position were included.

Mental health status and coping strategies during COVID-19 pandemic among university students in Central Serbia.

Background: The objective of this research was to evaluate the occurrence of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as the level of life contentment and coping mechanisms employed by college students amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A total of 588 students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Higher School of Medicine, Kraljevo, University of Kragujevac, Central Serbia, participated in an online cross-sectional survey in the period September-October 2022. Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) was used to measure the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Diagnostic value of VEGF in peri-implantitis and its correlation with titanium particles: A controlled clinical study.

Objectives: VEGF is prototypic marker of neovascularization, repeatedly proposed as intrinsic characteristic of peri-implantitis. This study aimed to assess pattern of VEGF in peri-implantitis, its correlation with titanium particles (TPs) and capacity as respective biomarker.

Material And Methods: Pathological specificity of VEGF was assessed in peri-implant granulations using immunohistochemistry, periodontal granulations represented Ti-free positive controls.

Effect of argon plasma abutment activation on soft tissue healing: RCT with histological assessment.

Objective: To assess the peri-implant soft tissue profiles between argon plasma treatment (PT) and non-treated (NPT) healing abutments by comparing clinical and histological parameters 2 months following abutment placement.

Materials And Methods: Thirty participants were randomly assigned to argon-plasma treatment abutments group (PT) or non-treated abutments (NPT) group. Two months after healing abutment placement, soft peri-implant tissues and abutment were harvested, and histological and clinical parameters including plaque index, bleeding on probing, and keratinized mucosa diameter (KM) were assessed.