Statistical and Machine Learning Techniques in Human Microbiome Studies: Contemporary Challenges and Solutions.

The human microbiome has emerged as a central research topic in human biology and biomedicine. Current microbiome studies generate high-throughput omics data across different body sites, populations, and life stages. Many of the challenges in microbiome research are similar to other high-throughput studies, the quantitative analyses need to address the heterogeneity of data, specific statistical properties, and the remarkable variation in microbiome composition across individuals and body sites.

Disposal of Used Pens and Needles from Diabetes Patients Perspective.

Introduction: Diabetes as lifelong chronic disease requires pharmacological treatment using plastic pens and needles. Proper disposal of used pens and needles have impact not just on health but environment as well. In 2020 there will be 3.

Utilization and Perception of Information and Communication Technologies Among Pharmacists and Development of Pharmacy Informatics in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Background: Information and communication technologies (ICT) are widely used in a health care as a result of pharmaceutical informatics and technology developments. There is a huge potential for pharmaceutical practice of technologies utilization in a different practice settings especial community pharmacy and patient counseling.

Objective: To evaluate Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) pharmacists` knowledge and attitudes towards informational and communication technologies and extend of its utilization.

Guidelines for Editing Biomedical Journals: Recommended by Academy of Medical Sciences of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Background: Enormous number of medical journals published around the globe requires standardization of editing practice.

Objective: The aim of this article was to enlist main principles of editing biomedical scientific journals adopted at annual meeting of Academy of Medical Sciences of Bosnia & Herzegovina (AMSB&H).

Methods: The evidence for writing this Guideline was systematically searched for during September 2020 in the PUBMED and GOOGLE SCHOLAR databases.

Balkan Clinical Research Registry: Established by Academy of Medical Sciences of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Background: From 2013 the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki explicitly requires pre-registration of a study involving human subjects. The registration gives a chance for improvement of design and avoidance of bias.

Objective: The aim of this article was to describe process of bearing decision to create regional registry of clinical studies for Balkan countries.

Doppler ultrasonography of the uterine artery in correlation with KANET.

Objectives: The aim of this prospective study was to correlate the Doppler ultrasonography of the uterine arteries with the Kurjak Antenatal Neurodevelopmental Test (KANET), to investigate the effect of uterine artery flow assessed by the Doppler on fetal behavior.

Methods: A population of 80 pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy was included for uterine artery Doppler (UAD) assessment. The investigation group consisted of 40 women with abnormal UAD, while the control group consisted of 40 women with normal UAD.

Clinical use of an analysis of oxidative stress and IL-6 as the promoters of diabetic polyneuropathy.

Aim To investigate interleukin 6 (IL-6) values depending on duration of diabetes mellitus (DM) and evaluate possible correlation with diabetic polyneuropathy. Methods The research study included 90 patients with DM divided into three groups (30 patients each) according to the duration of DM: group A - patients who had DM for less than 10 years, group B - duration of DM was 10 to 20 years, and group C - patients with DM over 20 years. Control group (K) included 30 healthy participants.

Microbiota entrapped in recently-formed ice: Paradana Ice Cave, Slovenia.

Paradana is one of the biggest ice caves in Slovenia, with an estimated ice volume of 8,000 m. Reflecting climatological conditions, the cave ice undergoes repeated freeze-thaw cycles and regular yearly deposition of fresh ice. Three distinct ice block samples, collected from the frozen lake in May 2016, were analysed to obtain data on ice physicochemical properties and the composition of associated microbiota.

The Role of Diet Therapy in the Treatment of Liver Disease.

Introduction: The liver is the largest gland in the human body, and serves to store nutrients and neutralize harmful compounds. The liver plays a very important role in a number of metabolic, both catabolic and anabolic processes, and is therefore called the "central laboratory" of the organism. If liver disease occurs, they can affect all its parts-liver cells, bile ducts, blood and lymph vessels.

Diabetology Care During COVID-19 Lockdown in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Diabetologists and Patients Perspective.

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic suddenly affected all countries and health care systems from different perspectives including severe disruption of chronic disease services including diabetes. Diabetes is a serious condition and highly present in Bosnia and Herzegovina population, so provision of diabetes care is a important part of good control. Countries had different responses to adopt diabetes care under new circumstances as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina.

SARS-CoV-2 virus outbreak and the emergency public health measures in Bosnia and Herzegovina: January - July, 2020.

Between March 5th and July 25th, 2020, the total number of SARS-CoV-2 confirmed cases in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) was 10,090, corresponding to a cumulative incidence rate of 285.7/100,000 population. Demographic and clinical information on all the cases along with exposure and contact information were collected using a standardized case report form.

Impact of load on the knee in relation to a treadmill angle.

Aim To determine the effect of the load on the meniscus in relation to a different angle, and to present the impact of force on eventual injury of menisci. Methods Research included 200 males with average height of 178.5 cm, mass 83.

Using data science for medical decision making case: role of gut microbiome in multiple sclerosis.

Background: A decade ago, the advancements in the microbiome data sequencing techniques initiated the development of research of the microbiome and its relationship with the host organism. The development of sophisticated bioinformatics and data science tools for the analysis of large amounts of data followed. Since then, the analyzed gut microbiome data, where microbiome is defined as a network of microorganisms inhabiting the human intestinal system, has been associated with several conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome - IBS, colorectal cancer, diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, and lately in the study of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases as well.

Increased of the carotid intima media thickness in preeclampsia.

Objectives The aim of the study was to determine carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) values in patients who developed and did not develop preeclampsia (PE), and to determine whether CIMT values could be predictors of PE development. Methods The study included pregnant women who were examined by regular ultrasound examination at the Materno-Infantil Presidente Vargas Hospital (HMIPV) in Porto Alegre, Brazil, from April 2016 to September 2017. The examinations were performed every three months.

Increased Levels of Coagulation Factor XI in Plasma Are Related to Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis.

Background: Alzheimer's disease is a complex disorder of unclear etiology that develops in the elderly population. It is a debilitating, progressive neurodegeneration for which disease-modifying therapies do not exist. Previous studies have suggested that, for a subset of patients, dysregulation in hemostasis might be one of the molecular mechanisms that ultimately leads to the development of neurodegeneration resulting in cognitive decline that represents the most prominent symptomatic characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin is a predictor of complications in the early phase of ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Aim To evaluate a correlation of serum level of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) to the risk of the occurrence of complications in patients with the early phase of ST-segment elevation myocardical infarction (STEMI) treated with fibrinolytic therapy prior to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods A total of 54 patients with the diagnosis of STEMI treated with fibrinolytic therapy (alteplase) prior to PCI were included. Patients were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Clinic for Heart, Blood Vessel and Rheumatic Diseases in the period January to March 2018.

Amnioreduction in Emergency Rescue Cervical Cerclage with Bulging Membranes.

Introduction: Emergency cerclage in the second trimester is aestablished treatment for a dilated cervix.

Aim: To report a case of a successful cerclage performed in a 33-year old woman in her secondpregnancy, after 5 years of non-successfulpregnancy outcomes.

Case Report: In her fourth month of pregnancy, the patient was hospitalized because of suprapubic pressure.

Renal Tuberculosis Following Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Bladder Cancer.

Introduction: Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is usually effectively treated with transurethral resection (TUR), most often followed by intravesical instillation of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or intravesical chemotherapy. Although the precise mechanism of BCG immunotherapy is still unclear, a local immune response is presumed. However, a number of severe side effects and complications are related to intravesical immunotherapy.

The effect of exposure to fiction on attributional complexity, egocentric bias and accuracy in social perception.

We investigated the effects of long-term exposure to literary and popular fiction on attributional complexity, egocentric bias and accuracy. Results of a pre-registered study showed that exposure to literary fiction is positively associated with scores on the attributional complexity scale. Literary fiction is also associated with accuracy in mentalizing, measured via the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test, and with accuracy in predicting average social attitudes.

Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in pediatric oncology - recommendations by the Oncology Task Force of the ESPR.

The purpose of this recommendation of the Oncology Task Force of the European Society of Paediatric Radiology (ESPR) is to indicate reasonable applications of whole-body MRI in children with cancer and to address useful protocols to optimize workflow and diagnostic performance. Whole-body MRI as a radiation-free modality has been increasingly performed over the last two decades, and newer applications, as in screening of children with germ-line mutation cancer-related gene defects, are now widely accepted. We aim to provide a comprehensive outline of the diagnostic value for use in daily practice.

Association of PC and AT levels in the early phase of STEMI treated with pPCI with LV systolic function and 6-month MACE.

Objectives: To examine a relationship between protein C (PC) and antithrombin III (AT III) activities with ejection fraction of left ventricle (EFLV), in the early phase of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI), and to investigate whether PC and AT III are associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within 6 months following from pPCI.

Patients And Methods: The research had a prospective character and included 357 patients who had, following the diagnosis of the STEMI, undergone pPCI at the Clinic of Cardiology and Emergency Internal Medicine, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia, from January 2010 until April 2019.

Results: The EFLV positively correlated with PC values (rho = 0.

Physician Practice and Knowledge on Diabetes Management During Ramadan in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Introduction: Ramadan is the holy month of Muslims including fasting sometimes more than 20 hours. Even diabetes patients can be exempted from fasting it has been shown that almost 80% of diabetes type 2 patients intend and do fasting. To avoid acute complications during fasting, different recommendations on diabetes management are available.

Identification of developmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder using salivary miRNAs in children from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by major social, communication and behavioural challenges. The cause of ASD is still unclear and it is assumed that environmental, genetic and epigenetic factors influence the risk of ASD occurrence. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short 21-25 nucleotide long RNA molecules which post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression.