Background: Prior to 2012, the mesentery was perceived as a fragmented structure, lacking distinct functional and anatomical characteristics, and was merely considered part of other digestive organs. Dr. J. Calvin Coffey's in 2012 in his study redefined the mesentery as a distinct organ with a clearly defined anatomical and histological structure, although its specific function remains under investigation. The continuous structure and unique tissue properties of the mesentery classify it as the 78th independent organ in the human body. Insights into mesenteric adipose tissue have enhanced our understanding of normal metabolic processes and disease etiology, impacting health significantly. Experimental and clinical research highlights the vital roles of visceral adipose tissue, influencing neighboring organ function. The interaction within the brain-gut-liver axis is illuminated by the newfound functions of mesenteric adipose tissue, emphasizing its independent organ status. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the latest findings on the structure and function of the mesentery, focusing on visceral-mesenteric adipose tissue, and assess its role as a new organ in the brain-gut-liver axis. Methods: A comprehensive analysis of clinical and experimental studies on the mesentery's structure and function was conducted, focusing on recent discoveries regarding mesenteric adipose tissue and its role in the brain-gut-liver axis. Results and Discussion: Recent research has revealed the mesentery's unique functions, particularly in mesenteric adipose tissue. Mesenteric adipose tissue plays a crucial role in metabolic functions and influences disease onset. It acts as a vital link in the brain-gut-liver axis, directly influencing hepatic metabolism and disorders such as metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: Scientific evidence confirms the mesentery's anatomical and functional specificities, solidifying its status as the 78th independent organ in the human body. It serves as a crucial link in the brain-mesentery-small intestine-liver axis, impacting health and disease. Ongoing research holds promise for advancing our understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms and treatment approaches for metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases.

Background: COVID-19 affects all organ systems, including the visual organs. Clinical manifestations encompass all segments of the eye. Neuro-ophthalmic manifestations are rare and can occur during the acute phase of the illness, during recovery, or in the course of Long COVID. These clinical manifestations include optic neuritis and various forms of encephalomyelitis. Optic neuritis more commonly occurs during the recovery phase from the acute form or during Long COVID. Family physicians are in a position to first diagnose optic neuritis in the early stages. Objective: The aim of this paper is to present a case of optic neuritis occurring in the early stages of the disease, diagnosed in the prehospital period in a family medicine practice with consultations from ophthalmologists, infectologists, and neurologists. Such close collaboration enabled the early administration of corticosteroid therapy. Case report: A case of a 28-year-old woman is presented, who exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 with a confirmed positive antigen for the SARS-CoV-2 virus (PCR nasopharyngeal swab). On the fourth day of illness, sudden loss of vision in the right eye occurred along with headache. Early diagnosis and early administration of corticosteroid therapy led to significant improvement in vision. Conclusion: Clinical manifestations of eye diseases can occur in the early stages of COVID-19 as a direct consequence of viral infection. Ophthalmologist and neurologist examinations are necessary in the early stages of the disease for timely diagnosis of various ophthalmologic and neurologic disorders and adequate therapy.

Background: In December of 2019, SARS-CoV-2, a new type of coronavirus, appeared, and it turned into an international epidemic. The consequences of the pandemic, especially the isolation measures, fear of infection and bad economic trends, as a result of the crisis, threaten people's basic psychological needs. Objective: The objective of this research was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and perceived social support of persons with disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods: The research included a total sample of 232 respondents with different types of disabilities. The Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) was used to verify the research objective, which assessed three dimensions: somatization, depression and anxiety. Also, in order to verify the research objective, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support was applied, which consists of 12 statements that measure the perceived social support of family, friends and other people. The research data was processed with descriptive and inferential statistics. The basic statistical parameters were calculated, while the t-test was used for an independent sample of respondents to verify the set objective. Results: The results of the research showed that persons with disabilities, who were infected with the SARS-Cov-2 virus, had a significantly higher level of somatization, anxiety and depression compared to those who were not infected with the virus. The results in relation to social support did not prove to be statistically significant. Conclusion: The obtained results lead to the conclusion that, in the future, interventions by experts of various profiles must be planned to preserve the mental health of persons with disabilities, which is why it is important to invest in the emotional, psychological, social, physical and spiritual well-being of the individual.

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Background: Thromboembolic complications are a frequent occurrence during COVID-19. This report presents a patient with signs of subclavian steal syndrome (SSS) caused by a thrombus in the initial part of the right subclavian artery. Pathological occlusive changes, such as thrombosis, are four times more common on the left subclavian. Thrombosis of the subclavian artery occurs in about 1% of the population, but atherosclerotic changes are common and usually asymptomatic. Objective: The aim of this report is to present a patient with signs of subclavian steal syndrome (SSS) caused by a thrombus in the initial part of the right subclavian artery associated with symptoms of COVID-19. Case report: A 56-year-old female patient presented with tremor, numbness and prickling in the right hand, tinnitus, blurred vision, vertigo, syncope, trismus and headaches. The formation of a thrombus caused neurological symptoms in the right hand with a stronger pronounced tremor, headache and syncopal episodes. Routine CT with angiography did not reveal significant subocclusions of the neck arteries or significant ischemic changes in the brain. The patient was treated as Parkinsonismus (disease) with syncopal and collapsing episodes. Due to worsening subjective complaints, CT angiography of the neck and head blood vessels was repeated with iterative 3D reconstruction. The examination, as mentioned above, revealed atherosclerotic changes with thrombosis and stronger subocclusion of the right subclavian artery (RSA) proximal to the origin of the arteria vertebralis. Both vertebral arteries, as well as arteria basilaris, had a normal appearance. During physical exertion of the right arm doppler examination of neck blood vessels revealed the presence of reverse blood flow in the right vertebral artery. Haematological tests and high D-dimer also confirmed the diagnosis. After anticoagulant therapy, the thrombotic mass on the mural calcified RSA plaque disappeared. With the reduced physical strain on the right hand and a lifestyle change, syncopal conditions and headaches stopped. There was a reduction in tremors and tingling in the right hand as well. Conclusion: We reported a case of subclavian steal syndrome caused by thrombosis associated with OVID-19. Thromboembolic complications are common in the course of this disease. The diagnosis was confirmed with advanced diagnostic tools (CTA with 3D reconstruction), laboratory tests (D-dimer) and doppler ultrasound. When routine CT angiography is not completely clear, 3D reconstruction is necessary.

In the hilly Balkans, a folk proverb has been circulating for a long time, „It is most difficult to be a prophet in one‘s own village“, which reflects the age-old mistrust of the population towards new ideas. This is not surprising in the least, because since the written history of the peoples of the Balkans has existed, a continuous series of conquerors and local rulers who subjugated the common folks and imposed their world view can be traced. Nevertheless, from time to time, people with great strength appear who not only break the shackles imposed by the powerful, but through their actions find a way to the souls of their compatriots and gain their unreserved trust. One of such spontaneous creators is professor Izet Mašić, who achieved a miracle of medical publishing in his Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina and traced the path of medical science. There may be thousands of medical journals in the world, more or less reputable, and researchers from the Balkans can publish their work in them, but only domestic medical journals can initiate and direct domestic medical research, and educate young researchers in the right way. Professor Mašić made it possible for authors from Bosnia and Herzegovina and other Balkan countries to present their results to the world and receive an incentive from impartial experts to continue their work and progress more and more by editing and publishing three domestic journals at once, which are visible in the most important world bases,. The progress in research then translated into improving medical practice and health care of the population. The following details from Professor Mašić‘s biography tell us how this miracle happened. This year, academician Izet Mašić, Editor-in-Chief of a few biomedical journals, including Acta Informatica Medica journal, celebrates his 70th birthday and also 45 years of his academic and scientific work.

The decision of the citation database to include or not include a journal is not subject to the control of another entity, or the professional public, and there are no internationally established ethical standards that the citation database would have to apply. As a consequence of the absence of control, the already mentioned offensive reviews and arbitrary interpretation of the criteria for journal inclusion appear. Given that a journal’s entry into the citation database is a condition for its long-term survival, people who make decisions in the citation databases gain the power to shut down or revive certain journals based on personal preferences. Any power that is not controlled is eventually abused. Therefore, our proposal is to urgently establish the principles of ethical behavior of citation databases at the global level and find ways to ensure compliance with such principles.

The recently emerged novel coronavirus, “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2),” caused a highly contagious disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). It has severely damaged the world's most developed countries and has turned into a major threat for low‐ and middle‐income countries. Since its emergence in late 2019, medical interventions have been substantial, and most countries relied on public health measures collectively known as nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). We aimed to centralize the accumulative knowledge of NPIs against COVID‐19 for each country under one worldwide consortium. International COVID‐19 Research Network collaborators developed a cross‐sectional online survey to assess the implications of NPIs and sanitary supply on the incidence and mortality of COVID‐19. The survey was conducted between January 1 and February 1, 2021, and participants from 92 countries/territories completed it. The association between NPIs, sanitation supplies, and incidence and mortality were examined by multivariate regression, with the log‐transformed value of population as an offset value. The majority of countries/territories applied several preventive strategies, including social distancing (100.0%), quarantine (100.0%), isolation (98.9%), and school closure (97.8%). Individual‐level preventive measures such as personal hygiene (100.0%) and wearing facial masks (94.6% at hospitals; 93.5% at mass transportation; 91.3% in mass gathering facilities) were also frequently applied. Quarantine at a designated place was negatively associated with incidence and mortality compared to home quarantine. Isolation at a designated place was also associated with reduced mortality compared to home isolation. Recommendations to use sanitizer for personal hygiene reduced incidence compared to the recommendation to use soap. Deprivation of masks was associated with increased incidence. Higher incidence and mortality were found in countries/territories with higher economic levels. Mask deprivation was pervasive regardless of economic level. NPIs against COVID‐19 such as using sanitizer, quarantine, and isolation can decrease the incidence and mortality of COVID‐19.

Background: We could say that traditional healing is a way of healing that has been common since ancient times. It has been passed down from generation to generation for many centuries. Magic medicine, although not approved by any of the monotheistic religions present in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and strictly prohibited by Islam, in the form of various magical acts and spells, exists among the people. Some of these magical practices have their roots in the pre-Christian Slavic period and earlier. Objective: The aim of this article was to provide the review of the traditional medicine during the history and today in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods: Review of the available literature, personal contacts and personal experience in contact with the traditional medcine. Discussion: Some of these magical practices have their roots in the pre-Christian Slavic period and earlier. Since the cause of the disease was usually associated with evil beings of supernatural powers, a deity or God’s will or punishment, it is understandable that priests have long been engaged in healing. Especially in the mentally ill, there seemed to be a certain divine or demonic origin of the disease. Muslim folk medicine divides diseases into two groups; in fevers and obsessions with unclean spirits. Folk medicine knows the healing properties of herbs and other substances of animal or mineral origin. The medicinal properties of simple foods that can be found in every home are also widely used, such as: milk, honey, vinegar, oil, onion, and garlic. Prescription books, known as “ljekaruše”, were created by collecting and writing down folk remedies. They were written mostly by Catholic priests. “Witch doctors” or “healers” have been preserved in Orthodox monasteries. Conclusion: Traditional medicine is important for history of medicine, ethnology, anthropology, and abounds in folklore elements. It is an area that leads to knowing, understanding or feeling the very nucleus of a nation.