<p><strong>Aim </strong>To determine the normative range of ultrasound dimensions for the liver, spleen and kidneys in healthy children according to gender, age, body measurements, body surface area (BSA), and the influence of ethnicity on organ size.<br /><strong>Methods </strong>The prospective study included children, ranging from full-term neonates to children aged 15, with normal ultrasonographic (US) findings of the liver, spleen and kidney and no clinical evidence of a disease. Gender, age, as well as body measurements and BSA, were determined for each child along with US measurements, and normative ranges were established.&nbsp;<br /><strong>Results </strong>US images of the liver and spleen from 372 children and 366 US images of kidneys of 366 children were included. US measurements of the liver, spleen and kidney correlated well with gender, age, body weight and height, and often differed to a greater or lesser extent from the normal range of measurements (5th to 95th percentile) reported in other studies.<br /><strong>Conclusion </strong>Our results differed slightly from other reports conducted in Europe, but larger differences compared to measurements performed on children on other continents were found. Thus, our study confirmed that ethnically appropriate and modern tables of normal ultra-sound dimensions for the liver, spleen and kidneys should be used, and that the national nomogram is justified.</p>

Prediction of short-term mortality in patients with acute decompensation of liver cirrhosis could be improved. We aimed to develop and validate two machine learning (ML) models for predicting 28-day and 90-day mortality in patients hospitalized with acute decompensated liver cirrhosis. We trained two artificial neural network (ANN)-based ML models using a training sample of 165 out of 290 (56.9%) patients, and then tested their predictive performance against Model of End-stage Liver Disease-Sodium (MELD-Na) and MELD 3.0 scores using a different validation sample of 125 out of 290 (43.1%) patients. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for predicting 28-day mortality for the ML model was 0.811 (95%CI: 0.714- 0.907; p < 0.001), while the AUC for the MELD-Na score was 0.577 (95%CI: 0.435–0.720; p = 0.226) and for MELD 3.0 was 0.600 (95%CI: 0.462–0.739; p = 0.117). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for predicting 90-day mortality for the ML model was 0.839 (95%CI: 0.776- 0.884; p < 0.001), while the AUC for the MELD-Na score was 0.682 (95%CI: 0.575–0.790; p = 0.002) and for MELD 3.0 was 0.703 (95%CI: 0.590–0.816; p < 0.001). Our study demonstrates that ML-based models for predicting short-term mortality in patients with acute decompensation of liver cirrhosis perform significantly better than MELD-Na and MELD 3.0 scores in a validation cohort.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), necessitates effective management strategies. This study aims to evaluate the real-world efficacy of vedolizumab, a newer biological therapy, in treating IBD in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A retrospective observational study was conducted across six medical centers, involving 139 IBD patients, 76 with UC and 63 with CD. Patients were assessed for clinical remission and other outcomes at the 26-week mark post vedolizumab treatment initiation. At 26 weeks, clinical remission was achieved in 82.9% of UC patients and 85.7% of CD patients. Mucosal healing was observed in 38.1% of CD patients. The efficacy of vedolizumab did not significantly differ based on prior anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) exposure. Notably, the clinical scoring tools for predicting vedolizumab response showed limited applicability in this cohort. Vedolizumab demonstrated high efficacy in treating both UC and CD in real-world settings in Bosnia and Herzegovina, underscoring its potential as a significant therapeutic option in IBD management.

Simple Summary The manual measurement of ablation zones (AZs) in radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy is prone to inaccuracies, highlighting the need for automated methods. Our study investigated the effectiveness of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model, Mask2Former, in automating AZ measurements from ultrasound images, comparing its performance against manual techniques. Conducted on chicken breast and liver samples, the study found the AI model to achieve high accuracy, particularly in chicken breast tissue, with no significant difference in measurements between AI and manual methods. These results suggest that the Mask2Former model can significantly reduce variability in manual measurements, marking a step forward in the automation of AZ measurement in RFA therapy research and potentially improving the precision of treatment assessments. Abstract Background: The accurate delineation of ablation zones (AZs) is crucial for assessing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy’s efficacy. Manual measurement, the current standard, is subject to variability and potential inaccuracies. Aim: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in automating AZ measurements in ultrasound images and compare its accuracy with manual measurements in ultrasound images. Methods: An in vitro study was conducted using chicken breast and liver samples subjected to bipolar RFA. Ultrasound images were captured every 15 s, with the AI model Mask2Former trained for AZ segmentation. The measurements were compared across all methods, focusing on short-axis (SA) metrics. Results: We performed 308 RFA procedures, generating 7275 ultrasound images across liver and chicken breast tissues. Manual and AI measurement comparisons for ablation zone diameters revealed no significant differences, with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.96 in both tissues (p < 0.001). Bland–Altman plots and a Deming regression analysis demonstrated a very close alignment between AI predictions and manual measurements, with the average difference between the two methods being −0.259 and −0.243 mm, for bovine liver and chicken breast tissue, respectively. Conclusion: The study validates the Mask2Former model as a promising tool for automating AZ measurement in RFA research, offering a significant step towards reducing manual measurement variability.

Aim To evaluate Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) resistance to clarithromycin and quinolones in patients with dyspepsia in Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a region with no data on clarithromycin or quinolones resistance. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at University Clinical Centre Tuzla between January 2021 and June 2022. The study included 99 patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS) due to dyspepsia. In all patients biopsies were taken for rapid urease test (RUT) and histology findings, concomitantly with blood samples for IgG serology. All RUT positive patient samples were tested for clarithromycin and quinolones susceptibility with GenoType HelicoDr, a PCR method which detects point mutations in 23S rRNA and mutations in the gyrA gene. Results Out of 99 dyspeptic patients, 67 (67.7%) were serologically positive to H. pylori, 46 (46.4.%) were RUT positive, and 19 (19.2 %) had a positive histology finding. Antibiotic (AB) resistance was tested in the total of 46/99 (46.4%) patients. Resistance to clarithromycin was detected in 28.26% (13/46), quinolones resistance in 36.96% (17/46) , and resistance to both AB was detected in 8.69% (4/46) tested biopsies. Conclusions Due to high clarithromycin and quinolones resistance rates, we recommend the use of bismuth quadruple or non-bismuth concomitant quadruple therapy for H. pylori eradication in Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In this work, I analyze Nietzsche’s concept of the affirmation of life as one of the main concepts of his philosophy in general. To overcome the pessimism and decadence modern culture has fallen into, Nietzsche construes the concept of the affirmation of life as its main goal and imperative. Hence, for each individual, it is necessary to affirm life by achieving their own autonomy, i.e. pathos of distance. Only by achieving genuine pathos of distance, would human beings be able to overcome pessimism.

Abstract Background CYP3A5 enzyme encoded by CYP3A5 is important for drug metabolism in gut and liver, whereas P-glycoprotein by ABCB1, is an ATP-dependent drug efflux pump which exports endo- and exogenous substances outside the cell. Aim The study was to assess the prevalence of CYP3A5 alleles: *1, *2, *3, *4, *6 and *7, and C and T of ABCB1 in Poles, Belarusians and Bosnians and to compare it with the data reported from other European populations. Subjects and methods Overall, 511 unrelated healthy subjects from Poland (n = 239), Belarus (n = 104) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (n = 168) were included in this study. Allele frequencies and statistical parameters (AMOVA version 2.9.3) were determined. Results In Poles, Belarusians and Bosnians the *3 allele of CYP3A5 was the most common, and wild-type allele *1, were: 5.8%, 1.6% and 2.1%, respectively. Allele *2 was very rare, and alleles *4, *6 and *7 were not detected. For the populations mentioned above, the ABCB1 allele C was: 48.1%, 51.4%, 52.4%, respectively. Conclusion In compared populations, the distribution of CYP3A5 variants but not ABCB1, differed significantly. Alleles *4, *6 and *7 of CYP3A5 did not occur or occurred rarely.

BACKGROUND The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) vary between regions but have risen globally in recent decades. A lack of data from developing nations limits the understanding of IBD epidemiology. AIM To perform a follow-up review of IBD epidemiology in the Tuzla Canton of Bosnia-Herzegovina during a 10-year period (2009-2019). METHODS We prospectively evaluated the hospital records of both IBD inpatients and outpatients residing in Tuzla Canton for the specified period of time between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2019. Since all our patients had undergone proximal and distal endoscopic evaluations at the hospital endoscopy unit, we used the hospital’s database as a primary data source, alongside an additional cross-relational search of the database. Both adult and pediatric patients were included in the study. Patients were grouped by IBD type, phenotype, age, and gender. Incidence rates were calculated with age standardization using the European standard population. Trends in incidence and prevalence were evaluated as a 3-year moving average and average annual percentage change rates. RESULTS During the 10-year follow-up period, 651 patients diagnosed with IBD were monitored (of whom 334, or 51.3%, were males, and 317, or 48.7%, were females). Of all the patients, 346 (53.1%) had been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), 292 (44.9%) with Crohn’s disease (CD), and 13 (2%) with indeterminate colitis (IC). We observed 440 newly diagnosed patients with IBD: 240 (54.5%) with UC, 190 (43.2%) with CD, and 10 (2.3%) with IC. The mean annual crude incidence rates were found to be 9.01/100000 population for IBD [95% confidence interval (CI): 8.17-9.85], with 4.91/100000 (95%CI: 4.29-5.54) for UC and 3.89/100000 (95%CI: 3.34-4.44) for CD. Calculated IBD prevalence in 2019 was 146.64/100000 (95%CI: 128.09-165.19), with 77.94/100000 (95%CI: 68.08-87.70) for UC and 65.77/100000 (95%CI: 54.45-74.1) for CD. The average annual IBD percentage change was 0.79% (95%CI: 0.60-0.88), with -2.82% (95%CI: -2.67 to -2.97) for UC and 6.92% (95%CI: 6.64-7.20) for CD. During the study period, 24,509 distal endoscopic procedures were performed. The incidence of IBD was 3.16/100 examinations (95%CI: 2.86-3.45) or 1.72/100 examinations (95%CI: 1.5-1.94) for UC and 1.36/100 examinations (95%CI: 1.17-1.56) for CD. CONCLUSION Trends in the incidence and prevalence of IBD in Tuzla Canton are similar to Eastern European averages, although there are significant epidemiological differences within geographically close and demographically similar areas.

Aims To investigate morbidity and mortality in a real-life cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in relation to prevalence and severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods Patients with T2D were referred for assessment of liver fibrosis by the FIB-4 test and liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE). Liver steatosis was quantified by the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP). These patients were followed until death or censored date. Results Among 454 patients (52% males, mean age 62.5 years, BMI 30.9 kg/m2), 82.6% was overweight, 77.8% had fatty liver, and 9.9% and 3.1% had LSM and FIB-4 values suggestive of advanced fibrosis, respectively. During the follow-up period of median 2 years, 106 (23%) patients experienced adverse event (11% cardiovascular) and 17 (3.7%) died, whereas no liver-related morbidity or mortality was observed. Independent predictors of adverse outcomes were age and higher platelet count, while FIB-4, LSM, and CAP were not. Conclusion In a cohort of T2D patients, no liver-related morbidity or mortality occurred during 2 years. Our patients probably have low real prevalence of advanced fibrosis which is likely overestimated by LSM ≥ 9.6 kPa. Liver fibrosis may be safely reassessed in the 2 years interval in noncirrhotic patients with T2D.