This paper presents a system for classification of asthma based on artificial neural network. A total of 1800 Medical Reports were used for neural network training. The system was subsequently tested through the use of 1250 Medical Reports established by physicians from hospital Sarajevo. Out of the aforementioned Medical Reports, 728 were diagnoses of asthma, while 522 were healthy subjects. Out of the 728 asthmatics, 97.11% were correctly classified, and the healthy subjects were classified with an accuracy of 98.85%. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed, as well, which were 97.11% and 98.85%, respectively. Our system for classification of asthma is based on a combination of spirometry (SPIR) and Impulse Oscillometry System (IOS) test results, whose measurement results were inputs to artificial neural network. Artificial neural network is implemented to obtain both static and dynamic assessment of the patient's respiratory system.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a major health problem in South Eastern Europe (SEE). Available treatment options are not efficient enough and the course is often chronic. Little is known about molecular mediators and moderators of pathogenesis and therapy. Genetic and epigenetic variation may be one central molecular mechanism. We therefore established a consortium combining clinical expertise on PTSD from SEE countries Bosnia-Herzegovina (Sarajevo, Tuzla and Mostar), Kosovo (Prishtina) and Croatia (Zagreb) with genetic and epigenetic competence from Germany (Würzburg) in 2011 within the framework of the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst)-funded Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. After obtaining ethical votes and performing rater trainings as well as training in DNA extraction from EDTA blood between 2011 and 2013, we recruited 747 individuals who had experienced war-related trauma in the SEE conflicts between 1991 and 1999. 236 participants had current PTSD, 161 lifetime PTSD and 350 did not have and never had PTSD. Demographic and clinical data are currently merged together with genetic and epigenetic data in a single database to allow for a comprehensive analysis of the role of genetic and epigenetic variation in the pathogenesis and therapy of PTSD. Analyses will be done to a great degree by PhD students from participating SEE centers who in addition to participation in the project had an opportunity to take part in spring and summer schools of the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) funded Research Training Group (RTG) 1253 and thus meet PhD students from Germany and other countries We are confident that our project will not only contribute to a better understanding of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of PTSD as a basis for future individualized and personalized therapies, but also to the academic development of South Eastern Europe.

abstract In a study of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian (B&H) population, Y-chromosome marker frequencies for 100 individuals, generated using the PowerPlex Y23 kit, were used to perform Y-chromosome haplogroup assignment via Whit Athey's Haplogroup Predictor. This algorithm determines Y-chromosome haplogroups from Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) data using a Bayesian probability-based approach. The most frequent haplogroup appeared to be I2a, with a prevalence of 49%, followed by R1a and E1b1b, each accounting for 17% of all haplogroups within the population. Remaining haplogroups were J2a (5%), I1 (4%), R1b (4%), J2b (2%), G2a (1%), and N (1%). These results confirm previously published preliminary B&H population data published over 10 years ago, especially the prediction about the B&H population being a part of the Western Balkan area, which served as the Last Glacial Maximum refuge for the Paleolithic human European population. Furthermore, the results corroborate the hypothesis that this area was a significant stopping point on the “Middle East—Europe highway” during the Neolithic farmer migrations. Finally, since these results are almost completely in accordance with previously published data on B&H and neighboring populations generated by Y-chromosome single nucleotide polymorphism analysis, it can be concluded that in silico analysis of Y-STRs is a reliable method for approximation of the Y-chromosome haplogroup diversity of an examined population.

This paper presents a system for classification of asthma based on fuzzy rules. Fuzzy rules are defined according to Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines, as well as through consultations with long-term experience of pulmologists. Our fuzzy system for classification of asthma is based on a combination of spirometry (SPIR) and Impulse Oscillometry System (IOS) test results, which are inputs to fuzzy system. Additionally, the use of bronchodilatation and bronhoprovocation enabled a complete patient's dynamic assessment rather than a simple static assessment. The system was retroactively tested with 1250 Medical Reports established by pulmologists, out of which 728 were diagnosed with asthma and 522 were healthy subjects. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed, on this dataset, which were 91.89% and 95.01%, respectively.

For more than last twenty years, different methods of forensic DNA testing (known as DNA fingerprinting) have been widely established and accepted as the standard procedure in various police and court investigations. Data obtained through this analysis are extremely reliable and could be used as a very powerful tool that produces valuable results. Forensic genetics focuses on applications of molecular genetic findings in a legal context, and it involves the processing of individual traces and results obtained by genetic methods with the aim of reconstructing the course of events as well as the precise individualization of those involved within the judicial, police and other investigative realm. Even though the foundations of forensic genetics date back before the first official DNA analysis in 1985, the first PCR thermocycler that simulated all means necessary for the conduction of all phases of the PCR method was conducted not long after that. What followed in the coming two decades was a significantly rapid progress in the molecular genetic advancement in laboratory methods that resulted in the advancement of forensic DNA analysis from. Even these days technological developments, such as automatization of DNA extraction procedures, speeding up of quantification and amplification phases, introducing of next generation sequencing, will possibly initiate a revolution in this field of science. Efforts of the automation in the field of forensic genetics is focused in the direction of establishing platforms for more informative, cheep, simple, fast and high-throughput analysis. Therefore, we highlight this technological evolution from what once used to be an involved procedure that yielded fewer results in as long as three days to the advancement of biotechnological tools that enable rapid obtainment of tens of thousand-fold more data within as little as a few hours.

The Slavic branch of the Balto-Slavic sub-family of Indo-European languages underwent rapid divergence as a result of the spatial expansion of its speakers from Central-East Europe, in early medieval times. This expansion–mainly to East Europe and the northern Balkans–resulted in the incorporation of genetic components from numerous autochthonous populations into the Slavic gene pools. Here, we characterize genetic variation in all extant ethnic groups speaking Balto-Slavic languages by analyzing mitochondrial DNA (n = 6,876), Y-chromosomes (n = 6,079) and genome-wide SNP profiles (n = 296), within the context of other European populations. We also reassess the phylogeny of Slavic languages within the Balto-Slavic branch of Indo-European. We find that genetic distances among Balto-Slavic populations, based on autosomal and Y-chromosomal loci, show a high correlation (0.9) both with each other and with geography, but a slightly lower correlation (0.7) with mitochondrial DNA and linguistic affiliation. The data suggest that genetic diversity of the present-day Slavs was predominantly shaped in situ, and we detect two different substrata: ‘central-east European’ for West and East Slavs, and ‘south-east European’ for South Slavs. A pattern of distribution of segments identical by descent between groups of East-West and South Slavs suggests shared ancestry or a modest gene flow between those two groups, which might derive from the historic spread of Slavic people.

In previous population studies of Serbian human population, 15 STR loci included in the Identifiler were used. For further development of this dataset, we analyzed the new ESS loci and the SE33 locus. We tested 197 unrelated healthy individuals born in Serbia. Qiagen MicroTM Tissue Kit was used for DNA extraction from whole blood, Quantifiler assay for quantification and PowerPlex ESI 17 System for amplification and detection. Electrophoresis of the amplification products was preformed on an ABI PRISM 310. Numerical allele designations of the profiles were obtained by processing with Gene Mapper1 IDv 3.2 Software. Arlequin software, version 3.5.1.2, was used to calculate allele frequencies, observed heterozygosity (Ho), expected heterozygosity (He) and Pvalues of the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Also, the same software was used for the exact population differentiation tests using allele frequencies. Matching probability (MP), power of discrimination (PD), polymorphism information content (PIC), probability of exclusion (PE) and typical paternity index (TPI) were determined by Powerstats, version 1.2. No statistically significant deviation (p < 0.05) from HWE was found, except for the D2S441 locus (0.0306), which was rejected after Bonferroni correction. Also, we have compared Serbian data with the data obtained from geographically closer (neighboring) European populations. Nei’s genetic distances among 10 European populations including this study were computed and a NJphylogenetic tree of 5 ESS STR loci for compared populations was built. It could be seen that, even using only 6 STR loci, “neighboring clustering” of the data could be recognized.

Short tandem repeats (STRs) located on the Y- chromosome are a useful tool for the study of population structure and history. In this study, 23 Y-STR loci from 50 populations were compared (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385a/b, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, GATAH4, DYS481, DYS533, DYS549, DYS570, DYS576, and DYS643). The allele frequencies were calculated using Arlequin v3.5.1.2, while the haplotype data for these calculations were gathered from previously published articles. Furthermore, a worldwide phylogenetic tree was generated, and genetic distance values were calculated using POPTREE2 and MEGA 5.1 software. The results illustrate formation of several distinct clusters and sub clusters within them and indicate that this was mostly due to geographical proximity, which in turn resulted in neighboring populations becoming part of the same cluster. While the obtained results were in accordance with previously published research on autosomal STR analysis, the Y-STRs analyzed in the current study were more informative since they enabled regional clustering in addition to the continental one. Lastly, the use of a larger number of loci yielded clustering that is more specific than what has been calculated to date.

Availability of the large number of sources of extractable human DNA poses the challenge to find the easiest way to obtain large quantities of DNA from those sources. We have used Maxwell and Qiagen methods for DNA extractions from various samples that could be found at the crime scene or used in paternity disputes. Samples of buccal, vaginal and ear swabs, cigarette tips, chewing gum, urine, contact lenses, hair and dandruff were collected from ten voluntary donors. We used commercial Qiagen and Maxwell systems for DNA isolation. The success of isolation was demonstrated by horizontal gel electrophoresis, spectrophotometry analysis and PCR amplification of 15 STR loci (PowerPlex® 16 System). Our results confirmed that the Maxwell system was the fastest and easiest and a very reliable way of getting high-quality DNA from different sources. We have got 9 of 10 complete DNA profiles by this system, whereas DNA extraction according to Qiagen protocol resulted in generating only two out of ten completed DNA profiles. In conclusion, the Maxwell system appears to be the method of the choice for DNA extraction from large numbers of biological samples because of its reliability, simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

This study compares the results obtained using multiplex systems PowerPlex® 16 and PowerPlex® Fusion to evaluate the probability of a full kinship (siblings), first cousin and half- sibling relationships among the offspring of three pairs of monozygotic twins. Genomic DNA was isolated and amplified from buccal swab ; selected short tandem repeat (STR) markers were detected. Electropherograms were generated and analyzed using the two multiplex systems for all subjects. Paternity testing for every nine offspring of six couples was performed and in all cases the probability that the alleged father was the true father, was over 99.9999%. Kinship analyses were performed setting up two hypotheses, where the relationships of full kinship, first cousins and half-siblings were tested and calculating the likelihood ratio (LR). Relatedness coefficients were used to describe the type of relationship between two subjects under the hypothesis and average likelihood ratios values showed which of the subjects had a higher percentage of common alleles. Determining the degree of relationship between subjects who were full siblings, the likelihood ratios were highest compared with the other two types of kinship. Kinship analyses between first cousins showed higher probabilities than when the subjects were half- siblings, rather than first cousins. Introduction of an additional seven loci used in the PowerPlex® Fusion System gave even higher average likelihood ratios and higher probabilities of these relations.

Mixed lineage leukemias (MLL) express unique clinical and biological characteristics. MLL interacts with over 50 different genes resulting in expression of chimeric proteins whereby the MLL amino-terminal portion is fused to the carboxy-terminal portion of the partner. Chromosomal translocations t(9 ; 11), t(11 ; 19) and t(4 ; 11) leading to MLL-AF9, MLL-ENL and MLL-AF4 fusions are the most frequent. Leukemias with MLL rearrangements are mostly driven through dysregulation of a transforming gene expression program, making it a unique epigenetic model of leukemia. Using the whole genome profiling of acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs), we analysed the differential gene expression, methylation pattern, and mutational spectra between MLL and other AML types (n=197). We found that 120 genes were differentially expressed, with 36 genes characterized by more than twofold expression difference. In this study, we will present differently expressed genes with and their potential role in leukemogenesis. Since rearrangements of the MLL gene lead to aberrant methylation, we investigated differential methylation patterns among MLL and other AML types and identified affected methylation hotspots.

Analysis of Y-chromosome haplogroup distribution is widely used when investigating geographical clustering of different populations, which is why it plays an important role in population genetics, human migration patterns and even in forensic investigations. Individual determination of these haplogroups is mostly based on the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers located in the non-recombining part of Y-chromosome (NRY). On the other hand, the number of forensic and anthropology studies investigating short tandem repeats on the Y-chromosome (Y-STRs) increases rapidly every year. During the last few years, these markers have been successfully used as haplogroup prediction methods, which is why they have been used in this study. Previously obtained Y-STR haplotypes (23 loci) from 100 unrelated Turkish males recently settled in Sarajevo were used for the determination of haplogroups via 'Whit Athey's Haplogroup Predictor' software. The Bayesian probability of 90 of the studied haplotypes is greater than 92.2% and ranges from 51.4% to 84.3% for the remaining 10 haplotypes. A distribution of 17 different haplogroups was found, with the Y- haplogroup J2a being most prevalent, having been found in 26% of all the samples, whereas R1b, G2a and R1a were less prevalent, covering a range of 10% to 15% of all the samples. Together, these four haplogroups account for 63% of all Y-chromosomes. Eleven haplogroups (E1b1b, G1, I1, I2a, I2b, J1, J2b, L, Q, R2, and T) range from 2% to 5%, while E1b1a and N are found in 1% of all samples. Obtained results indicate that a large majority of the Turkish paternal line belongs to West Asia, Europe Caucasus, Western Europe, Northeast Europe, Middle East, Russia, Anatolia, and Black Sea Y-chromosome lineages. As the distribution of Y-chromosome haplogroups is consistent with the previously published data for the Turkish population residing in Turkey, it was concluded that the analyzed population could also be recognized as a representative sample of the Turkish population residing in Turkey.

Forensic botany refers to the application of plant biology disciplines in crime investigations. Since plants are widespread in most habitats, they often provide valuable clues in criminal investigations. Hence, the primary role of forensic botany is to establish a connection between the victim or suspect and the crime scene. The forensic applications of forensic botany include many aspects including recognition of plant evidence at the crime scene, collection and preservation of plant evidence, maintenance of the chain of custody, and a testimony for the admissibility of this evidence in court. For the development of new efficient methods for plant identification and individualization, the initial step is optimization of DNA isolation from plant material. The aim of this work is to optimize the DNA isolation protocol of different leaf and non-leaf plant tissues, including pollen grains, using the salting out method from Taraxacum officinale, a species of the Asteraceae family. Since the species is very common in ecosystems with antropogenic influence, the need to optimize the DNA isolation protocol is of high importance. The efficiency of the isolation protocol was evaluated using spectrophotometry (concentration and purity) and gel electrophoresis. The results demonstrate that salting out can be used for the isolation of DNA from Taraxacum officinale. However, optimization is required, depending on the part of the plant from which DNA is extracted.