BACKGROUND Gradient and coil systems, pulse sequence design, and imaging parameters, as well as different scanners, can influence apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two different field strengths on the reproducibility of mean absolute ADC measurements in various primary and secondary brain tumors. METHODS Fifty patients with histologically proven brain tumors were prospectively examined on two MR scanners from the same vendor, with different field strengths-1.5T and 3T-on the same day. Absolute ADC values were compared using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test. Inter-scanner agreement between two different fields in the same tumor was examined using correlation coefficients, and the discrepancy between the highest and the lowest mean absolute ADC values between scanners was tested using a one-way analysis of variance. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference between mean absolute ADC values obtained on 1.5T and 3T scanners for all patients and all brain tumor types. The intratumoral difference in ADC values, averaged from two scanners in the same tumor type, ranged from 1.58 to 4.5% for 1.5T, and from 1.18 to 4.37% for 3T.Inter-scanner agreement was high, and the kappa coefficient ranged from 0.88 to 0.99, with no significant difference between obtained values on different field strengths. CONCLUSION Based on the results obtained in our study, there is no significant difference between mean absolute ADC values measured in various primary and secondary brain tumors at different field strengths (1.5 and 3.0T MR systems), in the same patient, and in the same tumor, measured on the same day.

Introduction: Brugada syndrome (BS) is a dominantly inherited arrhythmogenic disease caused by a mutation in the SCN5A gene. It accounts for 20% of cases of sudden death, without structural heart abnormalities1. Diagnosing the BS is achievable by electrocardiography (ECG), ST segment elevation in V1 to V3, with the right bundle branch block pattern as a hallmark of the syndrome2. BS is divided into three types. However, only type 1 can be verified with an ECG2,3. BS manifests as a syncope that is caused by ventricular tachycardia, which, if converted to ventricular fibrillation, leads to a fatal outcome. An implantable cardioverter defibrilator (ICD) implantation is indicated, while pharmacological therapy on its own is not sufficiently effective. Aim: To present a diagnostic and therapeutic approach towards suspected BS in a younger patient. Case report: 24-years-old patient was admitted to a hospital, after a cardiac arrest and a prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation with intubation. ECG findings verified sinus rhythm, with heart rate of 94 beats per minute, normal heart axis with PQ interval of 0.16 s, and right bundle branch block (RBBB) with an ST elevation from V1 to V3. An ajmalin provocation test was performed, and ECG changes (J-wave elevation of >2 mm with ST elevation from V1 to V3 with RBBB) were recorded, but without induced ventricular arrhythmia. Patent foramen ovale was suspicious as a cause, but after transesophageal echocardiography it was excluded. According to electrocardiographic changes, the BS was diagnosed as the cause of malignant ventricular heart rhythm. Genetic testing for Brugada syndrome was not performed and in consultations with the Centre for Electrophysiology in Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Zadar (Croatia), the implantation of an ICD was indicated, and subsequently performed. The patient was discharged under pharmacological therapy consisting of metoprolol 25 mg twice per day, amiodarone 100 mg per day, with magnesium, and aspirin once per day. Conclusion: In daily clinical work, in all conditions of syncope occurring in younger patients, in order to prevent sudden death, an existence of the BS should be considered. An overall clinical status of a patient, including positive ajmaline test with specific ECG changes, can verify BS, even when information on the presence of the SCN5A gene is not available.

Many industrial domains are characterized by Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems for which an explicit relationship capturing the nontrivial trade-off between the competing objectives is not available. Human experts have the ability to implicitly learn such a relationship, which in turn enables them to tune the corresponding controller to achieve the desirable closed-loop performance. However, as the complexity of the MIMO system and/or the controller increase, so does the tuning time and the associated tuning cost. To reduce the tuning cost, a framework is proposed in which a machine learning method for approximating the human-learned cost function along with an optimization algorithm for optimizing it, and consequently tuning the controller, are employed. In this work the focus is on the tuning of Model Predictive Controllers (MPCs), given both the interest in their implementations across many industrial domains and the associated high degrees of freedom present in the corresponding tuning process. To demonstrate the proposed approach, simulation results for the tuning of an air path MPC controller in a diesel engine are presented.

In this note, we study the stability of the error dynamics of an observer designed to estimate only the slow states of a singularly perturbed system. The observer is designed on the basis of the reduced (slow) model. We have recently reported semi-global practical results for this problem. Our previous work can be used to state local and regional convergence of the estimation error, but we cannot conclude global results from it. We seek to prove a stronger (global) result under stronger (global) assumptions in this manuscript. Moreover, we focus on proving the robustness of an observer with respect to singular perturbations and with respect to the measurement noise.

Introduction: Schizophrenia(SCZ) and Bipolar disorder (BD) are frequently occurring and impairing disorders that affect around 1% of the population. Important endophenotypes in the genetic research of SCZ and BD are cognitive functions. Core symptoms for SCZ and BD are impairments in working memory, declarative memory and attention, all of which fulfill the criteria for an endophenotype. The FK506 Binding Protein 5 (FKBP5) gene codes for a co-chaperone of the glucocorticoid receptor and has been reported to be associated with cognition. Aim: The aims of our research were to determine the degree of cognitive impairment in patients suffering from SCZ and BD and to explore the association of the FKBP5 variant rs3800373 genotype with the cognitive endophenotypes. Material and Methods: Patients and healthy controls were recruited over a period of two years from the Psychiatric Clinic, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo. Genotyping and neuropsychological assessments were performed for 263 subjects (129 SCZ, 53 BD, and 81 healthy controls [HC]). Neuropsychological assessments were performed for all patients with the Trail Making Test-A&B (TMT-A&B) and Digit-span forward&backwards tasks. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs3800373 in the FKBP5 gene was genotyped using Infinium PsychArray Bead Chips. Results and Conclusion: SCZ and BD patients performed lower than HC in the TMT-A&B and in the Digit-span backwards task, while no differences were observed between SCZ and BD patients. While SCZ patients performed lower than HC in the Digit-span forwards task, there were no differences between BD and HC or between BD and SCZ. Rs 3800373 was not associated with performance in the TMT-A&B or Digit-span forwards&backwards tasks. SCZ and BD share largely overlapping neurocognitive characteristics. Rs3800373 was not associated with performance in the neuropsychological tests. However, given the limited sample size, the results do not exclude an association with the rs3800373 variant in a larger sample. Furthermore, as the analysis was limited to one SNP, the results cannot be generalized to other genetic variants in FKBP5.

This study is the first report on the mtDNA diversity in the Roma population from Bosnia. The main aim of this study was to analyse the mtDNA diversity in the studied population, evaluate the genetic relations with other European Roma populations, and analyse the influences of the Roma gene flow on the mitochondrial profile of the Roma from northeastern Bosnia. MtDNA variability in the analysed population has been studied by means of hypervariable segment I and II (HVSI/II) of the control region sequencing and analysis of restriction fragment-length polymorphisms of the coding region. Our results show that genetic structure of the Roma from northeastern Bosnia has a combination of lineages of three main layers: specific founder of Indian origin (M5a1 and M35b) and founder non-M lineages of Indian/European origin (H7a, X2b and X2d) and lineages of European/Middle East origin (H, H1, H11a, V, T2b, K1b and W). The distribution of the haplogroups in the gene pool of the comparative European Roma populations indicates the separate origin of the Bosnian Roma and the Bulgarian Vlax and Croatian Vlax Roma. The data suggest that mitochondrial gene pool of the Roma population from northeastern Bosnia might be a consequence of early parting and the later different migration routes that are part of their demographic history. Our data confirm the high genetic heterogeneity of the Roma populations that can be shaped by effects of genetic drift, isolation and low effective population size, and this correlates with the migratory history of the Roma.

Abstract This article presents a new approach to detect coiled coil and leucine zipper (L-Zip) motifs in protein sequences. The approach is based on protein scale calculation and sequence analysis. For this purpose, the wavelet-based local extrema extraction is employed, and window-based variations of local extrema afterward. This, in turn, provided a way to distinguish coiled coil subsequences and potential L-Zip motifs. The approach is validated on carefully chosen protein sequences that return inconclusive results within known frameworks for L-Zip detection, for example, 2ZIP. The results show that this new approach represents an improvement over previously presented approaches.

Gender equality together with the empowerment of women and girls through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is one of the critical enablers of sustainable development. This article aims to give a comprehensive overview of the main international and EU (European Union) strategic documents focused on bridging the digital gender gap. Overview of activities toward digital gender equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been presented too.

Two important problems distribution companies face on a daily basis are the routing and tracking of a vehicle fleet. The former is being overcome by solving the famous vehicle routing problem (VRP), a generalization of the traveling salesman problem (TSP), and the later analyses GPS data to get information of the moving vehicles. In this paper a system which uses GPS data to track the vehicles, analyze their routes and improve input data needed for the algorithm for the vehicle routing problem is described. In a real-world scenario, implementing an VRP algorithm is not enough. Algorithms which analyze GPS data ensure that the VRP algorithm takes correct input data and that the driven routes are those that the algorithm proposed.

Distribution companies use complex software systems called WMS (Warehouse Management System). The WMS is an important part of the company’s business and it can make processes simple to keep track of. Smart WMS optimizes processes to save resources and to create a more efficient working place. This paper describes the concept of a smart WMS that is implemented in one of the largest distribution companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The system uses artificial intelligence and optimization algorithms to improve working process. The paper describes the complete warehouse workflow that includes stock planning, initial product placement, transfer from stock to pick zone, order picking process, transport and tracking. The anomaly detection is used in some processes to improve the whole system. The main contribution of this paper is the presentation of an efficient and in the real world used smart WMS concept.

Error correction in quantum cryptography based on artificial neural networks is a new and promising solution. In this paper the security verification of this method is discussed and results of many simulations with different parameters are presented. The test scenarios assumed partially synchronized neural networks, typical for error rates in quantum cryptography. The results were also compared with scenarios based on the neural networks with random chosen weights to show the difficulty of passive attacks.

We propose a mechanism that allows for sizeable flavour violation in quark-lepton currents, while suppressing flavour changing neutral currents in quark-quark and lepton-lepton sectors. The mechanism is applied to the recently proposed “4321” renormalizable model, which can accommodate the current experimental anomalies in B-meson decays, both in charged and neutral currents, while remaining consistent with all other indirect flavour and electroweak precision measurements and direct searches at high-pT. To support this claim, we present an exhaustive phenomenological survey of this fully calculable UV complete model and highlight the rich complementarity between indirect and direct searches.