Raspberry cultivars are clonally propagated and therefore all plants belonging to a single cultivar represent the same genotype. Cultivar integrity of raspberry plantlings placed on the market in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is based on examining of morphological traits, which is not a reliable tool for genetic identification. In this study plantlings declared as cultivar ‘Polana’ were genotyped using seven microsatellites, in order to gain preliminary insight into the genetic integrity of raspberry plantlings marketed in B&H. Plant tissue (leaves) from 10 raspberry plants were randomly sampled from a batch of plantlings sold by major fruit nursery in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Along with these samples, four reference cultivars with confirmed identity (‘Polka’, ‘Autumn Bliss’, ‘Heritage’ and ‘Polana’) were also included in the study. Seven primer pairs amplified 31 alleles, or on average 4.4 alleles per locus. UPGMA cluster analysis, based on the Jaccard similarity coefficient, revealed that among the ten samples declared as ‘Polana’ plantlings only five were genetically identical to any of the other samples. The cluster analyses also exposed that none of the ten samples declared as ‘Polana’ seedlings were in fact identical or even closely related to the ‘Polana’ reference cultivar or any of the other reference cultivars. These findings clearly show that the genetic identity of primocane raspberry plantlings , currently sold in Bosnia and Herzegovina, needs to be tested using objective and reliable methods rather than simple morphologic observation.

Introduction: Characteristics of sexual behaviour of female students, which will affect fertility in adulthood, represent one of the critical parameters of reproductive health. Aim: The aim of this study was assess characteristics of sexual behavior of female students in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Materials and Methods: In a prospective study on a representative sample of 2,872 regular girls aged 19-24 years, an anonymous survey on the reproductive health of female students in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2007 to 2009 was conducted. Results: Of the total number (N = 2872) of surveyed female students, 49.44% were sexually active. Average sexarcha age was 18.14±1.83 years, and there was statistically significant earlier sexarcha in female students in Banja Luka vs. female students of the University of Sarajevo (p<0.001), as well as in female students in Mostar vs. female students of the University of Tuzla (p<0.001). Sexually active female students in 74,4 % cases had intercourses with only one partner, and 7,7 % of them had intercourses with three or more partners. Regarding the use of contraceptive methods, 69.4% female students were using contraception at first intercourse and 66.7% of them at last intercourse. 3.5% of sexually active students (N=50) had intentional abortion. Almost half (46.9%) of surveyed female students had regular pelvic exams; nearly two-third of those (63.4%) had gynecological exams in private institutions, and 36.6% of them in public health facilitie. Only one-third (35.8%) sexually active female students in BiH stated that Pap test was performed. Conclusion: Sexual behaviour of female students in BiH is less risky than in the immediate environment, but health care quality is poor.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare time of preparation and canal aberrations in a simulated root canals after using three different rotary systems: Endostar E5, Endostar E3 and T One File Gold. Materials and Methods: A total of 90 endodontic training blocks were used in this study and divided into three groups consisting of 30 each (n = 30). Blocks processing was performed by thirty dentists without any prior experience in rotary instrumentation techniques. In the first group blocks were prepared using Endostar E5, in second one with Endostar E3 and in third one with T One File Gold system. The preparation time was measured. The postoperative image of each block was taken by stereomicroscope and canal aberrations (ledge and instrument fracture) was recorded. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS software. Results: Instrumentation with T One File Gold system is significantly faster compared to instrumentation with Endostar E5 and Endostar E3 systems (p <0.05). There are no statistically significant differences in the type and number of procedural errors between Endostar E5, Endostar E3 and T One File Gold systems when the operators have no previous experience in rotary instrumentation techniques. Conclusion: Under the conditions of this study, the incidence of examined canal aberrations were similar for all tested systems. The preparation time was significantly shorter with single file system.

Introduction: Basic cognitive functions such as: alertness, working memory, long term memory and perception, as well as higher levels of cognitive functions like: speech and language, decision-making and executive functions are affected by aging processes. Relations between the receptive vocabulary and cognitive functioning, and the manifestation of differences between populations of elderly people based on the primary disease is in the focus of this study. Aim: To examine receptive vocabulary and cognition of elderly people with: verified stroke, dementia, verified stroke and dementia, and without the manifested brain disease. Material and Methods: The sample consisted of 120 participants older than 65 years, living in an institution. A total of 26 variables was analyzed and classified into three groups: case history/anamnestic, receptive vocabulary assessment, and cognitive assessments. The interview with social workers, nurses and caregivers, as well as medical files were used to determine the anamnestic data. A Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA) was used for the assessment of cognition. In order to estimate the receptive vocabulary, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test was used. Results: Mean raw score of receptive vocabulary is 161.58 (+–21:58 points). The best results for cognitive assessment subjects achieved on subscales of orientation, naming, serial subtraction, and delayed recall. Discriminative analysis showed the significant difference in the development of receptive vocabulary and cognitive functioning in relation to the primary disease of elderly people. The biggest difference was between subjects without manifested brain disease (centroid = 1.900) and subjects with dementia (centroid = -1754). Conclusion: There is a significant difference between elderly with stroke; dementia; stroke and dementia, and elderly people without manifested disease of the brain in the domain of receptive vocabulary and cognitive functioning. Variables of serial subtraction, standardized test results of receptive vocabulary, delayed recall, abstraction, orientation and vigilance successfully discriminate studied groups.

The dynamic properties of the actin cytoskeleton in smooth muscle cells play an important role in a number of cardiovascular disease states. The state of actin does not only mediate mechanical stability and contractile function but can also regulate gene expression via myocardin related transcription factors (MRTFs). These transcriptional co-activators regulate genes encoding contractile and cytoskeletal proteins in smooth muscle. Regulation of small non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) by actin polymerization may mediate some of these effects. MiRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that modulate gene expression by post-transcriptional regulation of target messenger RNA. In this study we aimed to determine a profile of miRNAs that were 1) regulated by actin/MRTF-A, 2) associated with the contractile smooth muscle phenotype and 3) enriched in muscle cells. This analysis was performed using cardiovascular disease-focused miRNA arrays in both mouse and human cells. The potential clinical importance of actin polymerization in aortic aneurysm was evaluated using biopsies from mildly dilated human thoracic aorta in patients with stenotic tricuspid or bicuspid aortic valve. By integrating information from multiple qPCR based miRNA arrays we identified a group of five miRNAs (miR-1, miR-22, miR-143, miR-145 and miR-378a) that were sensitive to actin polymerization and MRTF-A overexpression in both mouse and human vascular smooth muscle. With the exception of miR-22, these miRNAs were also relatively enriched in striated and/or smooth muscle containing tissues. Actin polymerization was found to be dramatically reduced in the aorta from patients with mild aortic dilations. This was associated with a decrease in actin/MRTF-regulated miRNAs. In conclusion, the transcriptional co-activator MRTF-A and actin polymerization regulated a subset of miRNAs in vascular smooth muscle. Identification of novel miRNAs regulated by actin/MRTF-A may provide further insight into the mechanisms underlying vascular disease states, such as aortic aneurysm, as well as novel ideas regarding therapeutic strategies. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: ECS Meeting edited by Claus Heizmann, Joachim Krebs and Jacques Haiech.

Introduction: Research indicates that women victims of domestic violence show significant cognitive changes, emotional numbing, and avoidance of interpersonal relationships. Aim: The aim of this research was to analyze emotional profile of women victims of domestic violence, and to determine the relationship between dimensions of emotions and frequency of women exposure to domestic violence. Methods: The research was conducted on the sample of 169 women, 111 were victims of domestic violence and 58 were women who did not experience domestic violence. Plutchik’s Emotions Profile Index (EPI) was used for measuring of the emotion profile, and the Modified Inventory of Domestic Violence for measuring experiences of different types of violence. Basic socio-demographic data were also collected. Results: Significant differences between women victims of domestic violence and women who did not experience domestic violence were found in a few dimensions of emotional profile. Women victims of domestic violence had higher results in the dimensions of deprivation/depression and aggression/destruction, while women who did not experience domestic violence had higher results in dimensions of reproduction and incorporation. Aggression was in significant negative correlation with reproduction, incorporation and self protection, whereas it was significant positive correlation with deprivation and opposition. There were significant and positive correlation between the dimensions of aggression and deprivation and frequency of all three forms of domestic violence and age of women. Conclusion: According to results obtained in this research, it can be concluded that women victims of domestic violence have significantly more intensive negative emotional dimensions in comparison to women who were not abused. Women victims of domestic violence with higher frequency of abuse describe themselves as more sad, apathetic, lonely, angry, quarrelsome and less sociable. Prominence of negative emotions, deprivation and aggression, can be factor of risk for mental health disorders and for re-victimisation of women victims of domestic violence.

– Competência Clínica. RESUMO Nas últimas duas décadas, ocorreram mudanças curriculares nos cursos de Medicina com o objetivo de formar profissionais humanizados e capazes de atender às demandas atuais. No contexto desse novo modelo, ressalta-se a importância do ensino de comunicação da má notícia na graduação, habilitando acadêmicos a atuar de maneira empática e eficiente. O conteúdo carregado de emoção reforça a necessidade de o médico se preparar adequadamente para saber lidar com as reações dos pacientes e com os próprios sentimentos. Este artigo é um estudo transversal que avaliou, por meio de checklist, a habilidade de comunicação da má notícia apresentada por acadêmicos de Medicina do ciclo pré-clínico em prova prática no modelo Objective Structured Clinical Examination (Osce). Foram avaliados 119 alunos do quarto semestre do curso de Medicina da Universidade de Fortaleza, dos quais 67% obtiveram desempenho global superior ou igual a 90%. A maior dificuldade observada foi em realizar um “anúncio breve” do problema ao transmitir a má notícia, com 35,3% de erro. Em contrapartida, os estudantes foram eficazes em não “dourar a pílula” ao comunicarem o diagnóstico, quesito que obteve índice absoluto de acertos. Além disso, foi analisada a capacidade dos alunos em identificar a influência dos sintomas na vida do paciente, por meio dos estágios do luto de Kübler-Ross e da escala de desempenho clínico Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (Ecog), obtendo uma porcentagem de acertos de 84,1%. Embora o desempenho global tenha sido avaliado como excelente, estudantes de Medicina do ciclo pré-clínico mostram-se hesitantes em suas primeiras consultas e no primeiro contato com os pacientes, em especial naqueles de forte conteúdo emocional, fato que ficou evidente ao se identificarem as principais falhas cometidas pelos discentes durante a prova prática de comunicação da má notícia. Dessa forma, com o intuito de aprimorar essa habilidade tão importante para a prática médica, reforça-se o uso de nossas experiências de ensino-aprendizagem, como pacientes atores, treinamento entre os pares, abordagem de protocolos padronizados e reflexões acerca da importância dessas estratégias no ensino da má notícia.