This paper deals with correlation analysis of gamma dose rate measured in the test field with the five distinctive soil samples from a few minefields in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The measurements of ambient dose equivalent rate, due to radionuclides present in each of the soil samples, were performed by the RADIAGEMTM 2000 portable survey meter, placed on the ground and 1m above the ground. The gamma spectrometric analysis of the same soil samples was carried out by GAMMA-RAD5 spectrometer. This study showed that there is a high correlation between the absorbed dose rate evaluated from soil radioactivity and the corresponding results obtained by the survey meter placed on the ground. Correlation analysis indicated that the survey meter, due to its narrow energy range, is not suitable for the examination of cosmic radiation contribution.

Abstract A great number of medieval fortifications in Bosnia-Herzegovina is in a state of deterioration, lacking ceiling and roof structures, usually made of wood. Their components usually make part of other structures in open areas covered with weed and stand as useless rubble or are neglected due to there being legal restrictions on owners of the land to participate in their reconstruction. Numerous fortifications have disappeared, while some still hold remnants of the times past in their stone and mortar. The detritus blocks the access to the structures whose importance is thus also neglected. One of the first tension resistant materials used in construction was wood. Wood is an extremely anisotropic material. The tensile strength of wood fibres is suitable for dimensioning. From an economic point of view, it is disputable whether the ruined wooden structures should be reinforced. Since wood is rather light and easy to incorporate and manipulate with, it seems that the most convenient procedure would be the replacement of the structures as they are relatively easy to unload. The most common in building construction is the need for repair or strengthening of the existing roof structure elements.

Genotoxic effects of inorganic molecule dipotassium-trioxohydroxytetrafluorotriborate, K2(B3O3F4OH), a promising new therapeutic for the epidermal changes treatment, have been evaluated. In vitro analysis included evaluation of genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of K2(B3O3F4OH) in concentrations of 0.01, 0.02, 0.05 and 0.06 mg/mL applying cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay in human lymphocyte culture. With the increase of concentration the frequency of micronuclei elevated but the differences were not significant. Also, there were no significant differences among the frequencies of nuclear buds and nucleoplasmic bridges between controls and treated cultures. Nuclear division index and nuclear division cytotoxycity index values did not reveal significant cytotoxic effect of K2(B3O3F4OH). In vivo genotoxic effects were analyzed on BALB/c mice applying reticulocytes micronucleus assay. K2(B3O3F4OH) was administrated intraperitoneally in final concentrations of 10, 20, 50 and 55 mg/kg. Significant decrease of reticulocytes ratio and increase of micronuclei frequencies against pre-treatments were found for both sampling periods of 48 and 72 hours of the highest applied concentration. This study confirmed that K2(B3O3F4OH) is not genotoxic in tested concentrations in vitro as well as in concentrations lower than 55 mg/kg in vivo. This study presents a reliable basis for further pre-clinical and potential clinical investigations.

The boron heterocyclic compound dipottasium trioxohydroxytetraflourotriborate, K2[B3O3F4OH] has been listed as a promising new therapeutic for the epidermal changes treatment. In order to elucidate its free radical scavenging activity, several appropriate thermodynamic molecular descriptors were calculated with the help of quantum-chemistry methods and their values were compared with the data obtained for ascorbic acid, trimethlyboroxine and trimethoxyboroxine. Considering the results, it may be suggested that the single electron transfer followed by proton transfer (SET-PT) is more favourable reaction pathway than hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) for the halogenated boroxine K2[B3O3F4OH]. Experimental support is provided by evaluating the in-vitro antioxidant activity of the investigated compounds in terms of their ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Our study reveals that all three examined boroxines are extremely weak antioxidants.