In this study, we develop an in silico model of a neuron’s behaviour under demyelination caused by a cytokine storm to investigate the effects of viral infections in the brain. We use a comprehensive model to measure how cytokine-induced demyelination affects the propagation of action potential (AP) signals within a neuron. We analysed the effects of neuron-neuron communications by applying information and communication theory at different levels of demyelination. Our simulations demonstrate that virus-induced degeneration can play a role in the signal power and spiking rate, which compromise the propagation and processing of information between neurons. We propose a transfer function to model the weakening effects on the AP. Our results show that demyelination induced by a cytokine storm not only degrades the signal but also impairs its propagation within the axon. Our proposed in silico model can analyse virus-induced neurodegeneration and enhance our understanding of virus-induced demyelination.

Key Points Question What is the current red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practice for preterm infants born before 32 weeks’ gestation in Europe? Findings This cohort study included 1143 infants from 64 neonatal intensive care units across 22 European countries. By day 28 of life, 36.5% of infants had received an RBC transfusion, and most transfusions based on hemoglobin threshold were given above restrictive thresholds tested in recent trials. Meaning These findings suggest that there is a need to address the gap between evidence and practice and to understand factors influencing ongoing variable practices of RBC transfusions among preterm infants.

Crna joha (Alnus glutinosa [L.] Gaertn.) listopadno je drvo iz porodice brezovki (Betulaceae) koje se uglavnom javlja u nizijskim područjima u blizini vodnih tijela različitog režima plavljenja, često prateći riječne i manje vodene tokove, formirajući zajednice azonalnog karaktera u Bosni i Hercegovini. Cilj istraživanja je razvijanje predikcijskog modela rasprostranjenosti staništa crne johe u Bosni i Hercegovini na osnovu poznatih i utvrđenih lokacija staništa crne johe i podataka WorldClim baze. Kao osnovni materijal istraživanja korišteni su podaci sa vlastitih terenskih snimanja i iz drugih relevantnih dostupnih izvora. Klimatski podaci su preuzeti sa WorldClim baze podataka u obliku rasterskih slojeva za 19 bioklimatskih varijabli. Modeliranje je provedeno koristeći metod maksimalne entropije integrisan u MaxEnt računarski program. Izbor modela se zasnivao na predikcijskoj tačnosti modela i koherentnosti sa distribucijom staništa crne johe trenutnog i prethodnih istraživanja. Dobiveni rezultati su potvrdili model veoma dobre predikcijske tačnosti na temelju kalibracije i validacije podataka subseta (AUC > 0,85). Varijable BIO6 (minimalna temperatura najhladnijeg mjeseca) i BIO14 (oborine mjeseca s najmanje padavina) imaju statistički najveći značaj i uticaj za model prostorne rasprostranjenosti ekološke niše crne johe. S obzirom na važne funkcije zajednica crne johe u prevenciji erozije, zaštiti od poplava i očuvanju biološke raznolikosti, dobiveni rezultati mogu doprinijeti upravljanju staništima crne johe. Rezultati predikcije staništa mogli bi se koristiti za daljnja istraživanja vezana za klimatske promjene i praćenje stabilnosti ekosistema.

AIM To investigate the risk for falls in elderly patients treated in the Primary Health Care Centre Gradiška, Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHODS This study included 500 patients aged 65 and older. They were chosen randomly by 10 family physicians. Data collection took place every Wednesday and Friday, between January 2022 and July 2022. The patients' gait and balance assessment were performed using the Tinetti Gait and Balance Tool to assess the risk of falls. A supplementary questionnaire was created to record data about the patients' age, sex, chronic diseases, and drugs they take. RESULTS Among the included patients there were 266 females (53.2%) and 234 (46.8%) males, with the mean age of 75.25 years. The Tinetti test showed that the risk of falls was high for patients older than 75 years, 111 patients (69.8%), and 48 patients (30.2%) aged 65 to 74 (p=0.000). The risk of falling was higher for female, 93 (35%), than male patients, 66 (28.2%) (p=0.018). Considering chronic diseases, a high risk of falls was found in 32 (2.1%) patients with heart failure (p=0.029) and 19 (11.9%) patients with osteoporosis (p=0.000). Patients who used antihypertensive drugs had the highest risk for falls, 124 (78.0%) (p=0.757). CONCLUSION About two-thirds of the examinees over the age of 75 had a high risk of falls, which indicates that family doctors should be more involved in fall prevention of elderly patients and constantly educate older patients and their families about it.

In hip fracture patients, who are mostly elderly, preexisting anemia can be worsened when combined with trauma and surgery. To this date, there is no unequivocal approach about transfusion thresholds. We analyzed hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) levels at three time points in surgical patients with proximal femoral fractures (PFF) to see which levels were triggers for transfusions and whether transfusions were related to mortality after hospital discharge. A total of 956 patients were operated on from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2022 at the University Hospital of Split and included in the study. There were more women (74%); 47% patients had admission Hb < 120 g/L. Transfusion was given preoperatively to 88, intraoperatively to 74 and postoperatively to 309 patients. Transfusion thresholds were as follows: Hb 84 g/L preoperatively, 99 intraoperatively and 83 postoperatively. After hospital discharge, 10.79% of patients died within the 1st month and 23% within 6 months. In the group of non-survivors, 60% of patients had admission Hb ≤ 117 g/L and the proportion of patients transfused preoperatively was two times higher. Preoperative transfusion thresholds could be set to higher levels for patients with surgically treated PFF. However, that could increase mortality even more. Further investigation is necessary.

: Bijeli bor (Pinus sylvestris L.) jedna je od najvažnijih i najistraženijih vrsta drveća u evropskim šumama. Cilj istraživanja je utvrditi mogućnosti povećanja proizvodnih mogućnosti i kvaliteta bijelog bora kroz ranu selekciju u testu provenijencija u Bosni i Hercegovini, a rezultati će se koristiti u svrhu što boljeg korištenja staništa pogodnih za bijeli bor. Za potrebe ovog istraživanja 2021. godine mjerene su visine i prečnici u prsnoj visini bijelog bora u testu provenijencije u Žepču, te brojane grane u pršljenu. Test je uspostavljen 2012. godine sadnjom dvogodišnjih sadnica iz 14 evropskih provenijencija (po tri iz Austrije i Italije i po jedna iz Bosne i Hercegovine, Njemačke, Poljske, Rumunije, Slovačke, Norveške, Škotske i Ukrajine). Izračunate su i zapremine, a zatim provedena analiza varijanse i deskriptivna analiza podataka po provenijencijama. Zatim je selekcionirano pet provenijencija sa najvećim prosječnim vrijednostima istraživanih svojstava i izračunate su razlike između prosječnih vrijednosti za selekcionirane provenijencije i ukupnog prosjeka, kao i razlike između prosječnih vrijednosti za provenijenciju sa najvećim prosječnim vrijednostima i ukupnog prosjeka za sva istraživana svojstva. Podaci su obrađeni pomoću Excel 2013 i SPSS 20.0. Analiza varijanse pokazala je statistički značajne razlike između provenijencija po svim istraživanim svojstvima. Najveći prosječan prečnik stabala starih 11 godina imala je provenijencija iz Ukrajine, a najveću prosječnu visinu i zapreminu jedna od provenijencija iz Austrije. Razlika između prosjeka pet provenijencija sa najvećim prosječnim vrijednostima i ukupnog prosjeka po svojstvu zapremine iznosila je 17,4% od ukupnog prosjeka, a razlika između provenijencije sa najvećom prosječnom zapreminom i ukupnog prosjeka iznosila je 41% od ukupnog prosjeka. Rezultati će biti korišteni u procesima selekcije provenijencija bijelog bora sa dobrim visinskim i debljinskim prirastom.

This study aimed to explore how Dab1 functional silencing influences the expression patterns of different connexins in the developing yotari (yot) mice eyes as potential determinants of retinogenesis. Using immunofluorescence staining, the protein expression of Dab1, Reelin, and connexin 37, 40, 43, and 45 (Cx37, Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45) in the wild-type (wt) and yot eyes at embryonic days 13.5 and 15.5 (E13.5 and E15.5) were analyzed. Different expression patterns of Cx37 were seen between the wt and yot groups. The highest fluorescence intensity of Cx37 was observed in the yot animals at E15.5. Cx40 had higher expression at the E13.5 when differentiation of retinal layers was still beginning, whereas it decreased at the E15.5 when differentiation was at the advanced stage. Higher expression of Cx43 was found in the yot group at both time points. Cx45 was predominantly expressed at E13.5 in both groups. Our results reveal the altered expression of connexins during retinogenesis in yot mice and their potential involvement in retinal pathology, where they might serve as prospective therapeutic targets.

Abstract Introduction The aim of this research was to examine the existence of broncho-obstruction of the airways in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as changes in resistance values in this part of the bronchial tree after inhalation of salbutamol. Methods This study was designed as a prospective, interventional clinical trial that included a sample of 147 patients suffering from COPD. Patients were stratified into four groups of thirty patients each based on the severity of airflow limitation (based on the post-bronchodilator FEV1 value), according to the GOLD grade. The test was conducted at the University Clinical Center Sarajevo, Clinic for Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis “Podhrastovi” Results The results of our research showed that the average values of FEV1 compared to the predicted values of this parameter in subjects in the GOLD 4 group before the administration of salbutamol were statistically significantly lower than the average values of FEV1 in other subjects of the GOLD group. After the administration of salbutamol, a statistically significant increase in the value of FEV1 was registered in all tested groups. When the response to salbutamol was compared among the GOLD groups, it was assessed that the difference in the percentage increase in predicted FEV1 values after the administration of salbutamol among the tested groups was not statistically significant. Conclusion Bronchodilation with salbutamol and additional ipratropium had a significant effect on both mentioned parameters, especially in the COPD group, which speak in favor of the presence of increased peripheral resistance in all groups of patients. A statistically significant bronchodilator response was obtained in GOLD 1 and GOLD 2 groups, i.e. in groups of patients with milder forms of the disease.

Sand flies (Diptera: Phlebotominae) are the principal vectors for the protozoan parasites Leishmania spp. and for phleboviruses. The sand fly fauna on the Balkan Peninsula, including Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH), is diverse and the circulation of Leishmania infantum as well as phleboviruses has been proven. However, recent data on the sand fly fauna in BIH are scarce. In this study, we surveyed understudied regions in central and northeastern BIH to update the sand fly distribution and gain insights into the ecological and environmental factors shaping their appearance. CDC light trapping was conducted in 2022 and 2023 and a combination of morphological and molecular methods (cytochrome oxidase I barcoding) was performed for species identifications. We mapped the currently known distribution, modelled climatic suitability patterns and performed environmental analyses by applying machine learning methods. In addition, we analyzed blood meals by host gene sequencing and MALDI-TOF peptide mass mapping and screened for Leishmania spp. DNA and Phlebovirus RNA. Altogether, 591 sand flies of four species were trapped, predominantly Phlebotomus neglectus (97%), but also Ph. balcanicus, Ph. mascittii, and Ph. papatasi. Records of seven sand fly species known to be endemic were plotted onto distribution maps based on 101 datapoints, identifying Ph. neglectus as the overall predominant species. The environmental analyses of sand fly species indicated variation in altitudinal, thermal, and precipitation conditions across the sand fly-positive sites. Phlebotomus simici, Phlebotomus tobbi, and Sergentomyia minuta are typically found exclusively in Mediterranean and subtropical climate zones, whereas other species typically inhabit continental regions. The Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation of sand fly species numbers and Shannon entropy values suggest the southeastern coastal region of BIH as a primary focus for sand fly occurrence. This finding was corroborated by modeled average climatic suitability patterns for sand flies, depicting four distinct meso-regions for sand fly occurrence. The results of the ensemble method highlight the importance of annual precipitation to distinguish between positive and negative sand fly trapping sites in BIH. In total, 55 blood meals of two sand fly species, Ph. neglectus and Ph. balcanicus, were analyzed and five host species identified. Our comprehensive assessment of ecological and environmental preferences of sand flies in BIH may support further entomological surveys and help to better understand and evaluate potential hot spots of disease transmission in the country.