Spatial constraints in urban areas very often lead to the application of traffic management measures to meet transport demands. Accordingly, it is very important to identify all potential impacts that could lead to reductions in the street network’s capacity. One such impact is weather conditions. The main motivation of this research is to analyze the impacts of rainfall on one of the most important segments of Belgrade’s street network that represents part of a freeway passing the city center. Our focus is on quantifying the impact of rainfall on speed and capacity. This paper proposes a new approach to analyzing the rainfall impact at the traffic lane level that provides additional possibilities to apply traffic management measures on the traffic lane level instead of at the direction level only. Functional dependences and differences in capacity and speed on traffic lanes were found under the influence of different rainfall intensities. Reductions in free-flow speed depend on the rain category and traffic lanes and vary from 4.5% to 11.58%, while reductions in traffic lane capacity range from 2.46% to 12.97%. We demonstrate the importance of considering the impact of rainfall at the traffic lane level, which could be quality input data for defining appropriate traffic management measures to mitigate the negative impacts.

Many sexting studies conducted in the Western cultures have shown that the percentage is higher in less traditional cultures. However, the generalizability of this phenomenon to non-Western cultures has not been extensively researched. The purpose of this study is to examine and explain cross-cultural differences in sexting behavior among subjects from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. A mixed methods approach was used. The first, qualitative phase included focus groups with two groups of high school students from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia ( N = 57 ), aged 15 to 19. In the second, quantitative phase, questionnaires were sent to 440 young adults with an average age of 21 years ( SD = 3.8 ). From the interviews with the young people, nonconsensual sexting was perceived as less beneficial. Sexting was viewed as a double standard. The quantitative study revealed gender and country differences in attitudes toward sexting and motives for sexting. Positive attitudes toward sexting were found to predict different forms of sexting motives in both samples. In the sample from Bosnia and Herzegovina, age was found to predict sexting with instrumental motives and body image reinforcement motives. Gender, on the other hand, was found to be predictive of instrumental sexting motives in the Croatian sample and body image reinforcement sexting motives in the Bosnia and Herzegovina sample. This study illustrates the value of cross-cultural approaches combined with mixed methods as a design to study sexting behavior.

Melanoma is a highly aggressive cancer originating from melanocytes. Its etiopathogenesis is strongly related to genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Melanomas encountered in clinical practice are predominantly sporadic, whereas hereditary melanomas account for approximately 10% of the cases. Hereditary melanomas mainly develop due to mutations in the cyclin-dependent kinase 2A (CDKN2A) gene, which encodes two tumor suppressor proteins involved in the cell cycle regulation. CDKN2A, along with CDK4, TERT, and POT1 genes, are high-risk genes for melanoma. Among the genes that carry a moderate risk are MC1R and MITF, whose protein products are involved in melanin synthesis. The environment also contributes to the development of melanoma. Patients at risk of melanoma should be offered genetic counseling to discuss genetic testing options and the importance of skin UV protection, avoidance of sun exposure, and regular preventive dermatological examinations. Although cancer screening cannot prevent the development of the disease, it allows for early diagnosis when the survival rate is the highest.

Background Tumor-related hyperintensities in high b-value diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) are radiologically important in the workup of gliomas. However, the white matter may also appear as hyperintense, which may conflate interpretation. Purpose To investigate whether DWI with spherical b-tensor encoding (STE) can be used to suppress white matter and enhance the conspicuity of glioma hyperintensities unrelated to white matter. Materials and Methods Twenty-five patients with a glioma tumor and at least one pathology-related hyperintensity on DWI underwent conventional MRI at 3 T. The DWI was performed both with linear and spherical tensor encoding (LTE-DWI and STE-DWI). The LTE-DWI here refers to the DWI obtained with conventional diffusion encoding and averaged across diffusion-encoding directions. Retrospectively, the differences in contrast between LTE-DWI and STE-DWI, obtained at a b-value of 2,000 s/mm2, were evaluated by comparing hyperintensities and contralateral normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) both visually and quantitatively in terms of the signal intensity ratio (SIR) and contrast-to-noise ratio efficiency (CNReff). Results The spherical tensor encoding DWI was more effective than LTE-DWI at suppressing signals from white matter and improved conspicuity of pathology-related hyperintensities. The median SIR improved in all cases and on average by 28%. The median (interquartile range) SIR was 1.9 (1.6 – 2.1) for STE and 1.4 (1.3 – 1.7) for LTE, with a significant difference of 0.4 (0.3 –0.5) (p < 10–4, paired U-test). In 40% of the patients, the SIR was above 2 for STE-DWI, but with LTE-DWI, the SIR was below 2 for all patients. The CNReff of STE-DWI was significantly higher than of LTE-DWI: 2.5 (2 – 3.5) vs. 2.3 (1.7 – 3.1), with a significant difference of 0.4 (−0.1 –0.6) (p < 10–3, paired U-test). The STE improved CNReff in 70% of the cases. We illustrate the benefits of STE-DWI in three patients, where STE-DWI may facilitate an improved radiological description of tumor-related hyperintensity, including one case that could have been missed out if only LTE-DWI was inspected. Conclusion The contrast mechanism of high b-value STE-DWI results in a stronger suppression of white matter than conventional LTE-DWI, and may, therefore, be more sensitive and specific for assessment of glioma tumors and DWI-hyperintensities.

ABSTRACT To gain insight into the complex microbiome-gut-brain axis in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), several modalities of biological and clinical data must be combined. We aimed to identify profiles of fecal microbiota and metabolites associated with IBS and to delineate specific phenotypes of IBS that represent potential pathophysiological mechanisms. Fecal metabolites were measured using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy and gut microbiome using shotgun metagenomic sequencing (MGS) in a combined dataset of 142 IBS patients and 120 healthy controls (HCs) with extensive clinical, biological and phenotype information. Data were analyzed using support vector classification and regression and kernel t-SNE. Microbiome and metabolome profiles could distinguish IBS and HC with an area-under-the-receiver-operator-curve of 77.3% and 79.5%, respectively, but this could be improved by combining microbiota and metabolites to 83.6%. No significant differences in predictive ability of the microbiome–metabolome data were observed between the three classical, stool pattern-based, IBS subtypes. However, unsupervised clustering showed distinct subsets of IBS patients based on fecal microbiome–metabolome data. These clusters could be related plasma levels of serotonin and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetate, effects of psychological stress on gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, onset of IBS after stressful events, medical history of previous abdominal surgery, dietary caloric intake and IBS symptom duration. Furthermore, pathways in metabolic reaction networks were integrated with microbiota data, that reflect the host-microbiome interactions in IBS. The identified microbiome–metabolome signatures for IBS, associated with altered serotonin metabolism and unfavorable stress response related to GI symptoms, support the microbiota-gut-brain link in the pathogenesis of IBS.

Decision-making represents a very popular field with many developed approaches. However, still exists the need for the creation of novel integrated models such as well is the case in this paper. The novel integrated Improved Fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (IMF SWARA) method, Fuzzy Dombi weighted geometric averaging (FDWGA) operator and PESTEL (P-Political, E-Economic, S-Social, T-Technological, E-Environmental, L-Legal) model has been developed. Five decision-makers (DMs) have evaluated six main elements of the PESTEL analysis and 30 elements more (five for each group). In total, we have created 35 models based on the developed model. Results of PESTEL analysis based on IMF SWARA method and FDWGA shows that legal and economic factors represent the most significant parameters, while last placed belong environmental group. Also, the usefulness of the developed integrated model has been demonstrated.

Choledochal cysts (CCs) are rare congenital anomalies in the form of cystic dilatation of any part of the biliary tree, and they rarely reach the size over 10 cm. We present a case of a 51-year-old female with a one-year history of abdominal pain and palpable mass in the epigastrium and right upper abdomen. Diagnosis of giant CC was made using magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. Intraoperatively, a large CC without gallbladder (no previous cholecystectomy was performed) was found under the liver pushing the surrounding structures, extending into the intrapancreatic portion of bile ducts and leading to the destruction of the backside of the pancreas head. Complete excision of CC and biliopancreatic reconstruction was achieved by Roux-en-Y pancreaticojejunostomy and hepaticojejunostomy. This case report describes an extremely rare association between an atypical giant choledochal cyst and gallbladder agenesis.

Abstract Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) occurs in a number of cancer predisposition syndromes, but the genetic architecture of susceptibility to RCC is not well defined. We investigated the frequency of pathogenic and likely pathogenic (P/LP) germline variants in cancer susceptibility genes (CSGs) within a large series of unselected RCC participants. Whole-genome sequencing data on 1336 RCC participants and 5834 controls recruited to the UK 100 000 Genomes Project, a nationwide multicentre study, was analyzed to identify rare P/LP short variants (single nucleotide variants and insertions/deletions ranging from 1 to 50 base pairs) and structural variants in 121 CSGs. Among 1336 RCC participants [mean: 61.3 years (±12 SD), range: 13–88 years; 64% male], 85 participants [6.4%; 95% CI (5.1, 7.8)] had one or more P/LP germline variant in a wider range of CSGs than previously recognized. A further 64 intragenic variants in CSGs previously associated with RCC were classified as a variant of uncertain significance (VUS) (24 ‘hot VUSs’) and were considered to be of potential clinical relevance as further evaluation might results in their reclassification. Most patients with P variants in well-established CSGs known to predispose to renal cell carcinoma (RCC-CSGs) were aged <50 years. Burden test analysis for filtered variants in CSGs demonstrated a significant excess of CHEK2 variants in European RCC participants compared with the healthy European controls (P = 0.0019). Approximately, 6% of the patients with RCC unselected for family history have a germline variant requiring additional follow-up analysis. To improve diagnostic yield, we suggest expanding the panel of RCC-CSGs tested to include CHEK2 and all SDHx subunits and raising the eligibility criteria for age-based testing.

Introduction: With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s dietary habits have changed, so the importance of additional supplementation has become a current topic. The aim of this study is to analyze the attitude of female respondents toward dietary supplementation before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The research is a cross-sectional study conducted in two different time periods. The sample consisted of two female subsamples who purchased immunity preparations from Verdant Pharmacy before the pandemic (n = 81) and during the pandemic (n = 120). Female respondents in both subsamples were: Of the same age, in the same health condition, residing in the same area (municipality), users of a local pharmacy located near the health center. The research instrument was a non-standardized questionnaire “Assessment of attitudes towards nutritional supplementation,” which consisted of nine questions.Results: During the pandemic COVID-19, the attitude toward the use of preparations to strengthen immunity differs by 7% compared to the pre-pandemic check. The attitude toward the use of preparations to strengthen immunity throughout the year increased by 32.3% (53.3%) during the pandemic, and the attitude toward the choice of preparations to strengthen immunity changed by 13% during the pandemic COVID-19 based on own experience and by 17% based on the recommendation of the pharmacist.Conclusion: The pandemic COVID-19 has contributed to a change in female respondents’ attitudes toward nutritional supplementation to strengthen the immune system during a pandemic. With the help of the media, public health recommendations, and people’s fear of disease, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a change in respondents’ attitudes compared to the pre-pandemic period.

Introduction: Due to the declaration of a state of emergency in the country due to the pandemic COVID-19, the education system was changed to online teaching. The implementation of distance education has led to an increased sedentary lifestyle, decreased physical activity, and increased use of information technologies. The purpose of this study was to analyze the sedentary habits of female students and their physical health during a period of restricted physical activity with reference to online instruction.Methods: The research was conducted among the first to third grade students of Secondary School Konjic, 45 days after the implementation of online instruction. Students of general secondary school (N = 83), business school (N = 68), and medical school (N = 55) completed the questionnaire after their parents gave their consent.Results: The total number of students surveyed was 206, with students from all three schools studied participating in online classes for up to 4 hours. Medical school students spend more than 3 hours completing schoolwork, while students at the other two schools spend up to 2 hours. Statistically significant differences in non-use of information technology during free time exist among medical students (p = 0.00). Female medical students reported daily symptoms such as headaches, reactions to the visual organ (dry eye, redness, and tearing), and pain in the fist area (twitching, cramps, and tingling). Statistically significant differences in the occurrence of pain in the upper back and chest girdle occurred in students of business school (p = 0.00) and general high school (p = 0.00) compared to medical students.Conclusion: Medical students who use information technology the most reported headaches, pain in the fist area, and frequent reactions to the sense of sight (dry eye, lacrimation, and redness). Assuming inappropriate positions during prolonged use of technology may contribute to poor posture.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.688078.].

Uvod: Zdravstveni djelatnici su rizična skupina za HIV-infekciju i imaju ključnu ulogu u prevenciji HIV-a. Cilj: Procijeniti znanje i stavove i korelaciju znanja i stavova zdravstvenih djelatnika o HIV-infekciji. Ispitanici i metode. Ispitanici su zdravstveni djelatnici zaposleni u Domovima zdravlja: Bugojno, Donji i Gornji Vakuf. Upitnik je samostalno izrađen. Stavovi su ispitivani na osnovi modificirane Likertove ljestvice. Procjena znanja i stavova napravljena je tako da više od 50% točnih odgovora ukazuje na dobro znanje i pozitivan stav. Za testiranje statističke značajnosti korišten je χ² test (p <0.05). Za određivanje korelacije varijabli znanje i stavovi korišteni su Pearsonov i Spearmanov koeficijent korelacije. Rezultati: U istraživanju je sudjelovao 81 zdravstveni djelatnik – 57 (70%) žena i 24 (30%) muškarca. Najveći broj ispitanika bile su medicinske sestre (57%), prosječne dobi 36 godina života i 13 godina radnoga staža. Većina ispitanika pokazali su relativno dobro znanje o HIV-infekciji (73%) i pozitivne stavove prema HIV-pozitivnim osobama (80%). Koeficijent korelacije za zbirne vrijednosti znanja i stavova iznosio je 0,336, sa statističkim značajem 0,002. Zaključak: Da bi se poboljšala praksa, smanjila stigma i diskriminacija HIV-pozitivnih osoba u zdravstvenim ustanovama, potrebno je provoditi kontinuiranu edukaciju svih zaposlenika.

African Swine Fever virus (ASFV) is a large double-enveloped DNA virus of the Asfarviridae family that causes a lethal hemorrhagic disease in domestic pigs and wild boars. Since 2007, a highly virulent genotype II strain has emerged and spread in Europe and South-East Asia, where millions of animals succumbed to the disease. Field- and laboratory-attenuated strains of ASFV cause highly variable clinical disease severity and survival, and mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that the immunological and hygienic status of pigs is a determinant of ASF disease course. Here we compared the immunological profile at baseline and in response to ASFV infection in specific pathogen-free (SPF) and farm-raised Large White domestic pigs. At steady state, SPF pigs showed lower white blood cell counts and a lower basal inflammatory and antiviral transcriptomic profile compared to farm pigs associated with profound differences in gut microbiome composition. After inoculation with a highly virulent ASFV genotype II strain (Armenia 2008), severe clinical signs, viremia and pro-inflammatory cytokines appeared sooner in SPF pigs, indicating a reduced capacity to control early virus replication. In contrast, during infection with an attenuated field isolate (Estonia 2014), SPF pigs presented a milder and shorter clinical disease with full recovery, whereas farm pigs presented severe protracted disease with 50% lethality. Interestingly, farm pigs showed higher production of inflammatory cytokines, whereas SPF pigs produced more anti-inflammatory IL-1ra early after infection, and presented a stronger expansion of leukocytes in the recovery phase. Altogether, our data indicate that the hygiene-dependent innate immune status has a double-edge sword impact on immune responses in ASF pathogenesis. While the higher baseline innate immune activity helps the host in reducing initial virus replication, it promotes immunopathological cytokine responses, and delays lymphocyte proliferation after infection with an attenuated strain. Such effects should be considered for live vaccine development and vigilance.

The paper presents a neuro-fuzzy system for evaluating and predicting the success of a construction company in public tenders. This model enables companies to operate sustainably by assessing their own position in the market. The model was based on data from a seven-year study, where data from the first six years were used to adjust the model, while data from the last year of the study were used for testing and validation. The neuro-fuzzy model was tuned using the Artificial Bee Colony algorithm.