Introduction. Assessment of the occupational risk of exposure to the new coronavirus of workers engaged in the COVID-19 Departments of the University Clinical Center of Republic of Srpska and the use of personal protective equipment was the aim of this research. Method. In the University Clinical Center of Republic of Srpska (UKC RS), in the COVID-19 Departments, a KAP study (Knowledge Attitudes Practice Study) was conducted among 102 employees of all educational profiles, using the questionnaire of the World Health Organization (WHO), which was adapted for this research. The survey was voluntary and anonymous with the informed approval consent of the respondent. Results. Out of 102 surveyed, 13 of them tested positive for SARSCoV-2. On average, 95.0% of respondents always wear PPE in the COVID-19 Departments of the UKC RS. Putting on/removing PPE and decontamination of contact surfaces have been always carried out by 88.2% of respondents. Out of 64 respondents who used PPE for aerosol generating procedures, 10 of them (15.6%) were positive for SARSCoV-2 and of the other 38 respondents who did not participate in such procedures, three of them (7.9%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Statistical data processing was done in the SPSS program package, version 20.0, with a significance level of difference of 5% (p=0.412). Conclusion. There was no significant difference between SARSCoV-2 positive and negative personnel regarding the use and change of PPE, hand hygiene and surface decontamination. The assessment of the occupational risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, in addition to the proper use of PPE, takes into account the local epidemiological situation, specific characteristics of the work environment and tasks, the hierarchy of controls and the level of adherence to preventive measures and infection control.

Noise impact management goes hand in hand with the capability to predict the noise impact on exposed communities. Three tools to that purpose are presented in this chapter: the Noise Management Toolset (NMT), the Demo Virtual Community Tool (VCT) and Dynamic Noise Mapping. The NMT is a web-based tool giving stakeholders the opportunity to evaluate scenarios through not only noise exposure, but also noise impact, by introducing annoyance related metrics like the awakening index, with an easy-to-use interface. The VCT is the underlying research tool exploring and testing new indicators and options that might be of relevance to target audiences, such as land use planning information about location dependent activities or window insulation. The third approach, Dynamic Noise Mapping, adds the important aspect of population movement to classical noise mapping approaches where temporal changes of noise maps are tracked and included in noise exposure evaluation.

Seasonal variations in the environment (e.g. of temperature and light intensity) can lead to the excess production of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress, inducing changes in the permeability of the plant cell membrane and the structure and function of cellular molecules. To address these deleterious effects, plants activate various non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants. This study seeks to detect the influence of seasonal variation in Hedera helix (ivy) leaves, collected in Banj brdo (Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina) between December 2017 and November 2018, on oxidative (hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase, Class III peroxidases, and phenolic compounds) parameters. During the winter-early spring months (a temperature range of 0.7 to 5.4?C), we detected an increase in the values of all the oxidative and antioxidant parameters, whereas during the spring, summer, and autumn months (a temperature range of 15 to 25?C), the values of most of these parameters fell. However, a peak in the parameter values was detected during June and July 2018, which might be attributable to the influence of the changes in both light intensity and temperature and to the effects of intensive shoot growth. Our results highlight the importance of the antioxidant protection system of H. helix for its acclimation to seasonal variations in the environment, especially temperature.

Honey is a product of high nutritive value, used as a raw material for obtaining mead. The quality of mead can be improved by adding fruit juices, including chokeberry juice. This paper aims to assess the effects that adding different quantities of chokeberry juice, with the variation of 3 amounts of inoculated yeast, has on the fermentation course, physicochemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of mead. The parameters analyzed are the dry matter content, pH value, and content of volatile acids, ethanol and methanol, total phenols and flavonoids, FRAP, DPPH and ABTS tests and antimicrobial properties. The results obtained in this paper show that adding chokeberry juice improves antioxidant properties of the final product and affects positively the course of mead fermentation, i.e. it has led to an increase of the maximum concentration of ethanol (Pm). In terms of the chemical composition of mead, there is no significant difference, except in the obtained ethanol content, which is the highest in samples with 10% of added chokeberry juice. Control sample showed the best antimicrobial activity, while sample with 5 % of added chokeberry juice showed the weakest effect. The strongest effect was seen in the sample with 20% of added chokeberry juice.

Introduction: Over the past 15 years, direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) drugs have replaced vitamin K antagonists in a number of indications requiring oral anticoagulant therapy. Review work: The article written is an overview of the most important information related to the use of DOAC drugs in the secondary prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The first randomized studies with dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban are presented, which introduced these drugs into clinical practice in the first step, and then enabled the prolonged safe use of these drugs in the secondary prevention of VTE. Studies have also been described as current attitudes for the use of DOAC in patients with VTE associated with malignancy and antiphospholipid syndrome. An assessment of the risk of bleeding in patients with DOAC is also presented. Finally, we briefly presented the results of the use of DOAC in the treatment of pulmonary embolism in a group of patients from the regional PE registry.

Behavioral economics suggests that people do not always decide rationally but are even predictably irrational. This gives rise to the concept of nudge, which creates an architecture of choices that encourages people to behave as they wish. Loss aversion is one of the best-known phenomena in behavioral economics and a central notion of the prospect theory. The main idea behind this phenomenon is that losses hurt more than gains feel good. The framing effect is a bias where people choose some options differently, depending on whether they are presented as a gain or a loss. In this quasi-experimental study, the authors examine the role of loss aversion and framing effects on students' engagement and academic success. This study aims to test the hypothesis that students will have a stronger reaction to the reduction of awarded points, as opposed to an increase of awarded points, as they progress through the course. This will motivate them to work harder and achieve better academic success. The results show significant differences between the two groups in favor of the group being graded using the point reduction grading scheme. This suggests that the power of loss aversion can be exploited to increase students' engagement and academic success. The existence of framing effect in this case has been demonstrated, which shows it might be possible to use the choice architecture to improve the student results.

Background / Aim: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that most often affects apocrine gland-bearing areas of the skin. The treatment depends on the severity of the clinical presentation. The paper objective was to present new modalities in management and treatment of HS. Methods: The subjects in this research included the patients suffering from the severe form of HS, who were treated in the University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska for the past three years. The effect of treatment of HS were monitored. In four patients, biologic therapy with adalimumab or adalimumab biosimilars was administered, while four patients received radiotherapy and 17 of them, were treated surgically. Depending on the type of treatment, the effects of therapy were monitored after 6-12 weeks by using clinical examination and by assessing the disease stage according to the Hurley staging. Due to a small number of subjects, especially in patients treated with biologic and radiotherapy, it was not possible to perform any statistical analysis and the results were presented by description, in tables and photographs. Results: Biologic therapy: Adalimumab was administered subcutaneously 80 mg, twice a month. After 12 weeks, in 4 patients was observed a regression of changes by 60-70 % when compared to previous skin changes. Radiotherapy: the total radiation dose was 5 Gy, distributed in 5 or 10 fractions. After 12 weeks an improvement by 60-70 % was observed. Surgical treatment: after 6-8 weeks, the patients were fully recovered. Conclusions: Application of biologic and radiotherapy after 12 weeks had similar results, ie it brought to regression of changes by 60-70 %. The best results were achieved after surgical treatment of HS.

Background/Aim: Dehiscence of the colorectal anastomosis is one of the most serious complications in digestive surgery that is still present in a large percentage today, which significantly increases the cost of treatment and can lead to death. Due to all the above, early detection of anastomotic dehiscence is very important, as well as the decision on surgical treatment. Procalcitonin (PCT) is thought to be an important marker of inflammation and sepsis. Aim of this paper was to confirm PCT as a marker of great sensitivity in early diagnosis of anastomotic leakage. Methods: The study included patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer in the period from 2016 to 2020. Patients were operated according to an elective protocol and with an open surgical approach. In patients, PCT values were measured on the 2nd and 4th postoperative day (POD) to determine the association between elevated PCT values and the onset of dehiscence of the colorectal anastomosis. Results: A study was conducted in 118 patients in whom a stapler colorectal anastomosis was created. Colorectal anastomosis dehiscence occurred in 10 patients. In 4 patients with dehiscence, no re-surgical intervention was required, but they were taken care of by conservative methods. Repeated surgery was performed in 6 patients. In all patients with dehiscence, there was a multiple increase in the value of PCT above normal. Conclusion: PCT has high sensitivity and specificity (85 and 74 % respectively) as a marker in dehiscence of colorectal anastomosis. In this study it was found that PCT values were significantly correlated with the dehiscence of anastomo-sis 2nd POD and especially 4th POD.