Abstract Background Transactional sex, which includes exchanging sex for material goods, services, or money, is a key HIV risk factor. Risk patterns associated with transactional sex among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Sweden, where buying sexual services is illegal, have not been examined earlier. This study aims to assess whether transactional sex (both buying and selling), country of birth, and migration-related factors (described by country of origin) are associated with self-reported HIV status among MSM in Sweden. Methods We analyzed secondary data from the 2017 European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS-2017), including participants reporting to live in Sweden (n = 4443). Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, we aimed to understand factors related to involvement in transactional sex and risk of HIV acquisition. Results Among the respondents, 5.4% reported living with HIV, with 8.8% of foreign-born MSM and 4.8% of Swedish-born MSM. The multivariable analysis showed that both selling and buying sex in the past five years increased the odds of reporting a positive HIV serostatus among all participants. Stratifying by transactional sex exposure and country of birth showed an HIV prevalence increase for all groups. Foreign-born selling or buying sex ever in the last five years had the highest prevalence of all groups (ranging from 17.8 to 19.1%). Other factors associated with a positive HIV status were age, outness, sex with a woman in the past twelve months, and condom use. Conclusions The relatively high reported HIV prevalence supports the need for HIV prevention, including the scale-up of access to pre-exposure prophylaxis to foreign-born MSM. A transparent discussion about risk factors and socioeconomic structures contributing to risk behaviors, including transactional sex, is needed. Key messages • Engaging in transactional sex increases the HIV risk among MSM in Sweden, particularly among foreign-born MSM. • HIV prevention needs to address the socioeconomic factors contributing to risky behaviors, such as transactional sex.

Mathematics, along with reading and writing, is a core academic subject in the school curriculum. The development of mathematical skills is influenced by various cognitive factors, with executive functions (EF) playing a central role. EF, which encompasses working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility, is critical for supporting complex cognitive processes required for problem-solving and mathematical reasoning. Research consistently shows that children with stronger EF tend to achieve better academic outcomes, including in mathematics. The goal of the present study was to examine the relationships between the global EF and its three core components - working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility - and their impact on mathematics achievement. The sample for this study consisted of 180 children, aged 8-11 years (mean age: 9.6, SD: 1.0 year; 83 girls, 97 boys). EF was assessed using the Yellow-Red test, while mathematics achievement was evaluated based on teachers' evaluations of the child's mathematics performance. The results indicated a statistically significant effect of global EF and its three components on mathematics achievement. Given the potential malleability of EFs, we conclude with recommendations for strategies to enhance EF development at an early school age.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to empirically examine the indirect effect of big data analytics capability (BDAC) on performance through innovativeness and risk-taking among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by considering the moderating role of absorptive capacity (ACAP).Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized a quantitative method through a survey questionnaire. The hypotheses were tested with a sample size of 202 surveys completed by SME owners. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was administered to analyze data via the SmartPLS 4.0 software.FindingsThe analysis revealed that BDAC had an indirect effect on performance through innovativeness and risk-taking. ACAP strengthened the relationship between risk-taking and performance and also enhanced the link between BDAC and performance. Interestingly, ACAP weakened the connection between innovativeness and performance.Practical implicationsFrom a practical standpoint, our study offers valuable insights for entrepreneurs in the process of implementing BDAC. The mediating roles of innovativeness and risk-taking underscore their potential as drivers of SME performance. Also, it is crucial for managers to leverage lower-order capabilities (BDAC) to build higher-order organizational capabilities (innovativeness and risk-taking) and improve performance. Finally, managers are advised to utilize ACAP to identify external opportunities that contribute to performance.Originality/valueThe current study leverages the resource-based view (RBV) to provide new insights into the significance of innovativeness and risk-taking as key drivers to harness the benefits of BDAC for improving the performance of SMEs. Moreover, this study presents evidence of the moderating role of ACAP in the above relationships.

There is little knowledge about within- and between-referee variation (WBRV) in cardiovascular responses (CVR) and locomotor game demands (LMD). Thus, the primary aim of this study was to assess the WBRV of CVR and LMD in male basketball referees during elite international games in preparation [e.g., warm-up (WU) and re-warm-up (R-WU)] and active game phases. The secondary aim was to explore quarter-by-quarter differences in CVR and LMD. Thirty-five international male referees took part in this study (age, 40.4 ± 5.4 years; body height, 184.9 ± 5.7 cm; body weight, 85.1 ± 7.5 kg; BMI, 24.0 ± 1.7 kg × m−2; fat%, 18.8 ± 4.7% and VO2max, 50.4 ± 2.2 L × kg−1 × min−1. In total, 76 games (e.g., 228 officiating cases) were analyzed during the FIBA elite men’s competition. They officiated 4.5 games on average (range 3–9 games). Each referee used the Polar Team Pro system to measure CVR [e.g., heart rate (HR), time spent in different HR intensity categories] and LMD (e.g., distance covered, maximal and average velocity, and number of accelerations). Results showed that the referees had bigger WBRV during the active and preparation (e.g., W-U than R-WU) phase when variables of higher CVR and LMD intensity were observed (e.g., time spent at higher HR zones, distance covered in higher speed zones). The WBRV, CVR, and LMD were higher during WU than R-WU. Moreover, the referees had a lower CVR and LMD in the second half. In conclusion, the referees should establish and follow consistently a game-to-game preparation routine and attempt to spread their on-court preparation time equally within the crew. A half-time preparation routine should be improved to re-establish a sufficient activation level similar to that achieved in pre-game preparation.

Background and Objectives: The primary objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of 18F-FDG–PET–CT in preoperative staging of cervical cancer, focusing on determining surgical operability and exploring the correlation between its quantitative parameters and clinicopathological characteristics. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 62 cervical cancer patients treated at the Department of Gynecology, Clinic for Operative Oncology at the Institute of Oncology Vojvodina between January 2016 and January 2020, where preoperative clinical examinations and 18F-FDG–PET–CT were performed to assess the extent of cancer, followed by intraoperative and pathohistological examinations of surgically removed specimens to provide a comprehensive evaluation. Results: The mean tumor size measured by 18F-FDG–PET–CT was slightly greater than that obtained through clinical examination (26.4 mm vs. 26.0 mm), with a strong linear correlation (r = 0.678, p < 0.001) observed between the two measurement methods. The overall prediction accuracy of 18F-FDG–PET–CT for primary tumors is 88.7% (55/62) [sensitivity 86.8%, specificity 100.0%, PPV 100.0%, NPV 56.2%] and for intraoperative examination is 88.7% (55/62) [sensitivity 98.1%, specificity 33.3%, PPV 89.7%, NPV 75.0%]. The agreement with histopathological examination was good for 18F-FDG–PET–CT and moderate for intraoperative examination for primary tumors. Regarding lymph nodes, the overall prediction accuracy of 18F-FDG–PET–CT is 82.2% (51/62) [sensitivity 53.8%, specificity 89.8%, PPV 58.3%, NPV 88.8%] and for intraoperative examination 66.1% (41/62) [sensitivity 76.9%, specificity 63.3%, PPV 35.7%, NPV 91.2%]. The agreement with histopathological examination was moderate for 18F-FDG–PET–CT and poor for intraoperative examination for lymph node metastasis, highlighting that the overall accuracy of 18F-FDG–PET–CT (82.1%) was significantly higher than that of intraoperative examination (66.1%) (p = 0.002). Conclusions: In conclusion, 18F-FDG–PET–CT provides high accuracy in detecting primary tumors and superior predictive value for lymph node metastases compared to intraoperative examination, highlighting the importance of incorporating this imaging modality into the preoperative evaluation process to enhance diagnostic precision and inform treatment decisions.

In robotics, ensuring that autonomous systems are comprehensible and accountable to users is essential for effective human-robot interaction. This paper introduces a novel approach that integrates user-centered design principles directly into the core of robot path planning processes. We propose a probabilistic framework for automated planning of explanations for robot navigation, where the preferences of different users regarding explanations are probabilistically modeled to tailor the stochasticity of the real-world human-robot interaction and the communication of decisions of the robot and its actions towards humans. This approach aims to enhance the transparency of robot path planning and adapt to diverse user explanation needs by anticipating the types of explanations that will satisfy individual users.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how New York City is perceived as a tourist destination. The quantitative research method offered a structured approach to collecting data, allowing for the analysis and quantification of participant responses. The convenience sample consisted of 108 respondents. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors influencing both the attraction to and deterrence from visiting New York City as a tourist destination, as well as to gauge overall perceptions of the city among potential visitors. Through a comprehensive survey, key motivators such as iconic monuments, a vibrant cultural scene, and accessibility were identified as primary draws for tourists. Respondents expressed strong support for experiencing attractions like the Statue of Liberty and Broadway shows, highlighting the significance of cultural richness and unique architectural features. Conversely, the study also revealed significant barriers to visitation. The high cost of accommodation emerged as the most prominent deterrent, underscoring economic accessibility as a critical factor in tourism decision-making. Other concerns included congestion, security issues, and limited public transport options, which may dissuade potential visitors from traveling to the city. In terms of overall impressions, the results showed that a vast majority of respondents view New York City as an iconic and glamorous location with a diverse cultural landscape. Most participants expressed a willingness to recommend the city to friends and family, although a notable percentage exhibited reservations. Furthermore, the analysis emphasized the importance of affordable options for activities and attractions, suggesting that enhancing economic accessibility could positively influence visitation rates. Overall, the findings provide valuable insights for tourism agencies and local authorities. By addressing key concerns and highlighting the city's unique offerings, strategies can be developed to enhance New York City's appeal and accessibility, ultimately boosting its status as a leading tourist destination.

Under some initial and boundary conditions, the rapid reaction-thermal diffusion process taking place during frontal polymerization (FP) destabilizes the planar mode of front propagation, leading to spatially varying, complex hierarchical patterns in thermoset polymeric materials. Although modern reaction-diffusion models can predict the patterns resulting from unstable FP, the inverse design of patterns, which aims to retrieve process conditions that produce a desired pattern, remains an open challenge due to the non-unique and non-intuitive mapping between process conditions and manufactured patterns. In this work, we propose a probabilistic generative model named univariate conditional variational autoencoder (UcVAE) for the inverse design of hierarchical patterns in FP-based manufacturing. Unlike the cVAE, which encodes both the design space and the design target, the UcVAE encodes only the design space. In the encoder of the UcVAE, the number of training parameters is significantly reduced compared to the cVAE, resulting in a shorter training time while maintaining comparable performance. Given desired pattern images, the trained UcVAE can generate multiple process condition solutions that produce high-fidelity hierarchical patterns.

Rapid reaction-thermal diffusion during frontal polymerization (FP) with variations in initial and boundary conditions destabilizes the planar mode of front propagation, leading to spatially varying complex hierarchical patterns in polymeric materials. Although modern reaction-diffusion models can predict the patterns resulting from unstable FP, the inverse design of patterns, which aims to retrieve process conditions that produce a desired pattern, remains an open challenge due to the nonunique and nonintuitive mapping between process conditions and patterns. In this work, we propose a novel probabilistic generative model named univariate conditional variational autoencoder (UcVAE) for the inverse design of hierarchical patterns in FP-based manufacturing. Unlike the cVAE, which encodes both the design space and the design target, the UcVAE encodes only the design space. In the encoder of the UcVAE, the number of training parameters is significantly reduced compared to the cVAE, resulting in a shorter training time while maintaining comparable performance. Given desired pattern images, the trained UcVAE can generate multiple process condition solutions that produce high-fidelity hierarchical patterns.

This paper investigates the dynamics of non-autonomous cooperative systems of difference equations with asymptotically constant coefficients. We are mainly interested in global attractivity results for such systems and the application of such results to evolutionary population cooperation models. We use two methods to extend the global attractivity results for autonomous cooperative systems to related non-autonomous cooperative systems which appear in recent problems in evolutionary dynamics.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to measure financial inclusion (FI) and to examine the role of digital financial literacy (DFL) and its components, and various socio-demographics in relation to FI. In addition, the mediating effect of digital financial attitudes (DFA) on the relationship between digital financial knowledge (DFK) and digital financial behaviour (DFB), as well mediating effect of DFA and DFB on the relationship between DFK and FI, is being explored.Design/methodology/approach Using a cross-sectional research design, we utilize a dataset from the survey of adults’ financial literacy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, collected from the representative sample of 1,096 adults in 2022. The main methodology relies on logistic and ordinal logistic regression analyses and PROCESS for mediation analyses.Findings The findings suggest that the effect of DFK on DFB is partially mediated by DFA. In addition, the effect of DFK on FI is fully mediated through three pathways: DFA, DFB, and DFA and DFB in serial mediation. Age, education, employment status and residence are significantly related to FI. Internet access is significant only for FI scores but not for adults’ banking status. Although women are almost twice as unbanked as men, we find no gender-based differences in financial product holdings, FI or adults’ banking status.Practical implications There is a need to enhance DFK and DFA to enable adults to use financial products. Financial institutions could use our results in designing and promoting their services.Social implications Policy implications are seen in the need for developing national strategies for financial education, with an emphasis on strengthening DFL, especially DFK and DFA, which will enhance the formal FI of adults. Also, governments should work on expanding Internet access.Originality/value The results make a contribution to the theory of planned behaviour. They contribute to the limited empirical evidence of the mediating role of DFA in relationship to DFB, as well as the mediating role of DFA and DFB in relationship to FI.

Industrija osiguranja u Bosni i Hercegovini je neminovna sastavnica njenog ekonomskog rasta i razvoja. Njen sadržaj i forma su dio kriterija koje treba ostvariti Bosna i Hercegovina na svom putu pristupanja Evropskoj uniji. Kakvo je aktuelno stanje i kakvi su trendovi u industriji osiguranja BiH te koliko zaostajemo za industrijom osiguranja članica Evropske unije? Industrija osiguranja u BiH je kompleksne strukture. Recidiv je ne samo državnog uređenja BiH i njene ekonomske snage nego i nerazvijene svijesti odgovornih institucija i ličnosti o mjestu i ulozi osiguranja u društvu, državi, ekonomiji… SWOT analiza jasno pokazuje snage i slabosti, prilike i prijetnje industriji osiguranja u BiH u sadašnjem, a posebno budućem periodu. Naučna istina se ne uvažava dovoljno u kreiranju zakonskog ambijenta racionalnog i potrebnog sadržaja i forme osiguranja kod fizičkih i pravnih lica, životnog i radnog okoliša; stručna određenja i praktična primjena nisu na potrebnom savremenom nivou kakav je prisutan na prostorima Evropske unije. Snagom naučnih istina, savremenih trendova u razvijenim državama, posebno članicama Evropske unije, neminovno trebamo i u Bosni i Hercegovini vršiti ubrzanu tranziciju neracionalne industrije osiguranja u prosperitetnu industriju kao bitnu sastavnicu ubrzanog ekonomskog razvoja naše države i mjesto proizvodnje veće sigurnosti svih njenih građana, pravnih lica, institucija, životne i radne sredine. Brojni su izazovi industrije osiguranja u BiH u procesu integracije naše države u Evropsku uniju. Te izazove treba jasno identificirati, ocijeniti njihove pondere koji su kompleksne naravi i poduzimati konkretne aktivnosti na putu osavremenjavanja ove industrije i prilagođavanja potrebama osiguranika, društvene zajednice i države.

Plant pathogenic fungi have evolved different strategies to interfere with plant defense mechanisms. The well described fungal plant pathogen Fusarium graminearum is not only able to produce trichothecene toxins like deoxynivalenol, but also the plant hormone auxin. Highly elevated levels of auxin and auxin derivatives such as IAA-glucoside or IAA amino-acid conjugates were observed in wheat cultivar Apogee infected with F. graminearum. We report that F. graminearum is able to cleave tryptamine-derived hydroxycinnamic acid amides, e.g. the defense compound coumaroyl-tryptamine. In this study we investigated copper amine-oxidases, candidate genes for auxin biosynthesis converting tryptamine into the IAA precursor indole-3-acetyldehyde. After consecutive knock outs of all seven copper amine oxidases the resulting septuple knock out strain had strongly reduced ability to produce auxin. Virulence of the septuple mutant was significantly impaired while DON production in planta was comparable to the wild type. We conclude that F. graminearum, often presumed to be a simple nectrotroph, has a biotrophic phase and is able to employ plant defense compounds by converting them into defense suppressing auxin.

Uloga ustavnog sudstva u svakoj savremenoj demokratski uređenoj državi od nemjerljivog je značaja za očuvanje njenog ustavnopravnog poretka i osnovnih principa pravne države i vladavine prava, ustavnosti i zakonitosti. Pozicija Ustavnog suda Bosne i Hercegovine u sistemu državnih institucija zauzima posebno mjesto, zbog specifičnosti njenog državnog uređenja, stepena demokratskog razvoja i opredijeljenosti političkih aktera ka poštivanju uvodno navedenih principa. Da bi Ustavni sud Bosne i Hercegovine odgovorio svojoj zahtjevnoj ulozi “čuvara” Ustava Bosne i Hercegovine i njenog ustavnopravnog poretka, posebno je važno osigurati da u sastav Ustavnog suda Bosne i Hercegovine budu izabrani samo i isključivo nezavisni, nepristrasni, stručni i profesionalni pravnici visokih moralnih kvaliteta, bez obzira na njihovu etničku pripadnost, oslobođeni mogućnosti bilo kakvih političkih ili drugih uticaja na njihove stavove, mišljenja i odluke, osigurati objektivne i nezavisne procedure donošenja odluka bez bilo kakvih institucionalnih ili vaninstitucionalnih uticaja i pritisaka, posebno kada su u pitanju procedure donošenja odluka koje se ne mogu i ne smiju vezati za etničku ili entitetsku pripadnost pojedinog sudije Ustavnog suda Bosne i Hercegovine. Upravo kroz mehanizme etnicizacije i politizacije pitanja sastava, izbora sudija i načina donošenja odluka Ustavnog suda Bosne i Hercegovine, a posmatrajući ulogu Ustavnog suda Bosne i Hercegovine u očuvanju državnosti i državnopravnog kontinuiteta, svjedoci smo očiglednom podrivanju ustavnopravnog poretka države Bosne i Hercegovine.