Introduction. Serological testing for SARS-CoV-2 virus infection is a valuable method of estimating the extent of COVID-19 disease prevalence. The study aims to assess the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in a specific group of respondents employed in the health insurance sector, to determine the ratio of symptomatic and asymptomatic cases, as well as to examine susceptibility to COVID-19 in relation to the ABO blood group system. Methods. This research was conducted among 150 randomly selected employees from the health insurance sector of the Republic of Srpska. All respondents completed the survey, voluntary consent to participate, and had a blood sample taken. Serum samples were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies. Results. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection was 70.7%. Out of the 100 seropositive respondents, 48% had the presence of a symptom of COVID-19, while 52% had no symptoms of the disease in the period from 1 March 1 2020 until the day of testing. Examining the association between ABO blood group system and seropositivity in our study, we found that the highest seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies among respondents was in blood group B (83.3%), followed by blood group AB (80.0%) and blood group A (75.0%), while the lowest seroprevalence was among respondents with blood group O (54.1%). Conclusion. Among employees in the health insurance sector, SARSCoV-2 seroprevalence of 70.7% was registered. Among respondents with a positive serological result on IgG, 52% were asymptomatic. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection is the lowest among subjects with blood group O.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by a systemic inflammatory response of the body caused by a severe infection. The aim of this study was to examine the importance of hematological parameters and c-reactive protein (CRP) in the diagnosis of sepsis, assessment of disease severity, and prediction of final outcome of these patients. The prospective study included 106 hospitalized patients with a clinical diagnosis of sepsis. Haematological parameters and CRP correlated with sepsis stage, and using ROC (Receiver operating characteristic) analysis were evaluated in the prediction of the final outcome of these patients. Among haematological parameters, patients with sepsis had a significantly higher proportion of total unsegmented neutrophil granulocytes, a lower percentage of lymphocytes, as well as a lower total platelet count (p<0.05 for all measurements). An excellent positive correlation was found between serum CRP concentration and disease stage (r=0.77). The best predictive value for the presence of sepsis was shown by CRP at the cut- off value of 165 mg/L (AUC 0.98), followed by the percentage of unsegmented neutrophil granulocytes for the cut-off value of 15.5 (AUC 0.67), and the percentage of lymphocytes less than 9.9 (AUC 0.66), platelets lower than 118x109/L (AUC 0.63). At the CRP cut-off value of 294.7 mg/L (AUC 0.84; 95% CI 0.74-0.93), death could be predicted in 80.95% of patients with sepsis, with the sensitivity of 43.75% and the specificity of 89.71% (p<0.0001). By monitoring changes in haematological parameters and CRP concentration in combination with other clinical and laboratory indicators, disease severity and final outcome in patients with sepsis can be predicted. Key words: CRP, lymphocytes, platelets, SIRS, sepsis

The main objective of this quantitative study is to examine the relationship between the following independent variables: capital adequacy ratio (CAR), liquid assets to total assets (LATA) and bank size (BS) and dependent variables: return on assets (ROA), credit worthiness indicator (Zscore) and return on equity (ROE) for selected Western Balkan bank countries. This model was estimated using a panel data methodology based on the assumption of a fixed and a random effect as decided in the Hausman test. The results showed that the variable size of the bank (BS) has a positive effect on the return on assets of banks in the Western Balkans, while the variable liquid assets to total assets (LATA) and capital adequacy ratio (CAR) have a negative impact. The results also showed that the variable share of liquid assets in total assets has a positive impact on the creditworthiness indicator of banks in the Western Balkans (ZScore). The third result is the variable return on equity (ROE) and it had the strongest positive impact with the independent variable size of the bank.

Bancassurance is a term used to describe a partnership or relationship between a bank and an insurance company, where the insurance company uses a banking sales channel to sell insurance products. The implementation of banking insurance activities in the financial system contributes to the strengthening of the competitive environment, the development of new insurance products, and greater satisfaction of customer needs. The main goal of this research is to point out the importance and significance of the application of bank insurance for both financial institutions, through the analysis of financial performance indicators of both banks and insurance companies, through the aspect of income and expenses. Also, this research presents an econometric analysis that tests the impact of other income, profit/loss growth rate, as well as the cost-income ratio as independent variables and their impact on the dependent variable, i.e., return on assets of banks in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results of the econometric analysis showed that other revenues have the greatest impact on the profitability of banks in B&H. The weakest impact on bank profitability has a cost-to-earnings ratio.

The intent to humiliate, hurt or cause harm through the use of digital technology, that is through the use of smartphones and internet is called cyberbullying. Cyberbullying can take a number of different ways and forms. Most common ways of cyberbullying are blackmailing, threats, harassment, sexual harassment, creating and using fake profiles impersonating the victim as well using their photos without permission. Within the program "Skola bez nasilja" (School without violence), in which 50 elementary (primary) schools participated, showed that 28% of students in Serbia have been involved in cyberbullying either as the victim or the bully, whilst 64% of the students stated that they have been a victim of cyberbullying in the last three months. A survey done by UNICEF showed that 1 in 3 young people have been a victim of cyberbullying. The survey was done across 30 different countries. The goal of the review paper is firstly to point out the importance of the protection of privacy and prevention of cyberbullying among minors, as well as the people that interact with kids and help in their education. To keep ourselves and our kids as safe as possible, it is necessary to inform all internet and social media users on how to protect their privacy and how to safely use digital devices in today's age. Idea behind this work is to raise awareness among young people about the possible dangers of social media which could lead to negative consequences such as anxiety, depression, isolation, suicidal thoughts and even suicide.

Transformation processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) are characterized by continuous social conflicts between the working class and the ruling class of (ethno-)political and economic elites who have appropriated once socially owned enterprises through the nationalization processes, to be partially sold out through the privatization and bankruptcy procedures. The results of these processes, combined with the war atrocities and the break-up of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia, have brought about the fragmentation, disempowerment and pauperization of the working class. Workers' strife during and after the privatization and transformation processes shows the still present combativeness of the working class. This paper covers three cases of workers' struggles, as examples of social conflicts in labour relations within transformation processes in BiH. Cases taken from different periods within the three-decades of post-socialist transformation of BiH, show the similarities and differences in mechanisms used by the workers of the taken examples of Rudi Čajavec, Dita and Elektroprivreda BiH mines, during the organizing of workers' strives for realization of workers' interests. The key difference between the first and the two latter cases is in the contribution of the social media networks for popularizing the wider public support to the workers' demands.

In this study, a mixture of magnesium oxide and titanium dioxide was mechanically activated in order to investigate the possibility of mechanochemical synthesis of magnesium titanate. Mechanical activation was performed for 1000 min in a high-energy vibro mill (type MH954/3, KHD Humboldt Wedag AG, Germany). The mill is equipped with housing having a horizontally placed shutter. The cylindrical stainless steel working vessel, with inner dimensions of 40 mm in height and 170 mm in diameter, has working elements consisting of two free concentric stainless steel rings with a total weight of 3 kg. The engine power is 0.8 kW. Respecting the optimal amount of powder to be activated of 50-150 g and the stoichiometric ratio of the reactants in the equation presenting the chemical reaction of magnesium titanate synthesis, the starting amounts were 20.2 g (0.5 mol) of MgO and 39.9 g (0.5 mol) TiO2. During the experiments, X-ray diffraction analysis of the samples taken from the reaction system after 60, 180, 330, and 1000 min of mechanical activation was performed. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used for chemical composition analysis of samples taken at different activation times. Based on the X-ray diffraction analysis results, it can be concluded that the greatest changes in the system took place at the very beginning of the mechanical activation due to the disturbance of the crystal structure of the initial components. X-ray diffraction analysis of the sample after 1000 min of activation showed complete amorphization of the mixture, but diffraction maxima characteristic for magnesium titanate were not identified. Therefore, the mechanical activation experiments were stopped. Evidently, the energy input was not sufficient to overcome the energy barrier to form a new chemical compound - magnesium titanate. The failure to synthesize magnesium titanate is explained by the low negative Gibbs energy value of -25.8 kJ/mol (despite the theoretical possibility that the reaction will happen), as well as by the amount of mechanical energy entered into the system during activation which was insufficient to obtain the reaction product. Although the synthesis of MgTiO3 was not achieved, significant results were obtained which identify models for further investigations of the possibility of mechanochemical reactions of alkaline earth metals and titanium dioxide.

Ulcerative colitis is chronic immune-mediated disorder that affects primarily colonic mucosa. The metabolic syndrome has increasing global prevalence with a significant impact on biology of chronic diseases, such as ulcerative colitis. Today it is known that the metabolic syndrome attenuates severity of ulcerative colitis. Still, there is no evidence that different stages of metabolic syndrome alter the course of the ulcerative colitis. The aim of this study was to dissect out how progression of the metabolic syndrome impacted the biology of ulcerative colitis and severity of clinical presentation. Seventy-two patients (41 men and 31 women, 22-81 years old) were enrolled in this observational cross-sectional study. Concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in serum and feces samples were measured and phenotype of colon infiltrating cells was analyzed. Patients in the terminal phase of the metabolic syndrome have clinically and pathohistologically more severe form of ulcerative colitis, which is followed by decreased concentrations of systemic galectin-1, increased values of systemic pro-inflammatory mediators and increased influx of lymphocytes in affected colon tissue. Our data suggest that reduced concentrations of galectin-1 and predomination of the pro-inflammatory mediators in patients with terminal stage of the metabolic syndrome enhance local chronic inflammatory response and subsequent tissue damage, and together point on important role of galectin-1 in immune response in ulcerative colitis patients with the metabolic syndrome.

Background/Aim. Reactive thrombocytosis, as a paraneoplastic syndrome, is often observed in cancer patients. A variety of tumor-related humoral factors and cytokines con-tribute to tumor-stimulated thrombopoiesis. However, the exact role of these cytokines in the pathogenesis of thrombocytosis remains unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze systemic values of cytokines and clinical-pathological characteristics in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) patients with and without thrombocytosis. Methods. Fifty nine CRC patients were involved in this study and divided into two groups according to the number of platelets. We recorded and analyzed the data about: age, gender, size of the cancer, localization, metastasis, vascular or lymph vessel invasion, nuclear grade, histological differentiation rate, tumor, nodus, metastasis (TNM) stage and concentration of cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1, IL-33, IL-12, IL-17 and interferon (IFN)-?] in both groups. Results. CRC patients with thrombocytosis had significantly higher nuclear grade of the cancer (p = 0.002); higher percentage of detectable metastatic lesions in the liver (p = 0.002), lung (p = 0.001), peritoneal carcinomatosis (p = 0.001), detectable invasion of blood (p = 0.012) and lymph vessels (p = 0.010). Concentrations of tumor markers [alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cancer antigen 19-9 (CA19-9)] and se-rum values of IL-1 a nd I L-33 were significantly higher in CRC patients with thrombocytosis. IL-1/IL-12 (p = 0.016), IL-1/IFN-? (p = 0.007), IL-1/IL-17 (p = 0.006), IL-33/IL- 12 (p = 0.001), IL-33/IFN-? (p = 0.001), IL-33/IL-17 (p = 0.002), and IL-33/IL-1 (p = 0.006) ratios were significantly higher in CRC patients with thrombocytosis in comparison to CRC patients without thrombocytosis. Analysis of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves showed that values of IL-1 [area under curve (AUC) = 0.718; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.567?0.868; sensitivity 69.2%, specificity 62.9%] and IL-33 (AUC = 0.763; 95% CI: 0.614? 0.911; sensitivity 84.6%, specificity 65.7%)], could be serve as possible markers for paraneoplastic thrombocytosis in CRC patients. Conclusion. IL-1 a nd I L-33 significantly correlated to high thrombocyte number in patients with more aggressive CRC.

Introduction/Objective. The aim of the study was to examine the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in a prospective three-year period as well as to establish the risk factors for DN progression. Methods. The study involved 45 patients with type 2 diabetes and DN (26 males, aged 18?62 years) followed up for three years. All the patients underwent physical examination and laboratory analysis at each visit. Laboratory analyses included complete blood count, serum glucose, urea, creatinine, protein, lipid concentration, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and urine protein, albumin and creatinine concentration. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was calculated using Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. Kidney length and parenchymal thickness were measured by ultrasound. Results. Fasting serum glucose concentration (12.0 ? 2.79 vs. 9.50 ? 2.22, p < 0.001) and HbA1c (7.99 ? 1.43 vs. 7.49 ? 1.29, p < 0.031) were decreased over the three years. Albuminuria increased (43.75 ? 10.83 vs. 144.44 ? 52.70 mg/l, p < 0.001) and GFR (63 vs. 58.3 ml/min/1.73 m2) decreased significantly during the study, but serum lipid concentration remained unchanged. Mean kidney length and parenchymal thickness decreased during the three years. Linear regression analysis found systolic blood pressure, fasting glycemia, HbA1c as positive and kidney length and parenchymal thickness as negative predictors of proteinuria increase, but proteinuria as negative and serum iron and albumin concentrations as positive predictors of annual change in GFR. Conclusion High blood pressure and high HbA1c are selected as significant risk factors for increasing proteinuria, which is a significant predictor of GFR decreasing in patients with DN.

Genetic and environmental factors play an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and its complications. Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most common microangiopathic chronic complications of diabetes. Oxidative stress occurs under condition of increased production of free radicals and/or decreased activity of antioxidant defense mechanisms and it is an important link in the complex mechanism of diabetic vascular changes. Glutathione transferases (GST) are enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism and they are part of complex antioxidant defense mechanisms. Numerous studies have found an association of GST gene polymorphism to a predisposition to various diseases, including diabetes and diabetic nephropathy. Our and other authors' results suggest that genetic variations in enzymes involved in free radical metabolism are associated with the development of end-stage kidney disease in patients with diabetes, which could become the basis for the development of preventive and early therapeutic strategies in high risk people.

Paraovarian cysts originate from the mesothelium and are presumed to be remnants of M?llerian or Wolffian ducts. In majority of cases they are found to be 10-80 mm in diameter and do not cause any symptoms. Paraovarian cysts can be found unexpectedly during an operation or on ultrasound examination performed for other reasons. They are most freequently discovered on ultrasound examination. However, due to the proximity of the ovary for which cystic formations are not rare, the diagnosis of these lesions can be a challenge. They are mostly asymptomatic and only large lesions (?20 cm in diameter) become symptomatic. Although these are mostly benign tumors, in rare cases they can become borderline or true malignancies. Most paraovarian cysts are found in the third and fourth decade of life. Paraovarian cyst complications include: compression of the surrounding structures of the pelvis minor and abdomen, pelvic pain, cyst torsion and rupture. Except for the already mensioned complications available literature has so far failed to show cases of uterine prolapse caused by an increase of intra-abdominal pressure due to the expansive growth of giant paraovarian cystic formation.

Background/Aim: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is considered to be a drop in the systolic and diastolic blood pressure (> 20 mmHg; > 10 mmHg) 3 minutes from postural changes. The objective of this study was to analyse the correlation of body mass index (BMI) and OH during the treatment with trandolapril, as a single-drug treatment of hypertension. Methods: The study involved 255 patients (average age 54.3 ± 11.7; 54.1 % men) with poorly regulated hypertension, who were given trandolapril as a single-drug treatment. The patients were divided into two groups regarding stage of hypertension: first-degree arterial hypertension (140-149 mmHg for systolic and 90-109 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure) and second-degree arterial hypertension (> 150 for systolic and > 110 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure). Incidence of OH occurrence was then analysed regarding hypertension stage and BMI during 6 months of follow-up, on 4 control examinations. Results: During 24-week period after trandolapril introduction into the treatment of hypertension, a statistically significant difference in systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure values was observed. No statistically significant difference was observed in incidence of OH between the first and second as well as between third and fourth examination during the study. Regarding the incidence of OH in normal body weight and obese patients, there was also no statistically significant difference. Conclusion: As shown in this study, trandolapril, along with some other ACE inhibitors, has shown good balance in hypertension control and OH occurrence.

Objective. The aim of this study was to compare mortality of patients after colorectal cancer surgery between hospitals in Serbia, which performed organized colorectal cancer screening and those which did not. Methods. The database included all patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer after the introduction of organized colorectal cancer screening Program in Serbia, in 2014-2015. The target group were patients 50-74 years old in the colorectal screening program, and the data was compared to the age-matched group from hospitals which did not perform the program logistic regression. Results. The was used to determine the significance of the differences in the observed variables, and the predictors of mortality after colorectal cancer surgery. Results. The 3631 patients were included in this study. The majority of them were operated due to the rectal cancer 2111 (58%), while 1062 (29.2%) were operated due to the colon cancer. Postoperative survival was significantly better in the target group in organized screening program (p<0.001; OR=0.46; 95%CI 0.33-0.62). There was a significant difference between patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer localized in the left colon, compared to the patients with localization in the right colon (p<0.001). The mortality after the surgery of colorectal cancer (4.7%) was followed by high comorbidity of cardiovascular diseases (24%). Conclusion. Patients included in the organized colorectal cancer screening have lower postoperative mortality than these not included. This indicates the necessity for further work on organized colorectal cancer screening, in order to reduce postoperative and overall mortality.

Cardiovascular diseases rank first on the mortality list globally or 31%. The basic measure of prevention in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization is a change in risk lifestyle in terms of diet, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol consumption. Vitamin D was previously recognized as a regulator of calcium and phosphorus ratio, bone remodeling or the main controller of skeletal pathophysiology. However, vitamin D enjoys great interest in clinical and epidemiological research in terms of its possible impact on reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Among other things, vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of endothelial dysfunction. Although the deficiency has been identified as a risk marker for cardiovascular diseases, the mechanism of action of vitamin D on the path from endothelial dysfunction to cardiovascular diseases has not been fully revealed. The findings in this segment of activity of vitamin D would be significant in terms of reducing morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases.