Background: In general, the risk to develop Parkinson’s disease (PD) is higher in men compared to women. Besides male sex and genetics, research suggests diabetes mellitus (DM) is a risk factor for PD as well. Objective: In this population-level study, we aimed at investigating the sex-specific impact of DM on the risk of developing PD. Methods: Medical claims data were analyzed in a cross-sectional study in the Austrian population between 1997 and 2014. In the age group of 40–79 and 80+, 235,268 patients (46.6%females, 53.4%males) with DM were extracted and compared to 1,938,173 non-diabetic controls (51.9%females, 48.1%males) in terms of risk of developing PD. Results: Men with DM had a 1.46 times increased odds ratio (OR) to be diagnosed with PD compared to non-diabetic men (95%CI 1.38–1.54, p < 0.001). The association of DM with newly diagnosed PD was significantly greater in women (OR = 1.71, 95%CI 1.60–1.82, p < 0.001) resulting in a relative risk increase of 1.17 (95%CI 1.11–1.30) in the age group 40 to 79 years. In 80+-year-olds the relative risk increase is 1.09 (95%CI 1.01–1.18). Conclusion: Although men are more prone to develop PD, women see a higher risk increase in PD than men amongst DM patients.

The purpose of this research is to provide some insights into financial literacy among undergraduate students focusing primarily on the relationship between financial knowledge, financial attitudes and financial behavior and on possible gender and financial education gap in financial literacy. Using the purposive sampling technique, data collection was carried out from April to June 2020, yielding a sample of 1,046 valid responses. To gain a better understanding of the relationship between financial behaviour, financial attitudes and financial knowledge, we, primarily, use exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression model. The research findings have revealed several important issues. First, findings have suggested that financial knowledge, financial attitudes and gender may be considered as an antecedent of the financial behaviour of undergraduate students. Second, findings have also suggested a statistically - significant difference between the financial literacy of undergraduate students concerning their exposure to formal financial education.

Dear Co-editors-in-Chief Kanis and Cosman, We have read with great attention the article “Osteoporosis in the age COVID-19 patients”, written by Girgis and CliftonBligh (authors) in the July issue of Osteoporosis International. We welcome the opportunity to make a short comment as well. This very interesting article evaluates treatment of osteoporosis in disaster of COVID-19. The authors emphasized that osteoporosis kills and every year almost, 750,000 people lose their lives around the world as a result of hip fracture [1]. We want to highlight that older patients (very often with osteoporosis) are also with increased risk for mortality due to novelty SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Evidence of osteoporosis associating nutritional factors; particularly calcium and vitamin D are reviewed as association of falls risk with fracture [2]. Unfortunately, in the group of very old patients with fragility fractures, only 28.6% were on adequate osteoporosis treatment [3]. High serum homocysteine has been shown to have detrimental effects on neural cells, vascular endothelial cells, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts. Therefore, hyperhomocysteinemiamay be regarded as a factor that can reduce both bone mass and impair bone quality [4]. In addition, high serum homocysteine often associated increased risk for fractures. Unfortunately, hyperhomocysteinemia appeared to be predictive of all-cause mortality, independent of frailty, an age-related clinical state characterized by a global impairment of physiological functions and involving multiple organ systems [5]. Values of vitamin B9 (folic acid) and B12 are in negative correlation with levels of homocysteine [6]. Furthermore, according to PubMed survey, there was no reliable data due to concomitance of COVID-19, hyperhomocysteinemia, and osteoporosis/fractures. So, what to do when we have older COVID-19 patient with hyperhomocysteinemia and high risk for bone fracture? Authors highlighted: “Clinicians need to adapt to the challenges posed by this crisis and consider ways to continue serving the most vulnerable amongst us, those with chronic disease with their own substantive morbidity and mortality”. In light of this, we suggest that level of homocysteine and B9/B12 vitamin should be measured at clinical follow-up in all older patients with COVID-19, immediately after hospitalization. If persistent, hyperhomocysteinemic proosteoporotic (but also prothrombotic) state should be promptly decreased in acute phase of COVID-19, on the base of Latin phrase primum non nocere. Our studies from Bosnia and Herzegovina showed that the intake of B9 vitamin, sometimes with B12 vitamin as well, was efficient in creating normalized homocysteine levels in older patients with ischemic stroke and Parkinson’s disease [7, 8]. Fortunately, risk of side effects is minimal if the daily dose of B9 vitamin is 1–5 mg [9]. So, we point out that B9/B12 vitamin are “on the first-line”—good and safe in reduction levels of homocysteine in various older patients. In addition, B2/B3/B6 vitamins are enhancers of the immune system and might be efficient as soldiers from second echelon in battling with COVID-19 [10]. All in all, B-vitamins can, ad hoc, become the medication of choice in the treatment when unhidden hyperhomocysteinemia/osteoporosis coexists with COVID-19. Lastly, we emphasize that further studies will elucidate proosteoporotic/prothrombotic potential of hyperhomocysteinemia in COVID-19 patients as well as beneficial add-on effects of B-vitamins. * S. Kunić suljo.kunic@hotmail.com

We address the question of different representation of Bloch states for lattices with a basis, with a focus on topological systems. The representations differ in the relative phase of the Wannier functions corresponding to the diffferent basis members. We show that the phase can be chosen in such a way that the Wannier functions for the different sites in the basis both become eigenstates of the position operator in a particular band. A key step in showing this is the extension of the Brillouin zone. When the distance between sites within a unit cell is a rational number, $p/q$, the Brillouin extends by a factor of $q$. For irrational numbers, the Brillouin zone extends to infinity. In the case of rational distance, $p/q$, the Berry phase"lives"on a cyclic curve in the parameter space of the Hamiltonian, on the Brillouin zone extended by a factor of $q$. For irrational distances the most stable way to calculate the polarization is to approximate the distance as a rational sequence, and use the formulas derived here for rational numbers. The use of different bases are related to unitary transformations of the Hamiltonian, as such, the phase diagrams of topological systems are not altered, but each phase can acquire different topological characteristics when the basis is changed. In the example we use, an extended Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, the use of the diagonal basis leads to toroidal knots in the Hamiltonian space, whose winding numbers give the polarization.

Summary Checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) augment adaptive immunity. Systematic pan-tumor analyses may reveal the relative importance of tumor-cell-intrinsic and microenvironmental features underpinning CPI sensitization. Here, we collated whole-exome and transcriptomic data for >1,000 CPI-treated patients across seven tumor types, utilizing standardized bioinformatics workflows and clinical outcome criteria to validate multivariable predictors of CPI sensitization. Clonal tumor mutation burden (TMB) was the strongest predictor of CPI response, followed by total TMB and CXCL9 expression. Subclonal TMB, somatic copy alteration burden, and histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) evolutionary divergence failed to attain pan-cancer significance. Dinucleotide variants were identified as a source of immunogenic epitopes associated with radical amino acid substitutions and enhanced peptide hydrophobicity/immunogenicity. Copy-number analysis revealed two additional determinants of CPI outcome supported by prior functional evidence: 9q34 (TRAF2) loss associated with response and CCND1 amplification associated with resistance. Finally, single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of clonal neoantigen-reactive CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), combined with bulk RNA-seq analysis of CPI-responding tumors, identified CCR5 and CXCL13 as T-cell-intrinsic markers of CPI sensitivity.

A 12-point checklist in the design and practical application of active surveillance of diseases in aquatic organisms (farmed and wild) has been developed to serve as a methodological approach and guidance for a multidisciplinary team particularly in countries where surveillance expertise is limited. The checklist is based on a review of available main aquatic surveillance references and scientific literature and was further developed based on the outcomes of several aquaculture biosecurity project-related workshops hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The checklist includes the following: (1) scenario setting; (2) defining surveillance objective; (3) defining the populations; (4) disease clustering; (5) case definition; (6) diagnostic testing; (7) study design and sampling; (8) data collection and management; (9) data analysis; (10) validation and quality assurance; (11) human and financial resources and logistics requirements; and (12) surveillance in the bigger picture. For a multidisciplinary approach to disease control, knowledge of fish biology, aquaculture systems and many aspects of aquaculture health management are required. Surveillance needs significant financial investment and must be supported by adequate diagnostic capability, information system management, legal framework and communication networks, with transparent reporting mechanisms to allow rapid disease response for serious diseases of aquatic organisms. It is a stepwise and pragmatic approach that offers a good starting point for addressing disease issues especially in developing countries. It can be used as a model to build targeted surveillance competency and a basic reference when implementing a surveillance programme or improving existing programmes.

Introduction: Sudden OHCA (Out of hospital cardiac arrest) is the third leading cause of death in industrialized nations. With more than 60% of cardiovascular deaths resulting from cardiac arrest, it remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Heart rhythms associated with cardiac arrest are divided into two groups: shockable rhythms (ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VF/pVT) and non-shockable rhythms (asystole and pulseless electrical activity (PEA)). VF is the most commonly identified arrhythmia in cardiac arrest patients. Urgent medical treatment includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation and early defibrillation. Material and Methods: Materials for this case report are data collected from the medical records of the Emergency Medical Center of Sarajevo protocol of patients. Case report: Our case report is presented with 59 years old man who had OHCA in his apartment. The initial rhythm was VF, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was provided due to the Advanced life support guidelines to shockable rhythms. It was delivered 3 DC Shock-s (200J, 300J, 360 J) with the biphasic defibrillator, it was administered 1mg Adrenalin and performed endotracheal intubation. After the third DC shock, we got the return of spontaneous circulation ROSC. The patient was transferred to the University hospital, were he was stabile, and PCI of the LAD was performed as per the standard protocol. Echocardiography performed in the CCU revealed hypokinesia of RV, with preserved systolic function. On hospital day 7 he had a full neurological recovery. He was conscious, oriented, with normal breathing, blood pressure 125/79mmHg, sPO2 99, ECG: sinus rhythm, fr 87/min, without pathological signs. Echocardiography revealed the reduced systolic function of the left ventricle, with mitral regurgitation MR+2. Discussion: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major health problem in Europe and in the United States. The numbers of patients who have OHCA annually in these two parts of the world have traditionally been reported to be 275,000 and 420,000 respectively. The success of resuscitation depends on many factors: well-organized health care, organization of outpatient emergency services, but primarily when it comes to OHCA, education of the population on Basic life support, and early Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of AED (automated external defibrillator).

As the number of road accidents are increasing, it constitutes to increased human loss during many instances. Accidents will primarily occur due to rash driving, over speed and other related parameters. Hence, it develops an increased necessity to avoid the road accidents and save the human lives. Based on the principles of Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Image Processing (DIP), a Vehicular Safety Device (VSD) is proposed and developed in this paper. The developed device will include four main features like anti-dash system, anti-rash driving, anti-over speeding and anti-sleep alert system to safeguard the drivers and passengers from road accidents. This combination of safety technologies are designed and considered as a human look-alike by using various advanced technological interventions. These devices are imbibed with various supporting systems like Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) modules, which provides a real-time location to track and monitor the vehicle by respective authority. The proposed system has various tools like AI enabled camera with digital image processing architecture to autonomously monitor the driver. The device also has some additive features like total vehicle health report, wherein the users can download the details about vehicle movement. The proposed technology can be effectively used for improving and safeguarding human lives for developing a better future.

COVID-19 vaccines are by no means a silver bullet. With more COVID-19 vaccines expecting approval in the coming months, it is necessary to note that vaccine availability does not equate to vaccine accessibility, nor vaccine efficacy. Some research suggests that approximately 9 out of 10 individuals living in lower-income countries will not have access to COVID-19 vaccines until 2023 or later. For higher-income countries, such as the United States, the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy may further compound the situation. These insights combined, in turn, emphasize the fact that even though COVID-19 vaccines are becoming more available, safety measures (e.g., face masks, personal hygiene, and social distancing) are still of pivotal importance in protecting personal and public health against COVID-19. Furthermore, this paper argues for the continued imperative for health experts and government officials to communicate and emphasize the importance of COVID-19 safety measures with the public, to make sure people are protected against COVID-19 till the pandemic ceases to pose a threat to personal or public health.