Dejan Bokonjić | University of East Sarajevo (original) (raw)

Papers by Dejan Bokonjić

Kratak sadržaj Uvod. Već viđeno (franc. déjà vu) je fenomen koji doživi dvije trećine svih ljudi.... more Kratak sadržaj Uvod. Već viđeno (franc. déjà vu) je fenomen koji doživi dvije trećine svih ljudi. Međutim, ovaj fenomen se može javiti i u sklopu aure kod temporalne lobarne epilepsije. Smatra se da u njegovom nastanku veliku ulogu ima hipokampus, odakle potiču pražnjenja kod ovog tipa epilepsije. Neki autori smatraju da kod ovih pacijenata déjà vu fenomen nije aura već ponekad može značiti napad sâm po sebi. Metod. U ovom prikazu slučaja je opisana osmogodišnja djevojčica sa ponovljenim krizama svijesti. Prikaz bolesnika. Cilj ovog rada je bio prikazati slučaj osmogodišnje djevojčice koja je imala tri krize svijesti, glavobolju u čeonom dijelu i déjà vu fenomen u više navrata. Djevojčici je po prijemu uzeta anamneza, urađen fizikalni pregled i ostale dijagnostičke pretrage. Na učinjenom EEG snimku nađena je povećana elektrokortikalna epileptička aktivnost iznad desne frontotemporalne regije. U terapiju su uključeni antiepileptički lijekovi (karbapin) koja dovodi do kontrole napada. Zaključak. Potrebno je misliti na temporalnu lobarnu epilepsiju kod djece koja imaju déjà vu fenomene.

Biomedicinska istraživanja, 2019

Vojnosanitetski pregled, 2021

Introduction. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener?s granulomatosis,... more Introduction. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener?s granulomatosis, is characterized by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation in various tissues, including blood vessels, but primarily in the respiratory tract and kidneys. Clinical manifestations can be diverse, including inflammation of the eye and adnexa. Optic neuritis is a very rare ophthalmological manifestation of GPA, not previously described in a teenager. Case report. We presented a case of a 16-year-old girl with a rare extrapulmonary manifestation of GPA. The girl had a previous history of GPA and complained of a sudden blurred vision in the left eye. She was promptly referred to an ophthalmologist who noted a decreased visual acuity of 20/400 in the left eye. Colour vision was impaired in the spectrum of red colour. Clinical examination revealed normal anterior segment findings. On ophthalmoscopy, the left optic nerve oedema was noted. Urgent computed tomography of the left orbit showed a s...

Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 2011

admission: normotherm newborn, with peribuccal cyanosis, rapid breathing at 80 cycles/min, signs ... more admission: normotherm newborn, with peribuccal cyanosis, rapid breathing at 80 cycles/min, signs of retraction, SpO2 90% (air). Auscultation found a decreased breath sounds on the left lung. Cardiovascular examination was normal. Otherwise, the rest of the examination is unremarkable. A chest X ray showed a large pleural effusion. After thoracocentesis and evacuation of pleural fluid, the radiological finding was an heterogeneous opacity of the left lower lobe. An infectious cause is ruled out (no fever, no inflammatory markers, negative pleural fluid culture), the macroscopic aspect of the pleural effusion was not consistent with the diagnosis of a chylothorax. A malformative cause was suspected on the transthoracic ultrasound and was confirmed by a chest CT scan demonstrating an aspect of pulmonary extralobar sequestration of the left lower lobe. Discussion: The pulmonary sequestration (PS) is a rare pulmonary malformation covering only 08% of all congenital pulmonary malformations; it is defined as a nonfunctional area with no normal vascular and bronchial connections. Its blood supply is ensured by a systemic artery. There are two types of PS: intralobar PS (IPS) are the most frequent (75% of cases) and extralobar PS. PS can be detected before birth by ultrasound examination as an hyper echogen aspect of the basi thoracic area. PS is most often asymptomatic in the early years, it is revealed mainly by recurrent pulmonary infections. In the neonatal period, PS can lead to respiratory distress with cyanosis, heart failure, pleural effusion. The posterior basal lesions on chest X rays is highly suggestive. The chest CT scan can accurate topography of lesions and their nature and search for other malformations. Angiography is useful in highlighting the preoperative systemic vascularisation, its origin, topography, and the number of arteries. Surgical treatment is necessary because of the inevitable risk of recurrent infections and potential complications. Conclusion: Pulmonary sequestration, a rare congenital malformation, can be revealed early in life,The surgery is radical treatment to be given early.

Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 2013

ABSTRACT Introduction: Granulocytes are essential mediators of the acute inflammatory response an... more ABSTRACT Introduction: Granulocytes are essential mediators of the acute inflammatory response and resolution of infection. Numerous studies showed that the function of these cells in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) is affected severely, although the mechanisms are not elucidated fully. Since Toll-like receptors (TLRs) mediate the microbicidal activity and inflammatory pathology of granulocytes, we wondered whether the TLR signaling in granulocytes of CF children is different from that of healthy donors. Materials and Methods: Granulocytes isolated from peripheral blood by density gradient, were cultivated either with inactivated Aspergillus conidia (a common infectious agent in CF), TLR agonists (TLR2-zymosan, TLR4-LPS, TLR9-CpG) or N-acetyl-cystein (used in CF therapy) for 2h, following the evaluation of myeloperoxidase activity by modified Graham-Knoll procedure. The apoptosis of granulocytes was evaluated after 24h-cultures by analyzing the chromatin condensation, whereas their cytokine production (IL-8 and IL-6) was assessed by ELISA. Results: Granulocytes of CF patients stimulated with Aspergillus, LPS, or zymosan had significantly lower myeloperoxidase activity compared to controls, and N-acetyl-cystein additionally diminished their myeloperoxidase activity. The apoptosis of granulocytes of CF patients was more inhibited by TLR stimuli and additionally potentiated by Aspergillus, compared to controls. IL-6 and IL-8 levels produced by granulocytes of CF patients was higher than in control cultures, especially in children with exacerbations or advanced stage of the disease (FEV1 and FVC<30%). Conclusion: By using different stimuli and inhibitors it might be possible to modify functional activity of granulocytes, and thus provide a potential target for modulating the immune response to Aspergillus fumigates and other pathogens in CF.

Journal of Child Sexual Abuse

Biomedicines

Dysfunction of neutrophils in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is best characterized in broncho... more Dysfunction of neutrophils in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is best characterized in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), whereas peripheral blood neutrophils are less examined, and the results are contradictory, especially in younger populations. Therefore, this work aimed to study functional and phenotypic changes in circulating neutrophils in children with CF. The study included 19 CF children (5–17 years) and 14 corresponding age-matched healthy children. Isolated neutrophils were cultured either alone or with different stimuli. Several functions were studied: apoptosis, NET-osis, phagocytosis, and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), neutrophil elastase (NE), and 11 cytokines. In addition, the expression of 20 molecules involved in different functions of neutrophils was evaluated by using flow cytometry. CF neutrophils showed reduced apoptosis and lower production of NE and IL-18 compared to the healthy controls, whereas IL-8 was augmented. All of these functions were fur...

Биомедицинска истраживања

<p><strong>Introduction.</strong> Conflict is a process... more <p><strong>Introduction.</strong> Conflict is a process during which one person consciously and intentionally makes an effort to prevent the other person’s efforts, some kind of blockade that will lead to interruption in achieving the goals and interests of the other person. Conflicts in the healthcare team are common and can lead to reduced productivity in the work of healthcare professionals, which can have a negative impact on the care and treatment of patients. <strong>Methods. </strong>This cross-sectional study involved 100 health professionals, nurses and doctors employed in the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care. The research was conducted from March to August 2020. A questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, a questionnaire on conflicts of health professionals, and a standardized scale of depression, anxiety and stress with 21 questions (DASS-21) were used to measure the level of subjective depression, anxiety and stress <strong>Results.</strong> Seventy-four health workers (74%) had experience of conflict in the workplace, doctors (95%) significantly more often than nurses (58%) (p=0.001). Forty percent of health workers stated that communication problems were the most common cause of conflict. Seventy-nine respondents (79%) chose cooperation and compromise as a style in conflict resolution. Doctors chose cooperation more often (84%) than nurses (74%) and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.048). Subjects who had experience of conflict had significantly higher average values of anxiety (8.01±2.12) (p=0.026) and stress (10.32±2.91) (p=0.008) compared to subjects who had no experience of conflict (6.13±1.91; 6.12±2.03). <strong>Conclusion.</strong> Doctors were significantly more likely to have conflict situations in the workplace. For conflict resolution doctors were more likely to choose a style of cooperation and compromise than nurses who were more likely to choose a style of conflict avoidance.</p>

PONS - medicinski casopis

Objective. Diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension are chronic, mass non-communicable disease... more Objective. Diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension are chronic, mass non-communicable diseases that are global health problems with characteristics of epidemiology where complications of these diseases are the common reason for visual handicap and disability in the work productive population. The primary aim of this paper was to analyze the frequency of visual dysfunction, and behavioral habits in diabetic and hypertensive patients and the second aim was to analyze the occurrence of work disability in patients with these diseases. Methods. The research is a cross-sectional study made in two Health Centers in the City of Eastern Sarajevo in a period of July 2018 to July 2019 (12 months). 192 patients with diabetes and 100 patients with hypertension were selected using the random sampling method. A special questionnaire was created for this purpose, and statistic analysis was made by SPSS (IBM, Chicago version 19). Statistical significance was tested with ch2 test. Results. Diabet...

Journal of Clinical Medicine

Although a strong relationship between periodontal disease (PD) and atherosclerosis was shown in ... more Although a strong relationship between periodontal disease (PD) and atherosclerosis was shown in adults, little data are published in younger PD patients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate and correlate clinical parameters of PD, pro- and immunoregulatory cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum, biochemical and hematological parameters associated with atherosclerosis risk, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in our younger study participants (n = 78) (mean age 35.92 ± 3.36 years) who were divided into two equal groups: subjects with and without PD. PD patients had higher values of IMT, hs-CRP, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL; most proinflammatory and Th1/Th17-associated cytokines in GCF; and IL-8, IL-12, IL-18, and IL-17A in serum compared to subjects without PD. These cytokines in GCF positively correlated with most clinical periodontal parameters. Clinical periodontal parameters, TNF-α and IL-8 in GCF and IL-17A, hs-CRP, and LDL in serum, had...

Journal of endodontics, Jan 14, 2018

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations of variability in pulp sensitivity wit... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations of variability in pulp sensitivity with sex, psychosocial variables, the gene that encodes for the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and chronic painful conditions (temporomandibular disorders [TMDs]). The study was composed of 97 subjects (68 women and 29 men aged 20-44 years). The electric (electric pulp tester) and cold (refrigerant spray) stimuli were performed on mandibular lateral incisors. The results were expressed as pain threshold values for electric pulp stimulation (0-80 units) and as pain intensity scores (visual numeric scale from 0-10) for cold stimulation. The Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD were used to assess TMD, depression, and somatization. DNA extracted from peripheral blood was genotyped for 3 COMT polymorphisms (rs4680, rs6269, and rs165774) using the real-time TaqMan method. Multivariate linear regression was used to investigate the joint effect of the predictor variables (clinical and...

Sanitas Magisterium, 2015

BiH nursing education is still developing toward the EU directive on regulated professions. At pr... more BiH nursing education is still developing toward the EU directive on regulated professions. At present, there are two large projects dealing with the reform of nursing curricula in Bosnia and Herzegovina; one of them is the Tempus CCNURCA (Competency-based Curriculum Reform in Nursing and Caring in Western Balkan Universities) project and the other is the ProSES (Strengthening Nursing in Bosnia and Herzegovina) project. Both projects have a shared goal to reform nursing curricula and education in general toward the EU directive dealing with regulated professions. This study performed a deep analysis about the current nursing education situation in BiH. The findings were very interesting because there were a lot of different information from different schools, all of which is important to improving nursing education. The methodology used for this research was analytic, comparative, descriptive, and prospective. Three nursing faculties were analyzed: the Faculty of Health in Zenica, the Faculty of Health Sciences in Mostar, and the Nursing Study Program at the University of East Sarajevo. It is important that the Tempus CCNURCA project also be implemented in Albania and Montenegro with EU partners from Belgium, Slovakia, and the Netherlands. Our findings showed important differences between the BiH and EU nursing approaches. The number of nursing staff employed, medical orientation of the curricula, practice versus theory, and usage of different teaching and assessment methodologies are some of the major differences between BiH and EU approaches in nursing education. These will be the starting and leading points for BiH nursing schools as they reform and introduce proper nursing education recommended by WHO standards for nursing education and EU directive 2005/13 on regulated professions. In conclusion, a deep analysis of the current situation was a major precondition for the successful improvement of nursing education in BiH in accordance with EU standards.

Central European Journal of Immunology

Introduction: During the last two and a half years, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus... more Introduction: During the last two and a half years, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (sars-Cov-2) infection has spread around the world. Most of the sars-Cov-2 vaccines are designed to produce anti-sars-Cov-2 immunoglobulin G (igG) against the viral s-glycoprotein. The aim of this study was to measure the anti-s antibody titres among the medical personnel who had been fully vaccinated with different types of vaccines, and to compare them with those who were CoviD-19 convalescents. Material and methods: in this study serum was collected from 261 healthcare workers, of whom 227 were vaccinated, while 34 were recovered participants who were not immunised. serum samples were collected 21 days after the first dose and 60 and 180 days after the second dose of the vaccines and tested with a commercial eLisa kit. Results: The highest antibody level (12 aU/ml) was measured in the Pfizer-BionTech group, followed by sinopharm (9.3 aU/ml), sputnik v (5.9 aU/ml), sinovac (4.6 aU/ml) and oxford/astra-Zeneca vaccine (2.5 aU/ml) 60 days after the second dose of the vaccines (90 days after the first dose). The seropositivity rate for mrna vaccine was 88.5%, for vector vaccines 86.2% and for inactivated vaccines 71.4%. When comparing these antibody levels with CoviD-19 convalescents, higher antibody titres were found in vaccinated participants (5.76 aU/ml vs 7.06 aU/ml), but the difference was not significant (p = 0.08). Conclusions: individuals vaccinated with mRNa and vector vaccines had a higher seroconversion rate compared to the group vaccinated with inactivated vaccines, or convalescents.

Биомедицинска истраживања

Introduction. The patient and his safety should be at the center of quality health care, which is... more Introduction. The patient and his safety should be at the center of quality health care, which is a challenge for every health system. Adverse patient outcomes (APO) are defined as damage caused by a drug or other intervention in a primary, secondary or tertiary health care facility, which results in a complication of the primary or the emergence of a new disease or injury. The aim of our study was to determine how frequent the APO are, and to determine the differences between nurses and doctors in the frequency, causes and attitudes towards APO. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 100 health professionals, nurses and medical doctors employed at the primary and secondary level of health care. The research was conducted in the period from May to October 2020. The questionnaire was partially taken from a general questionnaire offered on the website of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the standardized Perceived stress scale was used to measure the degree of s...

Биомедицинска истраживања

Introduction. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is considered the reference diagnostic met... more Introduction. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is considered the reference diagnostic method for quantifying right ventricular size and function, and pulmonary regurgitation in patients with tetralogy of Fallot surgery. The aim of this paper is to confirm the importance of magnetic resonance continuous postoperative monitoring of right and left heart function parameters as a diagnostic method that provides the most precise and accurate assessment. Methods. The prospective observational study included subjects with TOF surgery who were diagnosed with residual morphological and/or functional disorders on control postoperative echocardiographic examinations. All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the heart on a 1.5 T scanner with dedicated coils for the heart surface according to the standard protocol for a period of one year from the beginning of the study. Criteria for exclusion from the study were: significant residual pulmonary stenosis, condition after pulmon...

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Gingiva-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (GMSCs) have been shown to play an important role in pe... more Gingiva-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (GMSCs) have been shown to play an important role in periodontitis. However, how P. gingivalis, one of the key etiological agents of the disease, affects healthy (H)- and periodontitis (P)-GMSCs is unknown. To address this problem, we established 10 H-GMSC and 12 P-GMSC lines. No significant differences in morphology, differentiation into chondroblasts and adipocytes, expression of characteristic MSCS markers, including pericyte antigens NG2 and PDGFR, were observed between H- and P-GMSC lines. However, proliferation, cell size and osteogenic potential were higher in P-GMSCs, in contrast to their lower ability to suppress mononuclear cell proliferation. P. gingivalis up-regulated the mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, GRO-α, RANTES, TLR-2, HIF-1α, OPG, MMP-3, SDF-1, HGF and IP-10 in P-GMSCs, whereas only IL-6, MCP-1 and GRO-α were up-regulated in H-GMSCs. The expression of MCP-1, RANTES, IP-10 and HGF was significantly higher in P-GMSCs c...

Биомедицинска истраживања

Introduction. Serological testing for SARS-CoV-2 virus infection is a valuable method of estimati... more 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...

Journal of environmental pathology, toxicology and oncology : official organ of the International Society for Environmental Toxicology and Cancer, 1998

It is known that the antineoplastic drug adriamycin (ADR) can cause cardiotoxic effects. Some dat... more It is known that the antineoplastic drug adriamycin (ADR) can cause cardiotoxic effects. Some data imply that pretreatment with selenium (Se) and the radio- and chemoprotector, amifostine (WR-2721), may confer a protective effect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of single doses of Se and WR-2721, alone or in combination, in the prevention of acute ADR-induced cardiotoxicity in male Wistar rats. Se, in the form of sodium selenite (1.6 mg/kg i.p.), and WR-2721 (300 mg/kg i.p.) were given 24 hours and 20 minutes, respectively, before ADR (6 mg/kg i.v.). The cardiotoxicity of ADR was recorded 48 hours after its administration because earlier studies revealed that structural damage of the myocardium occurs within this period. Evaluation of these toxic effects, as well as of the cardioprotective efficacy of the administered drugs, was performed using (1) ECG-records before and during the infusion of the proarrhythmogenic compound, aconitine (8 microg/kg/min i.v.) and (2...

European Journal of Cancer, 1997

Therefore, EMI can restore the functional activity of cells of immune system suppreSSed by cispla... more Therefore, EMI can restore the functional activity of cells of immune system suppreSSed by cisplatin. This finding may be ot potential clinical Importance. The observations about DOP interaction with PT point to new possible mechanisms of its cytotoxic effects.

Kratak sadržaj Uvod. Već viđeno (franc. déjà vu) je fenomen koji doživi dvije trećine svih ljudi.... more Kratak sadržaj Uvod. Već viđeno (franc. déjà vu) je fenomen koji doživi dvije trećine svih ljudi. Međutim, ovaj fenomen se može javiti i u sklopu aure kod temporalne lobarne epilepsije. Smatra se da u njegovom nastanku veliku ulogu ima hipokampus, odakle potiču pražnjenja kod ovog tipa epilepsije. Neki autori smatraju da kod ovih pacijenata déjà vu fenomen nije aura već ponekad može značiti napad sâm po sebi. Metod. U ovom prikazu slučaja je opisana osmogodišnja djevojčica sa ponovljenim krizama svijesti. Prikaz bolesnika. Cilj ovog rada je bio prikazati slučaj osmogodišnje djevojčice koja je imala tri krize svijesti, glavobolju u čeonom dijelu i déjà vu fenomen u više navrata. Djevojčici je po prijemu uzeta anamneza, urađen fizikalni pregled i ostale dijagnostičke pretrage. Na učinjenom EEG snimku nađena je povećana elektrokortikalna epileptička aktivnost iznad desne frontotemporalne regije. U terapiju su uključeni antiepileptički lijekovi (karbapin) koja dovodi do kontrole napada. Zaključak. Potrebno je misliti na temporalnu lobarnu epilepsiju kod djece koja imaju déjà vu fenomene.

Biomedicinska istraživanja, 2019

Vojnosanitetski pregled, 2021

Introduction. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener?s granulomatosis,... more Introduction. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener?s granulomatosis, is characterized by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation in various tissues, including blood vessels, but primarily in the respiratory tract and kidneys. Clinical manifestations can be diverse, including inflammation of the eye and adnexa. Optic neuritis is a very rare ophthalmological manifestation of GPA, not previously described in a teenager. Case report. We presented a case of a 16-year-old girl with a rare extrapulmonary manifestation of GPA. The girl had a previous history of GPA and complained of a sudden blurred vision in the left eye. She was promptly referred to an ophthalmologist who noted a decreased visual acuity of 20/400 in the left eye. Colour vision was impaired in the spectrum of red colour. Clinical examination revealed normal anterior segment findings. On ophthalmoscopy, the left optic nerve oedema was noted. Urgent computed tomography of the left orbit showed a s...

Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 2011

admission: normotherm newborn, with peribuccal cyanosis, rapid breathing at 80 cycles/min, signs ... more admission: normotherm newborn, with peribuccal cyanosis, rapid breathing at 80 cycles/min, signs of retraction, SpO2 90% (air). Auscultation found a decreased breath sounds on the left lung. Cardiovascular examination was normal. Otherwise, the rest of the examination is unremarkable. A chest X ray showed a large pleural effusion. After thoracocentesis and evacuation of pleural fluid, the radiological finding was an heterogeneous opacity of the left lower lobe. An infectious cause is ruled out (no fever, no inflammatory markers, negative pleural fluid culture), the macroscopic aspect of the pleural effusion was not consistent with the diagnosis of a chylothorax. A malformative cause was suspected on the transthoracic ultrasound and was confirmed by a chest CT scan demonstrating an aspect of pulmonary extralobar sequestration of the left lower lobe. Discussion: The pulmonary sequestration (PS) is a rare pulmonary malformation covering only 08% of all congenital pulmonary malformations; it is defined as a nonfunctional area with no normal vascular and bronchial connections. Its blood supply is ensured by a systemic artery. There are two types of PS: intralobar PS (IPS) are the most frequent (75% of cases) and extralobar PS. PS can be detected before birth by ultrasound examination as an hyper echogen aspect of the basi thoracic area. PS is most often asymptomatic in the early years, it is revealed mainly by recurrent pulmonary infections. In the neonatal period, PS can lead to respiratory distress with cyanosis, heart failure, pleural effusion. The posterior basal lesions on chest X rays is highly suggestive. The chest CT scan can accurate topography of lesions and their nature and search for other malformations. Angiography is useful in highlighting the preoperative systemic vascularisation, its origin, topography, and the number of arteries. Surgical treatment is necessary because of the inevitable risk of recurrent infections and potential complications. Conclusion: Pulmonary sequestration, a rare congenital malformation, can be revealed early in life,The surgery is radical treatment to be given early.

Paediatric Respiratory Reviews, 2013

ABSTRACT Introduction: Granulocytes are essential mediators of the acute inflammatory response an... more ABSTRACT Introduction: Granulocytes are essential mediators of the acute inflammatory response and resolution of infection. Numerous studies showed that the function of these cells in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) is affected severely, although the mechanisms are not elucidated fully. Since Toll-like receptors (TLRs) mediate the microbicidal activity and inflammatory pathology of granulocytes, we wondered whether the TLR signaling in granulocytes of CF children is different from that of healthy donors. Materials and Methods: Granulocytes isolated from peripheral blood by density gradient, were cultivated either with inactivated Aspergillus conidia (a common infectious agent in CF), TLR agonists (TLR2-zymosan, TLR4-LPS, TLR9-CpG) or N-acetyl-cystein (used in CF therapy) for 2h, following the evaluation of myeloperoxidase activity by modified Graham-Knoll procedure. The apoptosis of granulocytes was evaluated after 24h-cultures by analyzing the chromatin condensation, whereas their cytokine production (IL-8 and IL-6) was assessed by ELISA. Results: Granulocytes of CF patients stimulated with Aspergillus, LPS, or zymosan had significantly lower myeloperoxidase activity compared to controls, and N-acetyl-cystein additionally diminished their myeloperoxidase activity. The apoptosis of granulocytes of CF patients was more inhibited by TLR stimuli and additionally potentiated by Aspergillus, compared to controls. IL-6 and IL-8 levels produced by granulocytes of CF patients was higher than in control cultures, especially in children with exacerbations or advanced stage of the disease (FEV1 and FVC<30%). Conclusion: By using different stimuli and inhibitors it might be possible to modify functional activity of granulocytes, and thus provide a potential target for modulating the immune response to Aspergillus fumigates and other pathogens in CF.

Journal of Child Sexual Abuse

Biomedicines

Dysfunction of neutrophils in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is best characterized in broncho... more Dysfunction of neutrophils in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is best characterized in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), whereas peripheral blood neutrophils are less examined, and the results are contradictory, especially in younger populations. Therefore, this work aimed to study functional and phenotypic changes in circulating neutrophils in children with CF. The study included 19 CF children (5–17 years) and 14 corresponding age-matched healthy children. Isolated neutrophils were cultured either alone or with different stimuli. Several functions were studied: apoptosis, NET-osis, phagocytosis, and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), neutrophil elastase (NE), and 11 cytokines. In addition, the expression of 20 molecules involved in different functions of neutrophils was evaluated by using flow cytometry. CF neutrophils showed reduced apoptosis and lower production of NE and IL-18 compared to the healthy controls, whereas IL-8 was augmented. All of these functions were fur...

Биомедицинска истраживања

<p><strong>Introduction.</strong> Conflict is a process... more <p><strong>Introduction.</strong> Conflict is a process during which one person consciously and intentionally makes an effort to prevent the other person’s efforts, some kind of blockade that will lead to interruption in achieving the goals and interests of the other person. Conflicts in the healthcare team are common and can lead to reduced productivity in the work of healthcare professionals, which can have a negative impact on the care and treatment of patients. <strong>Methods. </strong>This cross-sectional study involved 100 health professionals, nurses and doctors employed in the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of health care. The research was conducted from March to August 2020. A questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics of respondents, a questionnaire on conflicts of health professionals, and a standardized scale of depression, anxiety and stress with 21 questions (DASS-21) were used to measure the level of subjective depression, anxiety and stress <strong>Results.</strong> Seventy-four health workers (74%) had experience of conflict in the workplace, doctors (95%) significantly more often than nurses (58%) (p=0.001). Forty percent of health workers stated that communication problems were the most common cause of conflict. Seventy-nine respondents (79%) chose cooperation and compromise as a style in conflict resolution. Doctors chose cooperation more often (84%) than nurses (74%) and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.048). Subjects who had experience of conflict had significantly higher average values of anxiety (8.01±2.12) (p=0.026) and stress (10.32±2.91) (p=0.008) compared to subjects who had no experience of conflict (6.13±1.91; 6.12±2.03). <strong>Conclusion.</strong> Doctors were significantly more likely to have conflict situations in the workplace. For conflict resolution doctors were more likely to choose a style of cooperation and compromise than nurses who were more likely to choose a style of conflict avoidance.</p>

PONS - medicinski casopis

Objective. Diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension are chronic, mass non-communicable disease... more Objective. Diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension are chronic, mass non-communicable diseases that are global health problems with characteristics of epidemiology where complications of these diseases are the common reason for visual handicap and disability in the work productive population. The primary aim of this paper was to analyze the frequency of visual dysfunction, and behavioral habits in diabetic and hypertensive patients and the second aim was to analyze the occurrence of work disability in patients with these diseases. Methods. The research is a cross-sectional study made in two Health Centers in the City of Eastern Sarajevo in a period of July 2018 to July 2019 (12 months). 192 patients with diabetes and 100 patients with hypertension were selected using the random sampling method. A special questionnaire was created for this purpose, and statistic analysis was made by SPSS (IBM, Chicago version 19). Statistical significance was tested with ch2 test. Results. Diabet...

Journal of Clinical Medicine

Although a strong relationship between periodontal disease (PD) and atherosclerosis was shown in ... more Although a strong relationship between periodontal disease (PD) and atherosclerosis was shown in adults, little data are published in younger PD patients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate and correlate clinical parameters of PD, pro- and immunoregulatory cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum, biochemical and hematological parameters associated with atherosclerosis risk, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in our younger study participants (n = 78) (mean age 35.92 ± 3.36 years) who were divided into two equal groups: subjects with and without PD. PD patients had higher values of IMT, hs-CRP, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL; most proinflammatory and Th1/Th17-associated cytokines in GCF; and IL-8, IL-12, IL-18, and IL-17A in serum compared to subjects without PD. These cytokines in GCF positively correlated with most clinical periodontal parameters. Clinical periodontal parameters, TNF-α and IL-8 in GCF and IL-17A, hs-CRP, and LDL in serum, had...

Journal of endodontics, Jan 14, 2018

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations of variability in pulp sensitivity wit... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the associations of variability in pulp sensitivity with sex, psychosocial variables, the gene that encodes for the enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and chronic painful conditions (temporomandibular disorders [TMDs]). The study was composed of 97 subjects (68 women and 29 men aged 20-44 years). The electric (electric pulp tester) and cold (refrigerant spray) stimuli were performed on mandibular lateral incisors. The results were expressed as pain threshold values for electric pulp stimulation (0-80 units) and as pain intensity scores (visual numeric scale from 0-10) for cold stimulation. The Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD were used to assess TMD, depression, and somatization. DNA extracted from peripheral blood was genotyped for 3 COMT polymorphisms (rs4680, rs6269, and rs165774) using the real-time TaqMan method. Multivariate linear regression was used to investigate the joint effect of the predictor variables (clinical and...

Sanitas Magisterium, 2015

BiH nursing education is still developing toward the EU directive on regulated professions. At pr... more BiH nursing education is still developing toward the EU directive on regulated professions. At present, there are two large projects dealing with the reform of nursing curricula in Bosnia and Herzegovina; one of them is the Tempus CCNURCA (Competency-based Curriculum Reform in Nursing and Caring in Western Balkan Universities) project and the other is the ProSES (Strengthening Nursing in Bosnia and Herzegovina) project. Both projects have a shared goal to reform nursing curricula and education in general toward the EU directive dealing with regulated professions. This study performed a deep analysis about the current nursing education situation in BiH. The findings were very interesting because there were a lot of different information from different schools, all of which is important to improving nursing education. The methodology used for this research was analytic, comparative, descriptive, and prospective. Three nursing faculties were analyzed: the Faculty of Health in Zenica, the Faculty of Health Sciences in Mostar, and the Nursing Study Program at the University of East Sarajevo. It is important that the Tempus CCNURCA project also be implemented in Albania and Montenegro with EU partners from Belgium, Slovakia, and the Netherlands. Our findings showed important differences between the BiH and EU nursing approaches. The number of nursing staff employed, medical orientation of the curricula, practice versus theory, and usage of different teaching and assessment methodologies are some of the major differences between BiH and EU approaches in nursing education. These will be the starting and leading points for BiH nursing schools as they reform and introduce proper nursing education recommended by WHO standards for nursing education and EU directive 2005/13 on regulated professions. In conclusion, a deep analysis of the current situation was a major precondition for the successful improvement of nursing education in BiH in accordance with EU standards.

Central European Journal of Immunology

Introduction: During the last two and a half years, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus... more Introduction: During the last two and a half years, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (sars-Cov-2) infection has spread around the world. Most of the sars-Cov-2 vaccines are designed to produce anti-sars-Cov-2 immunoglobulin G (igG) against the viral s-glycoprotein. The aim of this study was to measure the anti-s antibody titres among the medical personnel who had been fully vaccinated with different types of vaccines, and to compare them with those who were CoviD-19 convalescents. Material and methods: in this study serum was collected from 261 healthcare workers, of whom 227 were vaccinated, while 34 were recovered participants who were not immunised. serum samples were collected 21 days after the first dose and 60 and 180 days after the second dose of the vaccines and tested with a commercial eLisa kit. Results: The highest antibody level (12 aU/ml) was measured in the Pfizer-BionTech group, followed by sinopharm (9.3 aU/ml), sputnik v (5.9 aU/ml), sinovac (4.6 aU/ml) and oxford/astra-Zeneca vaccine (2.5 aU/ml) 60 days after the second dose of the vaccines (90 days after the first dose). The seropositivity rate for mrna vaccine was 88.5%, for vector vaccines 86.2% and for inactivated vaccines 71.4%. When comparing these antibody levels with CoviD-19 convalescents, higher antibody titres were found in vaccinated participants (5.76 aU/ml vs 7.06 aU/ml), but the difference was not significant (p = 0.08). Conclusions: individuals vaccinated with mRNa and vector vaccines had a higher seroconversion rate compared to the group vaccinated with inactivated vaccines, or convalescents.

Биомедицинска истраживања

Introduction. The patient and his safety should be at the center of quality health care, which is... more Introduction. The patient and his safety should be at the center of quality health care, which is a challenge for every health system. Adverse patient outcomes (APO) are defined as damage caused by a drug or other intervention in a primary, secondary or tertiary health care facility, which results in a complication of the primary or the emergence of a new disease or injury. The aim of our study was to determine how frequent the APO are, and to determine the differences between nurses and doctors in the frequency, causes and attitudes towards APO. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 100 health professionals, nurses and medical doctors employed at the primary and secondary level of health care. The research was conducted in the period from May to October 2020. The questionnaire was partially taken from a general questionnaire offered on the website of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the standardized Perceived stress scale was used to measure the degree of s...

Биомедицинска истраживања

Introduction. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is considered the reference diagnostic met... more Introduction. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is considered the reference diagnostic method for quantifying right ventricular size and function, and pulmonary regurgitation in patients with tetralogy of Fallot surgery. The aim of this paper is to confirm the importance of magnetic resonance continuous postoperative monitoring of right and left heart function parameters as a diagnostic method that provides the most precise and accurate assessment. Methods. The prospective observational study included subjects with TOF surgery who were diagnosed with residual morphological and/or functional disorders on control postoperative echocardiographic examinations. All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the heart on a 1.5 T scanner with dedicated coils for the heart surface according to the standard protocol for a period of one year from the beginning of the study. Criteria for exclusion from the study were: significant residual pulmonary stenosis, condition after pulmon...

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Gingiva-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (GMSCs) have been shown to play an important role in pe... more Gingiva-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (GMSCs) have been shown to play an important role in periodontitis. However, how P. gingivalis, one of the key etiological agents of the disease, affects healthy (H)- and periodontitis (P)-GMSCs is unknown. To address this problem, we established 10 H-GMSC and 12 P-GMSC lines. No significant differences in morphology, differentiation into chondroblasts and adipocytes, expression of characteristic MSCS markers, including pericyte antigens NG2 and PDGFR, were observed between H- and P-GMSC lines. However, proliferation, cell size and osteogenic potential were higher in P-GMSCs, in contrast to their lower ability to suppress mononuclear cell proliferation. P. gingivalis up-regulated the mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-8, MCP-1, GRO-α, RANTES, TLR-2, HIF-1α, OPG, MMP-3, SDF-1, HGF and IP-10 in P-GMSCs, whereas only IL-6, MCP-1 and GRO-α were up-regulated in H-GMSCs. The expression of MCP-1, RANTES, IP-10 and HGF was significantly higher in P-GMSCs c...

Биомедицинска истраживања

Introduction. Serological testing for SARS-CoV-2 virus infection is a valuable method of estimati... more 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...

Journal of environmental pathology, toxicology and oncology : official organ of the International Society for Environmental Toxicology and Cancer, 1998

It is known that the antineoplastic drug adriamycin (ADR) can cause cardiotoxic effects. Some dat... more It is known that the antineoplastic drug adriamycin (ADR) can cause cardiotoxic effects. Some data imply that pretreatment with selenium (Se) and the radio- and chemoprotector, amifostine (WR-2721), may confer a protective effect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of single doses of Se and WR-2721, alone or in combination, in the prevention of acute ADR-induced cardiotoxicity in male Wistar rats. Se, in the form of sodium selenite (1.6 mg/kg i.p.), and WR-2721 (300 mg/kg i.p.) were given 24 hours and 20 minutes, respectively, before ADR (6 mg/kg i.v.). The cardiotoxicity of ADR was recorded 48 hours after its administration because earlier studies revealed that structural damage of the myocardium occurs within this period. Evaluation of these toxic effects, as well as of the cardioprotective efficacy of the administered drugs, was performed using (1) ECG-records before and during the infusion of the proarrhythmogenic compound, aconitine (8 microg/kg/min i.v.) and (2...

European Journal of Cancer, 1997

Therefore, EMI can restore the functional activity of cells of immune system suppreSSed by cispla... more Therefore, EMI can restore the functional activity of cells of immune system suppreSSed by cisplatin. This finding may be ot potential clinical Importance. The observations about DOP interaction with PT point to new possible mechanisms of its cytotoxic effects.