This paper explores the profound and multifaceted cultural and historical relationship between Serbia and Italy, spanning centuries of political, economic, and artistic exchange. Beginning with the Roman Empire’s presence in the Balkans and continuing through medieval interactions and 19th-century national movements, the two nations have fostered a dynamic and mutually influential bond. We specifically analyze the enduring presence of Italian influence across various aspects of Serbian life, including diplomatic relations with particular emphasis on academic and linguistic cooperation. The study traces the main stages of the Italian language’s integration into Serbia, highlighting the historical foundations of Italian studies within Serbian universities. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and historical accounts, we demonstrate the significance of these cultural connections and their ongoing impact on strengthening bilateral ties and enriching the cultural landscape of Serbia.
Tracey A. Brickell, Tracey A. Brickell, Tracey A. Brickell
et al.
This report details a bench to bedside translation of behavioral and social science research into a clinical program as a result of a collaboration between two United States Defense Health Agency Centers of Excellence for warfighter traumatic brain injury (TBI) and brain health. Identifying a gap in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures, our team instigated a 7-year multisite effort to validate and develop generic and caregiver specific HRQOL domains for family members of warfighters and civilians with a TBI using state-of-the-science measurement development standards; the Traumatic Brain Injury Caregiver Quality of Life (TBI-CareQOL) measurement system. The TBI-CareQOL was integrated into the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center-Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence 15-Year Longitudinal TBI Study designed to address four elements in a Congressional mandate (NDAA FY2007 Sec721 Public Law 109-364). Based on findings from the 15-Year Longitudinal TBI study and larger body of related literature demonstrating the bidirectional associations between warfighter neurobehavioral outcomes and family distress, relevant TBI-CareQOL measures were integrated into the Family Wellness Program (FWP) for intimate partner (IP) beneficiaries of warfighters with TBI in treatment for chronic neurobehavioral symptoms across the Defense Intrepid Network for Traumatic Brain Injury and Brain Health (DIN). The FWP screens IPs for clinically elevated HRQOL symptoms with clinical follow up offered in alignment with operations at each DIN treatment center and military base. In July 2024, the FWP was launched at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and is currently expanding across the DIN.
Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) are very rare mesenchymal tumors. In addition to being rare in general, they are even rarer in the liver. There are various subtypes and there is only one case of liver PEComa reported in the clear cell type in the literature to date. We present the second clear cell type liver PEComa in this case by reviewing the literature data. The hypodense, smooth-edged, ovoid lesion was detected on computed tomography (CT) for performing abdominal pain in a 41-year-old female patient. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was then performed for lesion characterization. The lesion was hypointense on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), hyperintense on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI). In dynamic phases, it showed marked enhancement on the arterial phase and capsular enhancement with central washout on the portal and late venous phases. The posterior branch of the right portal vein extended into the mass. The lesion was excised and the pathological result was epithelioid clear cell subtype of PEComa. Although the imaging findings are generally nonspecific and certain diagnosis is made histopathologically, radiologists should consider PEComa in the differential diagnosis in the presence of intensely enhanced lesion on the right lobe in female patients. Also, the “large vessel sign” may help in the diagnosis.
Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine
Abstract Background Inadequate surgical interventions can lead to serious complications such as tubo-ovarian abscesses in the upper female genital system, often resulting from untreated pelvic inflammatory disease. Pelvic inflammatory disease, caused by infections like Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, leads to scarring and adhesions in the reproductive organs, with common risk factors including intrauterine device use and multiple sexual partners. Pelvic inflammatory disease primarily affects sexually active young women and can manifest with varied symptoms, potentially leading to complications like ectopic pregnancy, infertility, and chronic pelvic pain if untreated. Case presentation This case report presents a unique scenario involving a 17-year-old sexually inactive female who experienced concurrent tubo-ovarian abscess, acute cystitis, and pancolitis following laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy. Pelvic inflammatory disease and its complications are well-documented, but the simultaneous occurrence of acute cystitis and pancolitis in this context is unprecedented in the medical literature. The patient’s presentation, clinical course, and management are detailed, highlighting the importance of considering diverse and severe complications in individuals with a history of gynecological surgeries. Conclusions Our case report highlights the need for healthcare professionals to remain vigilant for atypical presentations of gynecological complications and emphasizes the value of interdisciplinary collaboration for optimal patient care. We encourage further research and awareness to enhance understanding and recognition of complex clinical scenarios associated with gynecological procedures.
Gynecology and obstetrics, Public aspects of medicine
Objective: To compare the results of treating patients with common bile duct (CBD) stones by endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES), surgical exploration, or a combination of ES and surgical CBD exploration (the rendezvous technique).
Methods: A narrative review of the literature. Summary of Data: Before 1990, 17 cohort studies indicated that ES cleared CBD stones in 92.0% of patients, with a mortality rate of 1.5%. Surgery removed CBD stones in 90.2% of patients, with a 2.1% mortality rate. A single randomized controlled trial in 1987 showed that ES removed CBD stones in 91% of 55 patients, with a 3.6% mortality rate and a 27% complication rate, whereas surgical CBD exploration removed CBD stones in 92%, with a 1.8% mortality rate and a 22% complication rate. Since 1991, 26 randomized controlled trials have shown that laparoscopic–ES rendezvous is as effective as ES alone and laparoscopic surgery alone but is associated with fewer complications, a reduced need for additional procedures, and a shorter hospital stay.
Conclusions: A laparoscopic–ES rendezvous appears to be the optimal approach to the treatment of CBD stones in younger and fit patients. The choice between ES alone and laparoscopic–ES rendezvous in older or high-risk patients remains uncertain.
This article examines the kinds of instruction that foster student engagement with literature and the effects of such instruction on achievement. First, two general kinds of student engagement are distinguished: “procedural,” which concerns classroom rules and regulations, and “substantive,” which involves sustained commitment to the content and issues of academic study. The article then describes the manifestations of these two forms of engagement, explains how they relate differently to student outcomes, and offers some empirical propositions using data on literature instruction from 58 eighth-grade English classes. The results provide support for three hypotheses: (a) Disengagement adversely affects achievement; (b) Procedural engagement has an attenuated relationship to achievement because its observable indicators conflate procedural and substantive engagement; and (c) Substantive engagement has a strong, positive effect on achievement. Features of substantively engaging instruction include authentic questions, or questions which have no prespecified answers; uptake, or the incorporation of previous answers into subsequent questions; and high-level teacher evaluation, or teacher certification and incorporation of student responses into subsequent discussion. Each of these is noteworthy because they all involve reciprocal interaction and negotiation between students and teachers, which is said to be the hallmark of substantive engagement.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly influential in contemporary society. Isaac Asimov's seminal work, “I, Robot”, introduced the foundational robotic laws that have inspired both fictional and real-world discussions. This study examines how Asimov's "laws" are reflected in the legislation of various nations and international organizations, and explores the justification for their inclusion in legal literature and dogmatics. The research focuses on issues related to the regulation of artificial intelligence, including the demarcation of robotics and relevant governmental regulations. Employing descriptive and comparative methods, the study is structured as follows: The first chapter addresses the ontological characteristics of artificial intelligence; the second chapter reviews the regulatory approaches of various states; and the third chapter explores the implications for potential perpetrators of AI-related offenses. Given the continuous advancement of technology, which enhances production efficiency, drives business innovation, and offers recreational benefits, the necessity for legal regulation of emerging pervasive technologies is evident. The findings suggest that the current EU legislation is designed to guide future regulatory developments and has incorporated significant aspects of Asimov's principles into its framework.
Law in general. Comparative and uniform law. Jurisprudence
Hamida Beg , Muhammad Ferdowsieh, Fatemeh Hosseini
رغم وضوح أهمية صحة الإنسان، إلا أننا نجد مسألة إضراربنفس قد انتشرت بشكل واسع، والتي يعتبرها البعض جائزة بناء على حكم الملكية وكون الإنسان له الحق في ذاته. السؤال الأساسي الذي يطرحه المقال في مجال إضراربنفس هو الحكم الديني على مختلف المستويات الذي استنتجه فقهاء الإمامية بالأدلة العقلية والنقلية.
قد توصل هذا البحث الذي كتب بطريقة توصيفية تحليلية إلى النتائج التالية: إضراربنفس درجات تشمل الانتحار، والبتر، وفقدان إحدى الحواس، والتعرض للمرض، والضرر البسيط، والإهانة. يحرم القتل بالآيات والأحاديث وعقلا. إلا إذا كان للدفاع عن النفس أو الجهاد وبإذن الولي. كما تحرم الشريعة البتر, لأنه يعرض الإنسان للهلاك ما لم يكن لذلك سبب منطقي وطبي. أما المستويات الأخرى فهناك اختلاف بين الفقهاء عليها.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Arts in general
Este ensayo forma parte de una investigación más amplia que pretende realizar un acercamiento crítico al Teatro del Oprimido de Augusto Boal con el objetivo de dar expansión a la conceptualización de la praxis teatral, disciplina que hemos venido construyendo durante varios años. En este trabajo inicial nos ha preocupado el sentido del vocablo pueblo y oprimido en los textos del maestro brasileño. Para ello, nos ha parecido necesario realizar una especie de genealogía a fin de ir pautando resonancias de otros autores en la propuesta boaliana. En este caso, nos hemos centrado en aproximarnos al Discurso sobre la servidumbre voluntaria o el Contra Uno (circa 1548) de Étienne de La Boétie. Intentamos realizar una lectura del Discurso desde premisas psicoanalíticas y desde la izquierda lacaniana para despejar algunas hipótesis capaces de oficiar de guía para la investigación futura, la cual estará enfocada en una selección de textos y autores cuya relevancia en el Teatro del Oprimido no puede soslayarse.
Abstract Modified gravity models are subject to a number of consistency requirements which restrict the form that the function F ( R ) can take. We study a particular class of F ( R ) functions which satisfy various constraints that have been found in the literature. These models have a late time accelerating epoch, and an acceptable matter era. We calculate the Friedmann equation for our models, and show that in order to satisfy the constraints we impose, they must mimic general relativity plus Λ throughout the cosmic history, with exponentially suppressed corrections. We also find that the free parameters in our model must be fine tuned to obtain an acceptable late time accelerating phase. We discuss the generality of this conclusion.
Abstract Background Urolithiasis is a worldwide urological problem with significant contribution of genetic factors. Pakistan, which resides within the Afro-Asian stone belt, has a high reported prevalence (12%) of urolithiasis. Osteopontin (SPP1) is a urinary macromolecule with a suggested critical role in modulating renal stone formation, genetic polymorphisms of which may determine individual risk of developing urolithiasis. However, results of previous studies regarding SPP1 polymorphisms and susceptibility to urolithiasis have apparent inconsistencies with no data available for local population. Methods A total of 235 urolithiasis patients and 243 healthy controls, all of Pakistani ancestry, underwent genotyping for six SPP1 genetic polymorphisms in an effort to investigate potential association with urolithiasis using indigenous candidate gene association study design. Further, a comprehensive meta-analysis following a systematic literature search was also done to ascertain an evidence based account of any existent association regarding SPP1 promoter polymorphisms and risk of developing urolithiasis. Results Three SPP1 promoter polymorphisms, rs2853744:G > T, rs11730582:T > C and rs11439060:delG>G, were found to be significantly associated with risk of urolithiasis in indigenous genetic association study (OR = 3.14; p = 0.006, OR = 1.78; p = 0.006 and OR = 1.60; p = 0.012, respectively). We also observed a 1.68-fold positive association of a tri-allelic haplotype of these SPP1 promoter polymorphisms (G-C-dG) with risk of urolithiasis (OR = 1.68; p = 0.0079). However, no association was evident when data were stratified according to gender, age at first presentation, stone recurrence, stone multiplicity, parental consanguinity and family history of urolithiasis. The overall results from meta-analysis, which included 4 studies, suggested a significant association of SPP1 rs2853744:G > T polymorphism with susceptibility of urolithiasis (OR = 1.37; p = 0.004), but not for other SPP1 polymorphic variants analyzed. Conclusions In conclusion, we report significant association of 3 SPP1 polymorphisms with urolithiasis for the first time from South Asia, however, this association persisted only for SPP1 rs2853744:G > T polymorphism after meta-analysis of pooled studies. Further studies with a larger sample size will be required to validate this association and assess any potential usefulness in diagnosis and prognosis of renal stone disease.