Educational management and state of management in the school system in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The educational process is one of the most complex service-oriented social activities. In education, clients are not just students, but their parents, the local community, the economy, and the wider social community. Therefore, in countries with a significant degree of democracy, education is of great importance because the progress of every social community depends on quality assurance in education. It is well known that 90% of a school’s quality of work is its competent employees (Ender, 2000). This points to the importance of those who guide, educate, encourage, monitor, and evaluate students. This paper deals with the status of educational management in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) from the point of view of the educational complex structure in BH, legislation, with a focus on the position of the heads of school institutions. Conclusions are based on theoretical considerations of research in the field of education management outside and within BH. In the end, based on the results of positive local practice, we indicate ways to improve the state of educational leadership, as well as education and continuous professional development of the directors of the school institutions in BH. Based on these considerations, a list of priorities for thematic areas for director training is proposed.Collection name: “PEDAGOGICAL THEORY AND PRACTICE” 4

Early Literacy and Numeracy Competencies: Predictors of Mathematics Achievement in the Dinaric Region

Studies have indicated that early literacy (EL) and early numeracy (EN) competencies are strong predictors of later mathematical performance in school. Data from IEA’s Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019, together with comprehensive exploration of regional similarities and differences between education systems, confirm that students’ preschool EL and EN competencies are important predictors of mathematics achievement among grade four students from the Dinaric region. This applies for all content domains specified in the TIMSS 2019 mathematics framework: numbers, measurement and geometry, and data. Although TIMSS 2019 parental reports for the different EL and EN tasks varied considerably across the region, children in the Dinaric region who could recognize letters, write numbers, or count independently before starting school tended to achieve higher scores on the mathematics tasks in TIMSS 2019. This confirms that EL and EN skills have a strong relationship with later school outcomes in mathematics. Recognition of these findings could provide the basis for changes in the preschool curriculum and further development of programs for parents/guardians on numeracy development.[https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-030-85802-5_5

The Effects of Combined Insulin and Metformin Therapy in Obese Patients with Diabetes Mellits Type 2 in the Early Stage of the Disease

Combination of insulin and metformin has been shown to improve glycaemic control in clinical trials, particularly in obese patients with diabetes type 2. Insulin therapy can improve function of pancreatic beta cells and periphery insulin activity in target cells in order to enhance glycaemic homeostasis (1, 2, 3). In our study we included obese patients with diabetes type 2 in the early stage of the disease. The study is partially retrospective and partially prospective. The study encompassed 40 patients split in two groups. The first group of 20 patientsreceived insulin therapy combined with metformin, while the patients of the second group were treated with oral antidiabetic drugs, sulfonylureas and metformin. Three months later, the group treated with insulin and metformin showed improvement in the monitored parameters, namely significant reduction in HbA1c (p = 0.003), MFBG (p = 0.0009), PPG (p = 0.028). Insulin therapy administered together with metformin, in obese patients with diabetes type 2, in the early stage of the disease, resulted in well regulated fasting blood glycaemia, as well as post challenge glycaemia and HbA1c

The Effects of Combined Insulin and Metformin Therapy in Obese Patients with Diabetes Mellits Type 2 in the Early Stage of the Disease

Combination of insulin and metformin has been shown to improve glycaemic control in clinical trials, particularly in obese patients with diabetes type 2. Insulin therapy can improve function of pancreatic beta cells and periphery insulin activity in target cells in order to enhance glycaemic homeostasis (1, 2, 3). In our study we included obese patients with diabetes type 2 in the early stage of the disease. The study is partially retrospective and partially prospective. The study encompassed 40 patients split in two groups. The first group of 20 patientsreceived insulin therapy combined with metformin, while the patients of the second group were treated with oral antidiabetic drugs, sulfonylureas and metformin. Three months later, the group treated with insulin and metformin showed improvement in the monitored parameters, namely significant reduction in HbA1c (p = 0.003), MFBG (p = 0.0009), PPG (p = 0.028). Insulin therapy administered together with metformin, in obese patients with diabetes type 2, in the early stage of the disease, resulted in well regulated fasting blood glycaemia, as well as post challenge glycaemia and HbA1c

Interleukin 17A and Toll-like Receptor 4 in Patients with Arterial Hypertension

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Immune responses are involved in arterial hypertension. An observational cross-sectional case control study was conducted to estimate the association between Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expression and interleukin (IL)-17A serum levels in patients with controlled and non-controlled hypertension. METHODS: We have enrolled 105 non-complicated otherwise healthy hypertensive patients: 53 with well-controlled blood pressure and 52 non-controlled. TLR4 peripheral monocytes expression and serum IL-17A levels were determined by flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS: Non-controlled patients exhibited higher TLR4 expression than well-controlled (25.60 vs. 21.99, P=0.011). TLR4 expression was lower in well-controlled patients who were prescribed beta blockers (18.9 vs. 22.6, P=0.005) and IL-17A concentration was higher in patients using diuretics in either group (1.41 vs. 2.01 pg/ml, P<0.001; well-controlled 1.3 vs. 1.8 pg/ml, P= 0.023; non-controlled 1.6 vs. 2.3 pg/ml, P=0.001). Correlation between IL-17A concentration and hypertension duration was observed in non-controlled patients (Spearman correlation coefficient . ρ=0.566, P<0.001) whereas in well-controlled patients a correlation was found between hypertension duration and TLR4 expression (ρ=0.322, P=0.020). CONCLUSIONS: Arterial hypertension stimulates the immune response regardless of blood pressure regulation status. Prolonged hypertension influences peripheral monocyte TLR4 expression and IL-17A serum levels. Anti-hypertensive drugs have different immunomodulatory effects: diuretics are associated with higher IL-17A concentration and beta-blockers with lower TLR4 expression