Nationwide epidemiological study of epilepsy in Montenegro.

The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy in Montenegro over the period 2011-2022 using hospital case records. The main sources for this study were hospital case records in every outpatient and inpatient neurological department in Montenegro, including the Clinical Center of Montenegro in the capital, a primary referral national center for epilepsy. For every patient, aged 18 and above, two neurologists reviewed all data collected to verify the validity of the diagnosis and to establish the date of clinical onset of the disease. Information on age and sex, EEG, CT scan, and MRI were included. Prevalent cases were selected in 2022 population. Incident cases of epilepsy were identified in 2011 and the incidence trend was followed up for the next 12 years. Crude and standardized incidence and prevalence were calculated. Average crude incidence rate of epilepsy for study period was 56.0 per 100,000 individuals (men 58.1; women 54.2). The age-specific incidence was lowest in the 30 s, and early 40 s and highest after 65 years. Over the 12-year period, increasing trend of standardized epilepsy incidence rates was observed for the total population and for females (p = 0.024 and p = 0.020 respectively). The crude overall prevalence of epilepsy on December 31, 2022 was 13.0 per 1000 individuals (men 13.5; women 12.6). The highest prevalence was in patients in their early 20 s and in the seventh decade. In conclusion, the incidence of epilepsy in this study was similar to those of other industrialized countries, with increasing trend during study period. Prevalence was higher compared to European countries.

Antigenic reactivity of Leishmania (Viannia) lainsoni axenic amastigote proved to be a suitable alternative for optimizing Montenegro skin test.

BACKGROUND: Laboratory diagnosis of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) requires a tool amenable to the epidemiological status of ACL in Brazil. Montenegro skin test (MST), an efficient immunological tool used for laboratory diagnosis of ACL, induces delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to the promastigote antigens of Leishmania; however, human immune responses against infection are modulated by the amastigote of the parasite. Leishmania (V.) lainsoni induces strong cellular immunity in humans; therefore, the antigenic reactivity of its axenic amastigote (AMA antigen) to MST was evaluated for the laboratory diagnosis of ACL. METHODS: Among 70 individuals examined, 60 had a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of ACL; 53 had localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL), and 7 had mucosal leishmaniasis (ML). Patients were treated at the Evandro Chagas Institute's leishmaniasis clinic, Pará State, Brazil. Ten healthy individuals with no history of ACL (control group) were also examined. Leishmania (V.) braziliensis promastigote antigen (PRO) was used to compare the reactivity with that of AMA antigen. Paired Student's t-test, kappa agreement, and Spearman test were used to evaluate the reactivity of AMA and PRO. RESULTS: The mean reactivity of AMA in ACL patients was 19.4 mm ± 13.3, which was higher (P < 0.001) than that of PRO: 12.1 mm ± 8.1. MST reactivity according to the clinical forms revealed that AMA reactivity in LCL and ML, 18.8 mm ± 13.3 and 24.3 mm ± 13.7, was higher (P < 0.001) than that of PRO, 11.8 mm ± 8.2 and 14.6 mm ± 8.4, respectively. CONCLUSION: AMA reactivity was higher than that of PRO, indicating that AMA is a promising alternative for optimizing MST in the laboratory diagnosis of ACL.

Surveillance and genetic characterization of Listeria monocytogenes in the food chain in Montenegro during the period 2014-2022.

Introduction: Listeria monocytogenes is an ubiquitous foodborne pathogen that represents a serious threat to public health and the food industry. Methods: In this study Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) was used to characterize 160 L. monocytogenes isolates obtained from 22,593 different food sources in Montenegro during the years 2014-2022. Results: Isolates belonged to 21 different clonal complexes (CCs), 22 sequence types (STs) and 73 core genome multilocus sequence types (cgMLST) revealing a high diversity. The most prevalent STs were ST8 (n = 29), ST9 (n = 31), ST121 (n = 19) and ST155 (n = 20). All isolates carried virulence genes (VGs), 111 isolates carried mobile genetic elements (MGEs) (ranging from 1 to 7 MGEs) and 101 isolates carried plasmids (ranging from 1 to 3 plasmids). All isolates carried the intrinsic resistance genes fosX and lin. None of the isolates carried acquired antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). Discussion/conclusion: Continuous monitoring and surveillance of L. monocytogenes is needed for improving and ameliorating the public health.

Overview of the Implementation of the First Year of Immunization against Human Papillomavirus across Different Administrative Units in Serbia and Montenegro.

Despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccination, uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination remains low worldwide. We aimed to analyze the coverage of HPV immunization during the first year of the immunization program and the sociodemographic characteristics across different administrative units in Serbia and Montenegro. Coverage of HPV vaccination in Serbia for females aged 9-14 and 15-19 years was 5.5% and 5.9%, respectively. The coverage rate of immunization against HPV in Montenegro for girls aged 9-14 years was 22.1%. Within Serbia, only one administrative region (Moravica) had HPV immunization coverage in girls 9-19 years old above 10%, 11 districts had coverage from 5 to 10%, while 13 districts had coverage below 5%. As per Montenegro, two administrative units, Cetinje and Berane, reported the highest coverage, with 39% and 36.4% of vaccinated eligible girls, respectively. When we explored the coverage of HPV immunization among girls aged 9-19 years across different regions in Serbia, we observed that the level of coverage did not correlate with the number of pediatricians or with the population density. In Montenegro, we observed a similar situation. On the other hand, we noticed a statistically significant moderate negative correlation (r = -0.446; p = 0.026) between HPV immunization coverage and the percentage of illiterate women in the administrative units. Comparing the coverage between the two countries we found that the higher coverage in Montenegro corresponded with a smaller number of female populations aged 9-14 years, with higher average net monthly income, with smaller population density and smaller number of pediatricians, among divorced persons, and among those without formal education or incompletely primary education. Taking into account the experiences in Montenegro, increasing immunization coverage in Serbia could be achieved through a more vigorous educational campaign targeting schools, the general population, and healthcare workers as well as by additionally incentivizing those engaged in these activities.

Effects of palivizumab prophylaxis on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in Montenegro.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most common pathogens causing severe lower respiratory tract disease in infancy and childhood. In newborns, young infants, and in infants with co-morbidities, the risk of severe infection is increased. Current protection against severe RSV infection is immunoprophylaxis with the monoclonal antibody palivizumab. The study aimed to assess the effects of palivizumab prophylaxis in the Republic of Montenegro in comparison to the pre-prophylaxis period. METHODS: The study was conducted in prospective/retrospective single center format in Montenegro in the Clinical Center of Podgorica, for the period 2009-2019. RESULTS: A total of 104 high-risk infants in the palivizumab prophylaxis program (2014-2019 RSV seasons) and 168 high-risk children without palivizumab prophylaxis (2009-2013 RSV seasons) were enrolled. A total of 51 children (49.0%) received prophylaxis for prematurity, 33 (31.7%) for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), 13 (12.5%) for hemodynamically significant heart disease/defect (HSCHD), and 7 (6.8%) for "miscellaneous" indications. In the control group most children had prematurity (101, 60.1%), followed by BPD (59, 35.1%), HSCHD (3, 1.8%), and "miscellaneous" (5, 3.4%) conditions. Readmission to the pediatric intensive care units (PICU) due to RSV infection was significantly lower in prophylaxis group (0.0 vs 16.1%, p<0.001). No lethal outcomes were observed in high-risk children with palivizumab prophylaxis compared to 2.4% in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of RSV immunoprophylaxis as well as other new protective treatment strategies for high-risk newborns led to significant improvements in infant and childcare in Montenegro. This is the first report on palivizumab prophylaxis in Montenegro, demonstrating the effectiveness and safety of palivizumab use in clinical settings.

Updated Surveillance Metrics and History of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2023) in Europe: Longitudinal Trend Analysis.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we built upon our initial research published in 2020 by incorporating an additional 2 years of data for Europe. We assessed whether COVID-19 had shifted from the pandemic to endemic phase in the region when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the public health emergency of international concern on May 5, 2023. OBJECTIVE: We first aimed to measure whether there was an expansion or contraction in the pandemic in Europe at the time of the WHO declaration. Second, we used dynamic and genomic surveillance methods to describe the history of the pandemic in the region and situate the window of the WHO declaration within the broader history. Third, we provided the historical context for the course of the pandemic in Europe in terms of policy and disease burden at the country and region levels. METHODS: In addition to the updates of traditional surveillance data and dynamic panel estimates from the original study, this study used data on sequenced SARS-CoV-2 variants from the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data to identify the appearance and duration of variants of concern. We used Nextclade nomenclature to collect clade designations from sequences and Pangolin nomenclature for lineage designations of SARS-CoV-2. Finally, we conducted a 1-tailed t test for whether regional weekly speed was greater than an outbreak threshold of 10. We ran the test iteratively with 6 months of data across the sample period. RESULTS: Speed for the region had remained below the outbreak threshold for 4 months by the time of the WHO declaration. Acceleration and jerk were also low and stable. While the 1-day and 7-day persistence coefficients remained statistically significant, the coefficients were moderate in magnitude (0.404 and 0.547, respectively; P<.001 for both). The shift parameters for the 2 weeks around the WHO declaration were small and insignificant, suggesting little change in the clustering effect of cases on future cases at the time. From December 2021 onward, Omicron was the predominant variant of concern in sequenced viral samples. The rolling t test of speed equal to 10 became insignificant for the first time in April 2023. CONCLUSIONS: While COVID-19 continues to circulate in Europe, the rate of transmission remained below the threshold of an outbreak for 4 months ahead of the WHO declaration. The region had previously been in a nearly continuous state of outbreak. The more recent trend suggested that COVID-19 was endemic in the region and no longer reached the threshold of the pandemic definition. However, several countries remained in a state of outbreak, and the conclusion that COVID-19 was no longer a pandemic in Europe at the time is unclear.

Predisposition and Working Conditions for the Occurrence of Lumbar Syndrome in Medical Workers of the Clinical Center of Montenegro during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Lumbar pain is a condition of discomfort in the lower back caused by numerous factors, lasting for short or longer periods of time. Healthcare professionals, regardless of the type of care they are engaged in, are at risk of lumbar pain. This is the first study that deals with the problem of lumbar syndrome in health workers in Montenegro. Methods: This cross-sectional study included full-time health workers employed in the Clinical Center of Montenegro who were involved in the treatment of COVID-19 patients during 2020 and 2021. The survey consisted of general questions for collecting socio-demographic and COVID-19 engagement data; the Modified Nordic questionnaire was used for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms, and the EQ-5D-questionnaire was used to measure the quality of life associated with health. Results: The one-year prevalence of lumbar pain was 68.1%. Factors associated with lumbar pain were as follows: a higher degree of physical inactivity (each subject with a higher degree of physical inactivity had a 24% higher chance of occurrence of lumbar pain); a higher degree of load and over-engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic (each subject with a higher degree of workload had a nearly 50% higher chance of occurrence of lumbar pain); duration of engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic (subjects engaged up to a month were 4 times more likely to develop lumbar pain, and subjects engaged for 1-3 months were 3.5 times more likely to develop lumbar pain compared to those who were not engaged in COVID-19 treatment). This study also confirms that lumbar syndrome affects the quality of life of health workers. Conclusions: Lumbar syndrome is highly prevalent among healthcare professionals in the Clinical Center of Montenegro, especially in the population of nurses, where evidence-based preventive measures are needed.

Energy poverty in the Energy Community region: Interrogating policy formulation and coverage.

The capacity of the state to develop and implement policy at the complex nexus of energy infrastructure, social inequality and housing is indicative of the political priorities of governing structures and, by extension, the nature of statecraft more generally. We compare and contrast the energy poverty amelioration policies of two former Yugoslav and two post-Soviet states located outside the European Union, but seeking to join its regulatory sphere - Serbia, Montenegro, Ukraine and Georgia - against the background of deep and persistent patterns of domestic energy hardship. We are particularly interested in uncovering the time horizons, socio-technical systems and target constituencies of different policy measures, as well as energy sector-specific responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. We find that most states in the region have done little to address some of the more substantive challenges around improving housing quality, energy efficiency and gender inequality. However, energy poverty is present in the policy lexicon of all case study countries, and Ukraine, in particular, has advanced a number of more sophisticated approaches and programmes.

Complete genome of Microbacterium plantarum CoE-159-22, isolated from traditionally produced Montenegrin cheese.

Microbacterium plantarum (M. plantarum) was recently described as a new species isolated from copper globemallow (Sphaeralcea angustifolia). Here, we report the complete genome of M. plantarum CoE-159-22, which was obtained from traditionally produced Montenegrin cheese.

Workaholism, work engagement, and burnout among academics in Montenegro: A psychometric network approach.

BACKGROUND: The academic environment is known for its high demands in research, teaching, and administration, that along with increasing publish or perish culture can lead to reduced psychological well-being and mental health issues. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the associations between workaholism, work engagement, and burnout among academics in Montenegro. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used to develop anonymous online survey. Data was collected from 131 participants employed as teaching and research staff at public and private universities. To measure the variables of interest we used: ultra-short Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-3), the work-related burnout subscale from the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI-7) and the Dutch Work Addiction Scale (DUWAS-10). Psychometric network analysis was employed to examine the relationships among variables. RESULTS: The findings revealed two distinct clusters: the first containing the dimensions of work engagement and the second containing burnout and the dimensions of workaholism. The two clusters were connected with the dimensions of dedication - burnout having the strongest edge (-0.25 and -0.40). In the cross-sample network the strongest connection was burnout -working excessively (.35). No significant differences in network density (0.80 (12/15 edges)) and global strength (p = 0.159) in the networks of public and private universities were found. CONCLUSION: Results of the network centrality and the edge strength analyses suggest that the interventions focused at increasing dedication while not fostering a work environment that encourages working excessively might be the key to preventing and reducing burnout in academia across contexts of public and private universities.

Roadmap to improve the organized cancer screening programs - The case of colorectal cancer screening in Montenegro.

BACKGROUND: Implementation of organized cancer screening programs comes with many challenges and barriers, which may inhibit the achievement of the screening activities' desired benefits. In this paper we outline a plan for improving the colorectal cancer (CRC) screening system in Montenegro. METHODS: We formulated a roadmap, which was generally defined as a country-specific strategic plan to improve cancer screening programs. The roadmap development was an iterative, step-by-step process. First, we described the current screening program, then identified and described key barriers, and finally proposed actions to overcome them. Multiple sources of information (e.g., documents, expert opinions) were collected and processed by local and international stakeholders. RESULTS: The CRC screening program was implemented between 2013-2019 by gradually increasing the invitation of the target population. Key barriers of the implementation were defined: 1) Lack of colonoscopy capacity in the northern part of the country; 2) Inadequate information technology systems; 3) Inadequate public promotion of screening. The defined actions were related to overcoming lack of available resources (e.g., financial, human and technological), to improve the policy environment and the knowledge, and to facilitate information sharing. CONCLUSION: The collaboration between local stakeholders of CRC screening and researchers experienced in planning and evaluating screening programs resulted in the first comprehensive description of CRC screening in Montenegro, detailed understanding of key barriers that emerged during implementation and a carefully designed list of actions. The implementation of these actions and the evaluation of whether barriers were solved will be captured in the upcoming period by maintaining this collaboration.

Microplastic pollution in rivers of the Adriatic Sea basin in Montenegro: Impact on pollution of the Montenegrin coastline.

Concern regarding microplastic (MP) pollution in aquatic ecosystems has increased in recent years with growing awareness of the environmental harm that it causes. While most studies have focused on seas and oceans, knowledge of MP occurrence in freshwater sediments is limited. This study investigated MP concentrations at shore sediments of the Zeta, Moraca, and Bojana rivers in Montenegro. The MP concentration in the studied samples varied depending on the river, location, and sampling season. MP abundance in river shore sediments varied between mean values of 145 ± 110 MPs/kg for the Zeta, 169 ± 113 MPs/kg for the Moraca, and 180 ± 53.5 MPs/kg dry sediment for the Bojana. In comparison, the mean MP abundance in the three rivers combined was 163.6 ± 96.1 MPs/kg of dry sediment. The identified MPs were mainly fibres and fragments of blue, red and clear color, 0.5-1 mm in size, and mainly composed of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide and polyethylene terephthalate. The main contribution of this study is that it provides new insight into MP abundance in freshwater sediments of rivers, where the studied rivers were identified as a potential important sink and source of MP on the Montenegrin coast.

The Relationship between Certain Parental/Household Socio-Economic Characteristics and Female Adolescent Obesity in Montenegro.

BACKGROUND: Considering that obesity is characterized today as a public health challenge and an epidemic in many countries in the world and that one of the main predictors for obesity is socio-economic status (SES), the aim of this paper was to assess the relationship between the SES of parents/guardians and female adolescent obesity in Montenegro. METHODS: A stratified random probability sample method was used, and the number of participants in this study was 596, aged 15.8 ± 0.58, from all three regions in Montenegro. As SES was a factor in this research, specific SES parameters such as household wealth and parental educational level were collected for parent/guardian of each child. The following anthropometric indices were utilized to evaluate nutritional status: body mass index (BMI) and waist to height ratio (WHtR). RESULTS: Regarding nutritional status, it can be said that no statistically significant difference between female adolescents according to the regions of Montenegro was found. Of all the adolescents in the study, 15.4% of them were above the normal nutrition level as measured by BMI, while 12.2% were classified as obese by the WHtR. Furthermore, the study found a significant negative relationship between a mother's level of education and obesity in female adolescents, with odds ratios of 0.31 (p = 0.035) and 0.19 (p = 0.009) for secondary and high level education, respectively. This suggests that daughters of mothers with higher levels of education are less likely to be obese. CONCLUSIONS: In regard to the nutritional status of the respondents in this study, their values fell within the normal range compared to the European average. However, the results regarding the relationship between certain SES characteristics and obesity suggest a similarity to developed countries.

Assessment of macro-, trace- and toxic elements in Small Indian mongoose, Herpestes auropunctatus (Hodgson, 1836), from Montenegro: potential use for biomonitoring.

The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of 28 elements in the liver, kidney, muscle, and heart of a small Indian mongoose from Montenegro. Element concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Significant differences in elemental concentrations between analyzed tissues were observed for Ag, Al, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, S, Se, and Zn. The concentrations of Ag, Fe, Mo, and S were significantly different between all analyzed tissues. Muscle tissue is characterised by higher concentrations of some macroelements (K, Mg, S) and liver tissue by higher concentrations of some trace elements (Fe, Mn, Mo, and Zn). Cardiac tissue could be the target organ for bioaccumulation of Ag and Se. The molar ratio Se:Hg was higher than 1 in all studied tissues. There were few significant differences between element concentrations in mongooses from three analyzed (Airport, Saline, Inland) groups. Significantly higher concentrations of Ag and Se were found in liver tissue of Inland mongooses compared to animals from Airport and Saline. There were few significant differences (Zn in liver and muscle, Fe in muscle) in element concentrations between females and males.

Microplastics in mussels from the Boka Kotorska Bay (Adriatic Sea) and impact on human health.

This study evaluated the microplastic abundance, shape, color, size and chemical composition of microplastic in mussels and estimated human exposure to microplastic through consumption of mussels collected from Boka Kotorska Bay (Adriatic coast of Montenegro). Microplastic was found in 53.3% of the studied mussels, with an average microplastic abundance of 2.53 ± 1.1 items/individual. Most of the ingested microplastic were fibers (63.7%), which were blue in color. FT-IR revealed that 98% of the examined particles were plastic, with seven polymers identified, of which polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate were the most abumdant polymers in mussels. Three of the polymers detected in mussels (polyamide, polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene) are classified as hazardous by the European Chemical Agency with warning or danger signals. With one serving of mussels, consumers would ingest 22.7 microplastic particles, while the annual dietary intake of microplastic via consumption of mussels was estimated at 99 MP/year.

Erratum: Data mining approach: What determines the wellbeing of women in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia?

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.873845.].

Content of Trace Elements and Human Health Risk Assessment via Consumption of Commercially Important Fishes from Montenegrin Coast.

Muscle tissues of Mullus barbatus and Merluccius merluccius were analyzed for the presence of selected trace elements (As, Hg, Cd, and Pb) to determine the value of the daily intake of trace elements from fish consumption and to assess the risk to human health. The mean concentrations of As in the muscle tissue of M. barbatus and M. merluccius for the entire period were 19.689 mg/kg wet weight (ww) and 8.356 mg/kg ww, Hg 0.497 mg/kg ww and 0.153 mg/kg ww, and Pb 0.031 mg/kg ww and 0.025 mg/kg ww, respectively. The concentrations of Cd in all fish sampled were below the detection limit (<0.02 mg/kg ww). The evaluation of the potential health risk assessments based on the target hazard quotient (THQ) and estimated daily intake (EDI) indicated that the intake of As in both fish species and Hg for M. barbatus could pose an appreciable risk to human health. The calculated hazard index (HI) was higher than 1 for both fish species. The continuous monitoring of trace elements' concentrations in fish is strongly recommended, as the results demonstrate potential health risks due to the presence of As and Hg.

Climate Variables Related to the Incidence of Human Leishmaniosis in Montenegro in Southeastern Europe during Seven Decades (1945-2014).

Leishmaniosis (or leishmaniasis) is a neglected parasitosis most commonly transmitted by the sandfly bite. Changes in temperature, precipitation, and humidity can greatly affect the vectors and reservoir hosts. This study aimed to determine the association between temperature, air humidity, and weather conditions with the incidence of leishmaniasis in Montenegro during a seven-decade period (1945-2014) and to statistically compare and correlate the obtained data. In the studied period, there were 165 registered cases of leishmaniosis, 96.4%, in the coastal and central region of Montenegro, with an average incidence rate of 0.45/100.000. The visceral form of leishmaniosis predominated (99% of the cases), with only one case of cutaneous disease. Climate factors (average temperature, air humidity, and precipitation) had an impact on the occurrence of leishmaniosis in Montenegro. Air temperature elevated by 1 °C in all regions of Montenegro was significantly correlated with an increased incidence of leishmaniosis, by 0.150 (0.013 to 0.287; p < 0.05). In order to improve prevention and control of this disease, it is also necessary to investigate other factors with a possible impact on the number of cases of this neglected parasitosis.

Morphological characteristics and pulmonary function of naval saboteurs and ground special forces of the armed forces of Montenegro / Características morfológicas y función pulmonar de saboteadores navales y fuerzas especiales terrestres de las fuerzas armadas de Montenegro

SUMMARY: The results of numerous medical and kinesiological studies indicate the existence of differences in pulmonary function in relation to age, body height, and the relationship between certain parameters of body composition. The aim of this study was to determine the state of morphological characteristics and pulmonary function of naval saboteurs and ground Special Forces of the Armed Forces of Montenegro. The sample of participants included 30 naval saboteurs aged 30.3±6 years and 30 members of the ground special forces aged 25.6±5 years. The sample of measuring instruments included 4 indicators each for the evaluation of longitudinal dimensionality, transversal dimensionality, mass and body volume, subcutaneous fat, body composition, and pulmonary function. The central and dispersion parameters of the variables were calculated. The specificities of body composition of the naval saboteurs and members of the ground Special Forces of the AF of Montenegro were determined, while the parameters of lung volume and capacity and the parameters of airway flow indicated an excellent state of their respiratory function. Furthermore, it was determined that the studied members of the armed forces had no individual health risks in the sense of the onset of obesity or obstructive ventilatory defects. The results obtained indicate the need for further studies which would predominantly focus on the impact of individual morphological measurements and parameters of body composition on pulmonary function. This would provide important data both for the armed forces in the sense of improving the training system and the realization of specific tasks, as well as for kinesiology as a science from the aspect of determining certain regularities in the functioning of the human body in specific living and working conditions in the armed forces.

Los resultados de numerosos estudios médicos y kinesiológicos indican la existencia de diferencias en la función pulmonar en relación con la edad, la altura corporal y la relación entre determinados parámetros de la composición corporal. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el estado de las características morfológicas y la función pulmonar de los saboteadores navales y de las Fuerzas Especiales terrestres de las Fuerzas Armadas de Montenegro. La muestra de participantes incluyó a 30 saboteadores navales de 30,3±6 años de edad y 30 miembros de las fuerzas especiales terrestres de 25,6±5 años. La muestra de instrumentos de medición incluyó 4 indicadores cada uno para la evaluación de dimensionalidad longitudinal, dimensionalidad transversal, masa y volumen corporal, grasa subcutánea, composición corporal y función pulmonar. Se calcularon los parámetros centrales y de dispersión de las variables. Se determinaron las especificidades de la composición corporal de los saboteadores navales y miembros de las Fuerzas Especiales terrestres de la FA de Montenegro, mientras que los parámetros de volumen y capacidad pulmonar y los parámetros de flujo de las vías respiratorias indicaron un excelente estado de su función respiratoria. Además, se determinó que los miembros de las fuerzas armadas estudiados no tenían riesgos individuales de salud en el sentido de la obesidad o defectos ventilatorios obstructivos. Los resultados obtenidos indican la necesidad de más estudios que se centren predominantemente en el impacto de las medidas morfológicas individuales y los parámetros de composición corporal en la función pulmonar. Esto proporcionaría datos importantes tanto para las fuerzas armadas en el sentido de mejorar el sistema de entrenamiento y la realización de tareas específicas, como para la kinesiología como ciencia desde el aspecto de determinar ciertas regularidades en el funcionamiento del cuerpo humano en situaciones específicas de vida. y condiciones de trabajo en las fuerzas armadas.

Verification of temperature, wind and precipitation fields for the high-resolution WRF NMM model over the complex terrain of Montenegro.

BACKGROUND: The necessity of setting up high-resolution models is essential to timely forecast dangerous meteorological phenomena. OBJECTIVE: This study presents a verification of the numerical Weather Research and Forecasting non-hydrostatic Mesoscale Model (WRF NMM) for weather prediction using the High-Performance Computing (HPC) cluster over the complex relief of Montenegro. METHODS: Verification was performed comparing WRF NMM predicted values and measured values for temperature, wind and precipitation for six Montenegrin weather stations in a five-year period using statistical parameters. The difficult task of adjusting the model over the complex Montenegrin terrain is caused by a rapid altitude change in in the coastal area, numerous karst fields, basins, river valleys and canyons, large areas of artificial lakes on a relatively small terrain. RESULTS: Based on the obtained verification results, the results of the model vary during time of day, the season of the year, the altitude of the station for which the model results were verified, as well as the surrounding relief for them. The results show the best performance in the central region and show deviations for some metrological measures in some periods of the year. CONCLUSION: This study can give recommendations on how to adapt a numerical model to a real situation in order to produce better weather forecast for the public.