Sharks are highly susceptible to heavy metals and metalloids bioaccumulation due to their high trophic position within marine ecosystems. However, heavy metal(oid)s concentration have been reported for few species, and their biological effects remain poorly understood. Here we report the concentration of 14 heavy metal(oid)s from kidney, liver, brain and muscle tissues of targeted blackspotted smooth-hound sharks from the Southern Adriatic Sea. Males exhibited significantly higher levels of silver and mercury than females, and kidney and liver tissues showed higher concentrations than muscle and brain tissues. No correlation was found between metal(oid) concentrations and body size and morphometric indices. The levels of mercury consistently exceeded regulatory maximum limit for by the EU suggesting danger to the consumer, which was further highlighted by the health risk assessment following the US EPA 2000 guidelines.

Healthy eating in preschools is a very important but challenging goal that can benefit from an adequate institutional and system approach. Five years ago, the Ministry of Education and Culture in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, adopted a policy for healthy eating in preschools in the form of a rulebook and standards, whose use was not mandatory. The aim of this research was to determine the practices, perceptions, and experiences of preschool personnel related to the implementation of the abovementioned rulebook and standards. We applied a qualitative research method and conducted six focus groups: three with teachers (n = 37) and three with managers in preschools (n = 19). The qualitative data were analyzed according to the Framework Method. We found that the practice of healthy eating in public preschool settings involves a certain number of facilitators and ongoing challenges. While there are no doubts that the existing rulebook and standards are facilitating efforts in establishing healthy eating in preschools, their implementation has not been an easy-going process, and they have encountered resistance that has appeared at several levels. The participants perceived cookers as resistant and “old-fashioned” in preparing meals, which was found to be a significant challenge that requires education training and ongoing supervision with support. Experiences with limited financial resources and rigid public procurement procedures make it difficult to obtain desired food items. All the participants agreed that long-term commitment is needed to achieve the full implementation of policy recommendations, together with tripartite and convergent education programs for personnel, parents, and children. Promoting proper nutrition in preschools requires a holistic approach that addresses both feasibility and attitudes toward policies, continuous education for staff, creative strategies for implementing new eating habits, and overcoming financial challenges. Collaboration with parents and community stakeholders is crucial in creating a supportive environment for healthy eating habits in preschool settings.

Ionization of atoms by a strong laser field can be described using the improved strong-field approximation. The corresponding transition amplitude of high-order above-threshold ionization is presented in the form of a two-dimensional integral over the electron ionization time t0 and the rescattering time t. This integral can be solved using the saddle-point (SP) method and the resulting T-matrix element is expressed as a sum (over the SP times t0 and t) of the partial transition amplitudes. We address the problem of finding the solutions of the system of SP equations for the times t0 and t. For a bichromatic linearly polarized laser field with the frequencies rω and sω (r and s are integers, s>r, and ω is the fundamental frequency) we found that there are 8s2 SP solutions per optical cycle. For one half of them the velocity of the electron emitted in the laser field polarization direction changes the sign at the rescattering time (we call such solutions backward-scattering solutions), while for the other half this velocity remains unchanged (these solutions we call forward-scattering SP solutions). For very short (or even negative) electron travel time we call these solutions backward-like and forward-like scattering SP solutions. For these solutions the imaginary parts of the times t0 and t become large so that the concept of real electron trajectories becomes questionable. Having such a classification, we found additional SP solutions even for the simplest case of a monochromatic linearly polarized laser field. For a bichromatic linearly polarized laser field with s=2 and equal component intensities we presented a detailed analysis of all 32 solutions per optical cycle, showing how the SP times t0 and t and the corresponding differential ionization rates depend on the photoelectron energy. We have also analyzed the case where the intensity of the second component decreases while the sum of the component intensities remains fixed. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a profound psychological impact across diverse populations, exposing long-standing gaps in mental health services and intensifying social inequalities. This narrative review explores the most prevalent mental health conditions associated with the pandemic including depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with emphasis on population-specific vulnerabilities such as sex, age, social status, and chronic illness. Special attention is given to the bidirectional relationship between mental and physical health, the role of social support, and behavioral mediators of psychological distress. The review underscores the need for systemic, multi-level public health responses integrating mental health into pandemic preparedness, healthcare delivery, and social policy. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 crisis offer a unique opportunity to redefine mental well-being as a global public health priority.</p>

<p>This paper discusses about colorectal cancer in correlation with certain genes. Based on the etiological factors, colorectal cancer can be stratified into familial, hereditary, and sporadic. Explorations into hereditary syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis and hereditary non-polyposis colorectal carcinoma have unveiled genomic alterations in APC, KRAS, and TP53 genes, which are also implicated in the pathogenesis of sporadic carcinoma.&nbsp;<br />Colorectal cancer constitutes a malignant epithelial neoplasm and ranks among the most prevalent malignancies afflicting both sexes. Despite a persistently elevated mortality rate, the incidence of this carcinoma has exhibited a declining trend over the past decade, though it still represents a substantial public health concern.&nbsp;<br />Advancements in research methodologies have led to the identification of rarer syndromes and their associated genes. Investigation of APC, KRAS, and TP53 genes contributory to the genesis of rare syndromes, in conjunction with previously documented genetic instances, has unveiled the mechanistic underpinnings of carcinogenesis. This has facilitated the development of more precise therapeutic modalities.&nbsp;<br />Despite the notable plethora of newly discovered genetic alterations across various genes, it is imperative to persist in research endeavors to comprehensively elucidate the nature and significance of colorectal carcinoma development processes.</p>

<p>The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was marked by a high incidence of thrombotic complications contributing to poor outcomes, particularly in hospitalized patients. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), known for its antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory properties, has been widely investigated for its potential role in mitigating thrombotic events associated with COVID-19. This review explores the pathophysiological mechanisms linking SARS-CoV-2 infection with thrombosis and highlights the rationale for ASA use in this context. We analyze relevant clinical and observational studies, meta-analyses, and the results of the RECOVERY trial, which offer varying degrees of evidence regarding ASA effectiveness. While several retrospective studies suggest a reduction in thrombotic events, mechanical ventilation, and mortality among patients receiving lowdose ASA, randomized trials report mixed results, including a modest reduction in hospitalization duration, but no significant impact on overall mortality. Adverse events such as increased bleeding risk must also be considered. This review underscores the importance of individualized risk assessment and the need for further randomized controlled trials to determine the precise role of ASA in COVID-19 management.</p>

<p><strong>Introduction.</strong> Anticoagulants have the key role in prevention of thromboembolism including ischemic stroke, in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The European Association of Cardiology (ESC) recommends new oral anticoagulant drugs (NOACs) as first choice therapy because of approved effectiveness and safety profile compared to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs). The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of prescribing anticoagulants in patients with NVAF, and the compatibility of the therapy with current recommendations for stroke prevention.<br /><strong>Methods.</strong> Our cross-sectional study, conducted from June 2023 to June 2024, included 238 patients with NVAF registered in the Primary Health Centre Banja Luka. &nbsp;Patients&rsquo; medical records were used as the data source. The CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED instruments were used for the assessment of risk of stroke and bleeding.<br /><strong>Results. </strong>The majority of respondents were aged 65&ndash;84. Patients &le; 65 years have a significantly lower risk of stroke (p=0.000). According to the CHA2DS2-VASc score, 219 patients were supposed to use anticoagulant therapy, however 73.5% of patients had adequate treatment. Mostly prescribed anticoagulants were VKAs (44.1%), followed by NOACs(29.4%), while 26.5% of patients did not use anticoagulants. The majority of patients with unregulated international normalized ratio (INR) were &gt;75 years, and those with regulated INR were 65&ndash;74 years old (p=0.03). The risk of bleeding (HAS-BLED &ge; 3) was present in 40% of patients using anticoagulants.<br /><strong>Conclusion.</strong> Stroke prevention in patients with NVAF and prescribing NOACs are partially aligned with clinical recommendations. Insufficient NOACs usage has been noticed, despite their approved advantages. Additional activities are needed aiming anticoagulant therapy optimization, particularly in elderly and those with high risk for stroke.</p>

This research paper focuses on the development of an innovative system applying the UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle) modular platform in the fields of humanitarian demining, where the scientific research process demonstrates the multifunctional application of such systems, or similar ones, in civil protection sectors. The use of the UGV platform enables more efficient mission completion in scenarios where human lives are directly at risk, such as demining operations. The UGV platform, with its modular design and development approach, represents a modern method for the advancement of such systems, offering multi-operation and multifunctional applications.

Comorbidity networks have become a valuable tool to support data-driven biomedical research. Yet, studies often are severely hindered by the availability of the necessary comprehensive data, often due to the sensitivity of health care information. This study presents a population-wide comorbidity network dataset derived from 45 million hospital stays of 8.9 million patients over 17 years in Austria. We present co-occurrence networks of hospital diagnoses, stratified by age, sex, and observation period in a total of 96 different subgroups. For each of these groups we report a range of association measures (e.g., count data, and odds ratios) for all pairs of diagnoses. The dataset provides the possibility to researchers to create their own, tailor-made comorbidity networks from real patient data that can be used as a starting point in quantitative and machine learning methods. This data platform is intended to lead to deeper insights into a wide range of epidemiological, public health, and biomedical research questions.

This study evaluated the stability of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in commercial Aspirin Protect 100 mg tablets under eight different storage conditions, including varying exposure to moisture, light, and temperature, with a focus on tablets stored in dosette boxes. Acid-base titration methods were used to assess ASA degradation and stability. Elevated moisture had the greatest impact on ASA stability, significantly reducing recovery factors to 85.38% and 81.10% under high humidity, while temperature influenced ASA stability, with notable deviations from control values at temperatures above 25°C (13.26% and 7.16% for two methods). Although storage at 18–25°C yielded acceptable results, reduced temperatures (<8°C) provided better stability. Direct sunlight exposure caused further degradation, reducing recovery values to as low as 82.5% and increasing deviations from control (-10.82% to -16.77%). Hydrolysis, exacerbated by environmental factors, was identified as the primary degradation pathway, leading to the formation of salicylic acid and acetic acid. Samples stored in under recommended conditions had the best stability, with recovery factors meeting pharmacopoeia standards (101.08% and 99.16% of labelled content). These findings underscore the importance of proper storage practices for ASA tablets to maintain their quality, safety, and therapeutic efficacy. While repackaging tablets into dosette boxes may improve compliance, it can compromise stability, highlighting the need for stricter storage guidelines to ensure optimal patient outcomes.

This paper introduces a novel statistical simulator designed to model propagation in two-way diffuse power (TWDP) fading channels. The simulator employs two zero-mean stochastic sinusoids to simulate specular components, while a sum of sinusoids is used to model the diffuse one. Using the developed simulator, the autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions of the quadrature components, as well as the autocorrelation of the complex and squared envelope, are derived for the first time in literature for channels experiencing TWDP fading. The statistical properties of the proposed simulator are thoroughly validated through extensive simulations, which closely align with the theoretical results.

In this paper, the conditional phase distribution of the two-wave with diffuse power (TWDP) process is derived as a closed-form and as an infinite-series expression. For the obtained infinite series expression, a truncation analysis is performed and the truncated expression is used to examine the influence of different channel conditions on the behavior of the TWDP phase. All the results are verified through Monte Carlo simulations.

The paper presents the most comprehensive and large-scale global study to date on how higher education students perceived the use of ChatGPT in early 2024. With a sample of 23,218 students from 109 countries and territories, the study reveals that students primarily used ChatGPT for brainstorming, summarizing texts, and finding research articles, with a few using it for professional and creative writing. They found it useful for simplifying complex information and summarizing content, but less reliable for providing information and supporting classroom learning, though some considered its information clearer than that from peers and teachers. Moreover, students agreed on the need for AI regulations at all levels due to concerns about ChatGPT promoting cheating, plagiarism, and social isolation. However, they believed ChatGPT could potentially enhance their access to knowledge and improve their learning experience, study efficiency, and chances of achieving good grades. While ChatGPT was perceived as effective in potentially improving AI literacy, digital communication, and content creation skills, it was less useful for interpersonal communication, decision-making, numeracy, native language proficiency, and the development of critical thinking skills. Students also felt that ChatGPT would boost demand for AI-related skills and facilitate remote work without significantly impacting unemployment. Emotionally, students mostly felt positive using ChatGPT, with curiosity and calmness being the most common emotions. Further examinations reveal variations in students’ perceptions across different socio-demographic and geographic factors, with key factors influencing students’ use of ChatGPT also being identified. Higher education institutions’ managers and teachers may benefit from these findings while formulating the curricula and instructions/regulations for ChatGPT use, as well as when designing the teaching methods and assessment tools. Moreover, policymakers may also consider the findings when formulating strategies for secondary and higher education system development, especially in light of changing labor market needs and related digital skills development.