Summary Background Road injuries are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Years of international efforts have aimed to strengthen policy engagement, including the 2020 UN General Assembly's proclamation of the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–30), targeting a 50% reduction in road traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. The aim of this study is to provide estimates to monitor progress and identify intervention gaps. Methods As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2023, we estimated incidence, mortality, and morbidity of road injuries for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023. Four road injury types and 47 nature-of-injury categories were examined. Morbidity and mortality data from clinical records, vital registration, and police reports were harmonised using meta-analytic techniques to ensure consistency and correct for systematic bias. Incidence was modelled with the meta-regression tool Disease Modelling-Meta-Regression version 2.1 and cause-specific mortality with the Cause of Death Ensemble model, both incorporating location-specific covariates to support interpolation. Years of life lived with disability (YLDs) were estimated from the prevalence and severity of the nature of road injury, and years of life lost (YLLs) from the number of cause-specific deaths multiplied by the standard life expectancy at the age of death. Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were the sum of YLLs and YLDs. All metrics were calculated with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). Findings In 2023, there were 50·9 million (95% UI 46·1–56·1) road injury incident cases, 1·34 million (1·04–1·58) deaths, and 75·3 million (59·8–89·2) DALYs globally. Road injuries were the leading global cause of death among males aged 10–39 years. Between 1990 and 2023, age-standardised incidence decreased by 38·3% (95% UI 36·9–39·7) and mortality decreased by 32·3% (6·1–49·0), but progress varied widely by World Bank income group. Mortality in low-income countries (43·8 [95% UI 31·7–56·0] deaths per 100 000 population) was approximately six times higher than in high-income countries (7·5 [7·1–7·9] deaths per 100 000), despite the high-income countries showing the highest age-standardised incidence rates (858·1 [95% UI 781·9–947·1] cases per 100 000). In the past decade, many countries achieved notable reductions in road injuries, but others, including Ghana and the USA, saw increases. More severe injuries tended to occur in low-income and middle-income countries. Interpretation Although global incidence, mortality, and DALY rates from road injuries have declined, progress remains uneven, with pronounced disparities across income groups reflecting systemic inadequacies in infrastructure, vehicle standards, enforcement, and post-crash care. Strengthening emergency response, improving road design, enforcing safety measures, and adapting policies to the evolving demographics remain essential. Funding Gates Foundation.

Sudden death is an unexpected natural fatal event that may arise from both cardiac and noncardiac causes. Differentiating true primary cardiac pathology from incidental or secondary myocardial changes remains a major challenge in forensic evaluation, particularly in clearly noncardiac sudden deaths. The aim of this study was to assess histopathological changes in the heart in cases of sudden death of cardiac and noncardiac origin and to compare the distribution of these findings across different certified causes of death. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate the frequency and potential forensic relevance of these cardiac alterations. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 78 medico-legal autopsy cases of sudden death examined at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016–2025). Paraffin-embedded cardiac tissue was evaluated histologically by three independent pathologists, while cases involving unnatural causes of death or significant autolysis were excluded. Cardiac-origin deaths accounted for 76.9% of cases and were more common in males. Individuals who died from cardiac causes were significantly older than those with noncardiac causes (58.7 ± 19.2 vs. 45.7 ± 16.8 years; P = 0.012). Cardiac-origin deaths predominated in middle-aged and older adults, whereas noncardiac sudden deaths occurred more frequently in younger individuals. Myocardial infarction and scar tissue were significantly associated with cardiac-origin deaths ( P = 0.017 and P = 0.038). Hypertrophy and dispersed fibrosis increased progressively with age. Cardiac sudden deaths were more frequent and mainly associated with chronic myocardial changes rather than acute ischemia. Middle-aged individuals were the most vulnerable group, highlighting the need for improved cardiovascular risk assessment and prevention.

Abstract Synthetic biology has evolved from a set of engineering aspirations to an operationally sophisticated discipline, and artificial intelligence (AI) is its fastest-growing accelerant. This review traces that convergence across six interlocking domains: systems-level biological modeling, de novo protein engineering, metabolic and microbial programming, multi-omics data integration, regulatory element design, and clinical translation. For each domain, we survey established results, integrate findings from 2010–2026 literature, and articulate the trajectories that will define the next decade. Emerging themes include physics-informed neural networks for mechanistically constrained biological modeling, drug design, and federated learning architectures that allow global omics collaboration without centralizing sensitive data, self-driving laboratories that close the Design-Build-Test-Learn loop with minimal human intervention, and large language models that accelerate hypothesis generation from scientific literature. Alongside these opportunities, the review gives equal weight to the governance challenges they create: dual-use risks amplified by generative sequence design, the reproducibility crisis in AI-driven biodesign, and the equitable distribution of autonomous experimentation capacity. The overarching argument is that the promise of synthetic biology, making biological design as deliberate and reliable as any mature engineering discipline, is closer than ever, but will only be realized if technical ambition is matched by scientific rigor, transparent governance, and inclusive access.

This paper presents a nonsingular terminal sliding mode control (NTSMC) strategy for robust three-dimensional (3D) trajectory tracking of a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operating in the presence of external disturbances and modeling uncertainties. The proposed controller is designed using the full nonlinear dynamics of the quadrotor and ensures finite-time convergence of the sliding variables and tracking errors without introducing singularities in the control law. A Lyapunov-based stability analysis is provided to demonstrate finite-time stability of the closed-loop system. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is evaluated through comparative simulations against representative state-of-the-art sliding mode control strategies. Numerical simulations are conducted under multiple operating scenarios, including large initial deviations and persistent external perturbations. The results demonstrate that the proposed NTSMC scheme achieves improved tracking accuracy, enhanced robustness, and a more favorable transient response compared to the considered benchmark controllers.

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) of carbon fibre reinforced polyamide (PA6-CF10) parts is subjected to challenges related to dimensional stability and mechanical properties. This study investigated the effect of annealing as a post-processing method for carbon fibre reinforced polyamide parts produced by FDM to enhance the mechanical properties while preserving dimensional accuracy immediately after processing and after 90 days of ambient storage. It provides a comprehensive evaluation of the effect of annealing on the mechanical properties, dimensional stability, and long-term behaviour of FDM-printed PA6-CF10 components under ambient storage conditions. To analyse mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy, samples were annealed at 90 °C to 180 °C for 60 min to 360 min. Optimal conditions were 180 °C for 210 min, yielding significant gains in tensile properties, especially for samples stored in ambient storage for 90 days after annealing. The tensile strength and tensile modulus after annealing increased by 7.27% and 5.15% compared to unannealed samples; samples tested 90 days after annealing have the tensile strength and tensile modulus increased by 14.53% and 13.79%. Dimensional deviation of the annealed samples compared to the 3D CAD model was less than 1% for samples tested 90 days after annealing. These results indicate that annealing improves both immediate mechanical performance and long-term stability of PA6-CF10 components while maintaining dimensional accuracy.

Background: The significance of imaging right-heart thrombus via echocardiography in acute pulmonary embolism (PE) patients, as well as its management, remains uncertain. Methods: In this retrospective, observational, multicenter, and multinational registry of consecutive acute PE patients, we compared 100 patients in whom thrombus was visualized in the right heart during echocardiographic evaluation with 2635 patients without visualization of thrombus. The co-primary endpoints were all-cause in-hospital mortality and PE-related mortality. Secondary endpoints included the prevalence of severe PE at admission (intermediate–high and high-risk PE), the frequency of thrombolytic therapy administration, and mortality among patients who received thrombolysis. Results: All-cause and PE-related mortality were higher in patients with thrombus in the right heart (31.0% vs. 9.6%, and 25.8% vs. 5.6%, p < 0.001, respectively). Patients with right-heart thrombi had a more severe PE presentation than those without (74.0% vs. 45.3%, p < 0.001). In patients treated with thrombolysis, all-cause mortality was higher in patients with right-heart thrombi (35.5% vs. 12.7%, p < 0.001). In the multivariable Cox regression analysis adjusted for ESC mortality risk, age, presence of syncope, atrial fibrillation, and hypoxemia, patients with thrombus in the right heart had a significantly higher risk of all-cause and PE-related death compared to patients without thrombus (HR 2.60, 95% CI 1.753–3.859, p < 0.001, and HR 3.287, 95% CI 2.056–5.253, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Visualization of thrombus in transit through the right heart is associated with higher all-cause and PE-related mortality, independent of PE severity and the use of thrombolytic therapy.

Background/Objectives: This study investigates the correlation between substantia nigra (SN) hyperechogenicity, detected via transcranial sonography (TCS), and retinal thinning in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 86 PD patients (172 eyes) underwent clinical assessment (UPDRS, Hoehn–Yahr), TCS for SN area measurement, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) for retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), and macular thickness analysis. Results: PD patients exhibited significant thinning of the GCIPL, average RNFL, and central macular thickness compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001 in all instances). Pathological SN hyperechogenicity (>0.19 cm2) was detected in 85.9% of patients with a preserved temporal bone window (71 out of 86). A significant negative correlation was found specifically between the SN echogenic area and central macular thickness (r = −0.248, p = 0.003). Patients with pathological SN findings had a significantly thinner central macula (p = 0.006) compared to those with a normal SN, while no significant correlations were observed between the SN area and RNFL or GCIPL. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate a specific correlation between SN hyperechogenicity and central macular thinning. While RNFL and GCIPL effectively differentiate PD from controls, the central macula might serve as a promising biomarker candidate reflecting SN changes. Further longitudinal studies are required to evaluate the role of these combined markers in the PD diagnostic algorithm.

Background: Determination of the occlusal vertical dimension, (OVD), remains one of the key challenges in prosthodontics, due to the lack of a universally accepted and sufficiently accurate method. Anthropometric approaches have been proposed as a simple and objective way to estimate OVD, although their applicability may vary across different populations. Objective: To evaluate whether selected facial anthropometric dimensions can serve as reliable predictors of OVD and to develop regression models for estimating the nasion–menton distance in a sample of the Bosnia and Herzegovina population. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study included 60 subjects aged 20–45 years with preserved occlusal relationships and normal facial morphology. A total of 30 anthropometric parameters were measured using standardized techniques. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients. Simple linear regression was used to assess individual predictors, while multiple regression analysis (stepwise method) was applied to develop two models based on the presence or absence of intraoral landmarks. Results: All analyzed variables showed statistically significant associations with the nasion–menton distance (p<0.001), with the strongest correlations observed for bizygomatic width (r=0.947), nasion incision (r=0.895), and nasion–gingival papilla tip (r=0.891). Both regression models showed high predictive accuracy (R²=0.958 and R²=0.950), with better performance when intraoral landmarks were included. Conclusion: Selected facial anthropometric parameters can estimate the occlusal vertical dimension with high accuracy. Regression models provide a reliable approach for clinical estimation, particularly when intraoral landmarks are available.

The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of patient complaints, and dentists’ perceptions of legal protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A total of 171 dentists participated, employed in both the public (21.5%) and private sector (78.5%), with varying years of professional experience. Data were collected using an anonymous structured questionnaire addressing record-keeping practices, the use of informed consent, experiences with complaints and lawsuits, and perceptions of legal security and exposure to violence. Results show that 80.4% of dentists report maintaining proper documentation, while only 16.8% routinely obtain written informed consent. Negative experiences with patient complaints were reported by 60.7% of respondents, yet only 7.5% had been involved in legal proceedings. Most conflicts (61.7%) were resolved informally through settlement. The highest proportion of complaints concerned prosthodontics (71%), followed by restorative dentistry (15%) and oral surgery (9.3%). More than half of dentists (56.1%) do not feel adequately protected by law, and 69.2% do not know which institution to contact in the event of a patient lawsuit. Verbal violence was reported by 66.4% and physical violence by 1.9% of respondents. Multivariate analysis showed that dentists exposed to violence were significantly less likely to feel legally protected (OR = 9.62, p = 0.031), independent of gender and years of experience. Dentists in the private sector were more likely to resolve complaints through settlement (OR = 1.65, p < 0.001), while prosthodontists experienced the highest number of complaints and exhibited the strongest preference for settlements (OR = 2.63, p = 0.03).

This study aimed to determine the nutritional status and dietary habits of younger school age children and to assess the accuracy of parental perception regarding their children’s eating behaviours. A total of 300 children aged 7–11 years from northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in this cross sectional study. Nutritional status was evaluated using anthropometric measurements and age and sex specific body mass index (BMI) percentile curves. Dietary habits were assessed using an anonymous, adapted, structured questionnaire consisting of 24 questions, incorporating a 24-hour dietary recall and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The questionnaires were independently completed by both children and their parents to assess self-reported dietary intake and eating behaviours. Overall, 60.6% of children were classified as having normal body weight, while 8.7% were underweight, 17.0% were overweight, and 13.7% were obese. According to dietary habits evaluated relative to the USDA MyPlate guidelines (USDA, 2019), 81.3% of children consumed breakfast daily, 69.8% had three meals per day, 52.9% consumed two or more servings of fruit, and 83.7% reported water as their primary beverage. However, 52.9% consumed only one serving of vegetables daily, 51.0% consumed less than 250 mL of milk per day, 69.3% had insufficient meat intake, and 46.7% consumed sweets and snacks daily. Statistically significant differences between children’s and parents’ responses were identified in 79% of the assessed items. These findings indicate a substantial discrepancy between parental perceptions and children’s self-reported dietary intake, emphasizing the need for targeted nutritioneducation programmes for both children and parents to support healthier eating habits.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate patients' awareness and the key factors affecting decisions on tooth preservation. Material and methods: This study was conducted through an anonymous survey of 237 patients who visited the Department and Clinic for Dental Pathology and Endodontics at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sarajevo. Participant were informed about the purpose of the research and informed consent was obtained from each participant. General demographic data on gender, age and education were collected, followed by their attitudes, experiences and knowledge regarding endodontic treatment. Results: A total of 236 valid responses were analyzed.The majority of respondents (53.2%) assessed their knowledge as „moderate/average“ and also cited 'the dentist' as their primary source of information (81.8%). Our survey revealed that respondents distinguish a broader spectrum of symptoms that indicate the need for root canal treatment (RCT) rather than just spontaneous toothache. In terms of treatment outcomes, majority (86%) recognized RCT as an effective toothsaving method. Local anesthesia was highly demanded, with 56.2% of patients exclusively insisting on a pain-free procedure. In selecting a dental clinic, respondents primarily value clinical expertise and experience (68.6%), followed by staff friendliness and service quality (44.9%) while financial costs did not affect the priority of tooth preservation for the majority of patients (50.9%). Conclusion: Our research demonstrates significant progress in patient awareness and perception of endodontic therapy. Furthermore, as dental knowledge is more accessible than ever, patients must be educated to view the dentist as their primary and most reliable resource. Ultimately, establishing mutual trust between the patient and the dentist remains the foundation of successful therapy.