BACKGROUND Human brucellosis remains endemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), yet integrative studies explaining transmission patterns, population structure, and susceptibility profiles in an endemic setting are lacking. This study aimed to characterise human Brucella melitensis (B. melitensis) isolates from B&H using a combined epidemiological, phenotypic, and genomic approach. METHODS A total of 60 B. melitensis blood isolates obtained from patients with confirmed brucellosis between 2015 and 2021 were selected from a multicentre collection for phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Broth microdilution (BMD) in three different broth media was used and interpreted according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) criteria. Genomic analyses included phylogenomic contextualisation using publicly available genomes, and screening for acquired antimicrobial resistance determinants and virulence-associated genes. RESULTS Human brucellosis predominantly affected working-age males and was strongly associated with occupational and household exposure. While phenotypic AST showed that first-line antimicrobials remain effective in vitro, the results were significantly impacted by both the choice of culture media and the interpretive framework, with major discrepancies observed between CLSI and EUCAST classification, particularly for streptomycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. WGS revealed a high degree of clustered genomic homogeneity within the East Mediterranean lineage. No acquired antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes were detected, while a conserved virulence gene repertoire was observed across isolates, including genes associated with membrane adaptation such as mprF. CONCLUSIONS Human brucellosis in B&H is characterised by sustained endemic transmission within a genetically conserved B. melitensis population. Integration of epidemiological, phenotypic AST, and genomic data highlights the importance of interpreting susceptibility patterns in the light of Brucella's slow evolutionary dynamics and local epidemiological context. The genomic baseline established in this study supports future One Health surveillance integrating human and animal reservoirs.

Residential rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems are widely deployed in low-voltage networks, where maximizing self-consumption is essential. However, most studies assume balanced three-phase loads, neglecting the inherently single-phase nature of residential appliances. This paper evaluates the impact of phase-aware load modeling on self-consumption in a residential PV system by comparing aggregated and phase-aware representations under normal operation and load-shifting. The load-shifting problem is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model. Results show that aggregated models systematically overestimate both baseline self-consumption and the benefits of load-shifting. Phase-aware modeling provides more realistic and physically feasible results, although with smaller achievable improvements. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating phase-level modeling for accurate assessment and optimization of residential PV systems.

AI-native decision systems — in which generative artificial intelligence generates, executes, and adapts decisions in real time — are shifting the centre of gravity of analytical effort. Whereas the principal challenge used to be the extraction of insight, it is now becoming the validation of AI outputs while action is still being taken upon them. Existing approaches address this problem only partially: explainable artificial intelligence and governance frameworks treat validation as an ex post layer; reinforcement learning reduces it to a single scalar reward; control theory and the broader cybernetic tradition formalise the closed loop but neglect its sociotechnical constraints; while the PRIME–INSPECT framework establishes a governance foundation, yet leaves real-time validation implicit. This paper proposes a validation-centric architecture that links the GAVA decision loop (Generate–Act–Validate– Adapt), introduced here, with the PRIME–INSPECT framework and elevates validation to a central analytical function comprising four subdimensions: statistical, operational, cognitive, and governance-related. The proposed architecture is empirically examined on a dual sample of IT professionals and top-management representatives, using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, mediation, moderation, and structural equation modelling. The results confirm the central role of trust, the negative effect of perceived risk, and the importance of top management support, while robustness checks separated by the IT and TMT subsamples further strengthen the structural model. Taken as a whole, the findings support the view that validation should be treated as a first-order organisational stage in AI-native decision systems.

BACKGROUND Demand for aesthetic surgery has risen rapidly, and the parallel growth in cross-border medical travel is increasingly burdening European health systems with imported complications. The perspective of board-certified plastic surgeons themselves-as both providers of cross-border care and managers of its complications-has not been systematically captured at a European level. METHODS An anonymous online questionnaire (43 items across three thematic sections) was distributed by the European Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (ESPRAS) to its member national societies between December 2025 and February 2026. The instrument addressed (A) the practice of surgeons treating international patients, (B) the management of complications from procedures performed abroad, and (C) safeguards and policy reform. Quantitative data were summarised descriptively; free-text responses were analysed thematically. RESULTS Two hundred and fifty board-certified plastic surgeons from 36 countries responded; 230/250 (92.0%) held national or international board certification. The most common procedures performed for international patients were breast augmentation (n=86), breast reduction/mastopexy (n=82), and abdominoplasty (n=80). Eighty-nine per cent of respondents had managed complications of procedures performed abroad in the preceding five years; abdominoplasty (n=144), breast augmentation (n=106), and liposuction (n=76) predominated, with wound dehiscence/necrosis (n=156) and infection (n=131) the most frequent patterns. Cost was the most often cited primary motivation for patients (49.8%); 79.2% of respondents identified board certification as the single most important verification criterion, and 77.2% identified profit prioritisation over patient safety as the principal facilitator-related risk. Mandatory international qualification standards (35.6%) and stricter facilitator regulation (23.6%) were the most frequently endorsed policy priorities. CONCLUSIONS European plastic surgeons describe a fragmented landscape in which a regulated core coexists with an unregulated commercial periphery. ESPRAS proposes a four-pillar framework-public surgeon registries, facility and facilitator accreditation, mandatory complication insurance, and harmonised European patient- and surgeon-facing guidelines-as the basis of a coordinated European response.

As 5G and Beyond networks increasingly expose programmable capabilities to vertical industries through standardized APIs such as CAMARA, new challenges emerge regarding efficient and reliable resource orchestration. In this paper we present a vertical-aware orchestration framework based on intelligent edge-deployed network applications that enable real-time coordination between vertical services and the 5G network. We introduce the Quality Awareness EdgeApp, a context-aware solution for dynamic per-UE QoS adaptation using exposed network APIs. The proposed framework is validated in a real-world 5G Standalone deployment at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (Belgium) for teleoperated vessel operations. Our experimental results demonstrate improved SLA adherence and resource efficiency compared to static slicing and overprovisioning approaches. Our proposed architecture represents a practical step toward adaptive and scalable orchestration for 5G and Beyond vertical services.

У статті концептуалізується та обґрунтовується транзитивна архітектура публічного управління як інструментальна та методологічна основа посилення цифрового народовладдя в умовах глибокої алгоритмізації державних функцій. Розглядаючи народовладдя не лише крізь обмежену призму епізодичних виборчих процедур, а як безперервний, інклюзивний та технологічно опосередкований процес співуправління, у дослідженні розкрито концептуальний механізм «демократичного каскаду». Цей механізм інтерпретується як причинно-наслідкова ланцюгова реакція інституційних, правових та економічних трансформацій, що послідовно розширюють можливості громадян щодо прийняття та контролю управлінських рішень. Доведено, що впровадження незмінних записів у розподіленому реєстрі на інформаційно-аналітичному рівні виступає каталізатором, який ініціює законодавче закріплення цифрових прав громадян на організаційно-правовому рівні, створює передумови для прозорого та справедливого розподілу вигід на економічному рівні, а також формує сталу культуру підзвітності та відкритості на інституційному рівні. У статті розроблено чотирирівневу архітектуру публічного управління — стратегічний, тактичний, операційний та моніторинговий рівні, — які систематизовано як цілісну систему щаблів народовладдя з диференційованими формами залучення громадян на кожному з них. Систематизовано чотири ключові типи механізмів публічного управління крізь призму їхнього специфічного внеску у забезпечення демократичного контролю, де організаційно-правовий механізм гарантує фундаментальне право на людське рішення та запобігає алгоритмічному детермінізму, економічний механізм реалізує токенізацію прав на публічні правочини та програмні гарантії виконання зобов’язань, інформаційно-аналітичний механізм створює передумови прозорості через застосування пояснювальних алгоритмів штучного інтелекту та відкритих даних, а інституційний механізм формує нову культуру підзвітності шляхом створення незмінного цифрового сліду кожного управлінського рішення.  Окреслено багаторівневу екосистему п’яти типів акторів — політиків, публічних службовців, експертів, громадян, бізнесу та інститутів громадянського суспільства, розкрито їхні специфічні функції у забезпеченні цифрового суверенітету та розраховано значення Інтегрального індексу усвідомленості для оцінки готовності службовців до роботи в гібридному середовищі. На основі порівняльного аналізу міжнародних та вітчизняних кейсів (Естонія, Данія, Тайвань, Україна) доведено, що ключовим чинником успіху реформ є вбудовування демократичного контролю в саму технічну та процедурну архітектуру цифрових систем. Узагальнено базовий принцип розподілу функцій між людиною та алгоритмом, де головним критерієм слугує збереження та посилення демократичної суб’єктності громадян.

A BSTRACT Heart failure (HF) patients are frequently exposed to polypharmacy, placing them at increased risk for drug–drug interactions (DDIs), especially in an outpatient setting where monitoring may be limited. The aim was to assess the prevalence and predictors of clinically relevant DDIs in HF patients and identify patterns associated with higher interaction risk. This cross-sectional observational study included 670 HF patients, treated at a single outpatient cardiology practice. Clinical and pharmacologic data were extracted from medical records. DDIs were identified using the Epocrates interaction checker and classified by severity. Logistic regression and generalized linear models were used to evaluate predictors of avoidable and monitor-required interactions. No contraindicated DDIs were found, but 72.7% of patients had at least one avoidable interaction, and 100% had at least one requiring monitoring. Anticoagulants, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use, older age, and HFmrEF and HFpEF phenotypes were significantly associated with increased risk of clinically relevant DDIs. Polypharmacy strongly influenced interaction burden, particularly when ramipril, metformin, atorvastatin, SGLT2 inhibitors, or PPIs were prescribed. Beta-blockers were mildly protective. Clinically significant DDIs are common in HF patients in outpatient care. Risk is highest in older patients, patients with comorbidities requiring multiple pharmacological agents, regimens, and patients with HFmrEF and HFpEF. Structured medication review and attention to high-risk drug combinations are essential to improve safety in HF pharmacotherapy.

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.

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.

Background: 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. Aim: 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. Materials and Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: 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.