The objective of this paper was to create an economical and abecedarian 3D printing method for the production of solid microneedles, as a more efficient transdermal drug delivery method, for day-to-day use in companion animals. The process of 3D printing was conducted using two types of 3D printers, utilizing the FDM and SLA printing techniques. Modulus of Elasticity was calculated for the determination of mechanical properties of the material, wherethe printed specimen was subjected to axial loading, and deformations were measured using an optical scanner. Post-processing was conducted by washing microneedles in isopropyl alcohol, followed by UV curing. The procedure of testing penetration capabilities was conducted at two sites of cat skin: Auris externa and the lateral part of the abdomen. The SLA printing method was more precise, resulting in higher quality microneedles for animal use compared to the FDM printing technique. Modulus of Elasticity was calculated and the value E=0.9 GPa can be used. Testing proved that the printed model was able to penetrate the skin at the tested sites. The use of microneedles is simple and economical, and therefore has wide applications in small animal practice. Veterinarians can access microneedle design repositories and print them for more effective transdermal drug delivery. The multifunctionality and transferability of the design in the present study ensure that it can be further modified to provide personalized therapy.

The purpose of this study was to preliminary analyze the financial literacy in Bosnia and Herzegovina by considering three main dimensions: interest, inflation, and diversification. The target population was working-age individuals (18–65 years old). By using a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey, 638 useful responses were collected. The data was presented through a series of descriptive statistics and frequencies. The results present the extent of financial literacy by considering several demographic factors, such as gender, age category, education, and an individual monthly income, as well as a comparative assessment with previous studies. The findings provide evidence of moderate financial literacy in Bosnia and Herzegovina as every third (fourth) respondent was able to answer correctly all three questions addressing financial literacy application (definitions). Similarly, to previous studies, financial literacy depends on the income, education, and age of respondents as well. The study is a pioneer one and extends the literature by examining this important construct within Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The m ain objective of this paper is to explore the potential of the qualitative research paradigm in addressing complex topics related to identity formation and development. There has been a shift in conceptualizations of education’s purpose, with scholars arguing that the paradigm of identity formation (rather than the paradigm of preparation) should be promoted in educational contexts. This implies that education should aim to enhance personhood and facilitate the formation of personal identities in young individuals. Traditional quantitative studies, relying on statistical analyses of numerical data, are becoming less effective in providing insights into the increasingly diverse pathways of human development and the dynamic environments in which they take place. Quantification of human experience and development is encountering a growing pushback in the postmodernity. Conversely, the qualitative research paradigm offers a fresh and authentic perspective by delving into real-life biographies and encompassing the entirety of human experience. However, it is important to note that the qualitative paradigm has specific epistemological characteristics that define the scope of inquiry it generates.

Hearing impairment alters the sound input received by the human auditory system, reducing speech comprehension in noisy multi-talker auditory scenes. Despite such challenges, attentional modulation on the envelope tracking in multi-talker scenarios is comparable between normal hearing (NH) and hearing impaired (HI) participants, with previous research suggesting an over-representation of the speech envelopes in HI individuals (see, e.g., Fuglsang et al. 2020 and Presacco et al. 2019), even though HI participants reported difficulties in performing the task. This result raises an important question: What speech-processing stage could reflect the difficulty in attentional selection, if not envelope tracking? Here, we use scalp electroencephalography (EEG) to test the hypothesis that such difficulties are underpinned by an over-representation of phonological-level information of the ignored speech sounds. To do so, we carried out a re-analysis of an EEG dataset where EEG signals were recorded as HI participants fitted with hearing aids attended to one speaker (target) while ignoring a competing speaker (masker) and spatialised multi-talker background noise. Multivariate temporal response function analyses revealed that EEG signals reflect stronger phonetic-feature encoding for target than masker speech streams. Interestingly, robust EEG encoding of phoneme onsets emerged for both target and masker streams, in contrast with previous work on NH participants and in line with our hypothesis of an over-representation of the masker. Stronger phoneme-onset encoding emerged for the masker, pointing to a possible neural basis for the higher distractibility experienced by HI individuals. Significance Statement This study investigated the neural underpinnings of attentional selection in multi-talker scenarios in hearing-impaired participants. The impact of attentional selection on phonological encoding was assessed with electroencephalography (EEG) in an immersive multi-talker scenario. EEG signals encoded the phonetic features of the target (attended) speech more strongly than those of the masker (ignored) speech; but interestingly, they encoded the phoneme onsets of both target and masker speech. This suggests that the cortex of hearing-impaired individuals may over-represent higher-level features of ignored speech sounds, which could contribute to their higher distractibility in noisy environments. These findings provide insight into the neural mechanisms underlying speech comprehension in hearing-impaired individuals and could inform the development of novel approaches to improve speech perception in noisy environments.

The aim of this study was to compare the dissolution properties of ibuprofen solid oral dosage forms commercially available in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to estimate the influence of dissolution medium composition on the drug release. Eight products (A-H) were subjected to in vitro dissolution test using experimental conditions described in USP42–NF37. Dissolution properties of one selected product were examined in the presence of alcohol (22.2% v/v) and fruit juice (22.2% v/v). Products marked B-H complied with the pharmacopeial criteria. Dissolution profile of product B was similar with dissolution profiles of products D, E, F and G and similarity was also found between products A-D, C-G, D-G and E-F. Drug release from most of the examined preparations fitted best to the Weibull kinetic model. In the presence of alcohol in the medium, higher amount of ibuprofen was dissolved. Contrary, ibuprofen dissolved in the presence of fruit juice was significantly lower. Differences in the dissolution profiles of investigated preparations suggest that their interchangeability should be additionally considered and demonstrated with in vivo bioequivalence studies. Presence of different substances in the medium can affect dissolution properties of ibuprofen, emphasizing the importance of the patient’s compliance.

Introduction. Handball and volleyball are among the world's popular sports, which are played practically in every country at different levels of competition. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in somatotype and morphological characteristics between young handball players and volleyball players as well as the differences in the results of functional body mobility tests between the tested groups. Material and Methods. The research included a sample of 23 female athletes who were divided into two subsamples, as follows. A total of 12 athletes were from the Handball team and a total of 11 athletes were from the Volleyball team.  The following anthropometric measurements were conducted: Height and body mass, four skinfolds (triceps, subscapular, supraspinal and calf), breadths (humerus and femur diameters) and girths (arm and calf). Body mass (kg) and body fat (%) of the subjects were measured by the method of bioelectrical impedance (TANITA 545N) with an accuracy of 0.1 kg. Functional Movement Score is a scanning system which includes seven steps (i.e., deep squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, active leg raise, trunk stability push-up, and rotary stability). Results. The results of the study in female handball players recorded a higher percentage of body fat and body mass index compared to female volleyball players (p <.05), while no statistically significant difference was recorded in body weight and height. Analyzing the somatotype of players, it is noticeable that handball players have higher values of endomorphism and mesomorphism, while volleyball players have higher values of ectomorphism. Statistically significant differences were observed in mesomorph and ectomorph (p <.001). In the Functional Movement Screen test, it was noticeable that statistically significant differences were recorded in the two variables (Shoulder mobility and trunk stability push up) in favor of the volleyball players, as well as in the overall standings, while in the other variables no statistically significant difference was recorded. Conclusions. Determining somatotype must occupy the attention of coaches who work with young athletes. Movement-based assessment serves to pinpoint functional deficits (or bio-markers) related to proprioceptive, mobility and stability weaknesses.

Fiber links have proven to be the most robust tools for ultra-stable frequency dissemination over various distance ranges, thanks to an active compensation of the fiber propagation noise [1]. Here, we present our setup for local ultra-stable frequency distribution within an institute, fully based on digital electronics. We use a Red Pitaya SDRlab122 - 16 (RP16) platform to perform a Doppler cancellation scheme, based on a heterodyne Michelson interferometer using a single acousto-optic modulator (AOM) at 110 MHz, in order to cancel the phase noise arising from a 90 m-long fiber link at 1542 nm. The experimental setup is shown in Fig. 1.

Molecular routes to metastatic dissemination are critical determinants of aggressive cancers. Through in vivo CRISPR–Cas9 genome editing, we generated somatic mosaic genetically engineered models that faithfully recapitulate metastatic renal tumors. Disruption of 9p21 locus is an evolutionary driver to systemic disease through the rapid acquisition of complex karyotypes in cancer cells. Cross-species analysis revealed that recurrent patterns of copy number variations, including 21q loss and dysregulation of the interferon pathway, are major drivers of metastatic potential. In vitro and in vivo genomic engineering, leveraging loss-of-function studies, along with a model of partial trisomy of chromosome 21q, demonstrated a dosage-dependent effect of the interferon receptor genes cluster as an adaptive mechanism to deleterious chromosomal instability in metastatic progression. This work provides critical knowledge on drivers of renal cell carcinoma progression and defines the primary role of interferon signaling in constraining the propagation of aneuploid clones in cancer evolution. Using genetically engineered models, Genovese and colleagues study patterns of convergent evolution in renal cancer, and pinpoint dysregulation of interferon signaling as a means of adaptation to chromosomal instability in metastatic progression.

BACKGROUND DEPendency of association on the number of Top Hits (DEPTH) is an approach to identify candidate susceptibility regions by considering the risk signals from overlapping groups of sequential variants across the genome. METHODS We conducted a DEPTH analysis using a sliding window of 200 SNPs to colorectal cancer (CRC) data from the Colon Cancer Family Registry (CCFR) (5,735 cases and 3,688 controls), and GECCO (8,865 cases and 10,285 controls) studies. A DEPTH score >1 was used to identify candidate susceptibility regions common to both studies. We compared DEPTH results against those from conventional GWAS analyses of these two studies as well as against 132 published susceptibility regions. RESULTS Initial DEPTH analysis revealed 2,622 (CCFR) and 3,686 (GECCO) candidate susceptibility regions, of which 569 were common to both studies. Bootstrapping revealed 40 and 49 candidate susceptibility regions in the CCFR and GECCO data sets, respectively. Notably, DEPTH identified at least 82 regions that would not be detected using conventional GWAS methods, nor had they been identified by previous CRC GWASs. We found four reproducible candidate susceptibility regions (2q22.2, 2q33.1, 6p21.32, 13q14.3). The highest DEPTH scores were in the HLA locus at 6p21 where the strongest associated SNPs were rs762216297, rs149490268, rs114741460, and rs199707618 for the CCFR data, and rs9270761 for the GECCO data. CONCLUSIONS DEPTH can identify candidate susceptibility regions for CRC not identified using conventional analyses of larger datasets. IMPACT DEPTH has potential as a powerful complementary tool to conventional GWAS analyses for discovering susceptibility regions within the genome.

Introduction Although previous research found that small-sided game (SSG) training was more enjoyable than high-intensity interval training (HIT) in various sports, no data were provided during longer training period in basketball. Furthermore, the comparison of internal loads between the two training approaches needs to be further examined. Thus, this study aimed to examine the acute physiological, perceived exertion and enjoyment responses during 4-week progressive basketball SSG or HIT programs. Methods Nineteen female collegiate basketball players were randomly assigned to two groups that performed either HIT (n = 10) or SSG (n = 9) 3 times per week for 4 continuous weeks. Average and percentage of maximal heart rate (HRmean and %HRmax), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and physical activity enjoyment (PACES) were determined during each training session. Results There was a main group effect in PACES (p < 0.001; η p 2 = 0.44, moderate), and SSG had higher PACES than HIT in each week (p < 0.05). There were no significant interactions or main group effects in HRmean, %HRmax or RPE, but a main time effect was found in HRmean (p = 0.004; η p 2 = 0.16, minimum), %HRmax (p < 0.001; η p 2 = 0.25, minimum), and RPE (p < 0.001; η p 2 = 0.31, moderate), respectively. In the SSG group, although no significant differences were found in HR responses, %HRmax was below 90% in week 1 and week 2. Accompanied with changes in %HRmax, RPE in week 1 and week 2 was lower than that in week 3 and week 4 (p < 0.05). Conclusion Our findings suggest that SSG and HIT elicit similar acute HR response and RPE level, but SSG is perceived as more enjoyable and therefore it is more likely to increase exercise motivation and adherence comparing to HIT. Moreover, it seems that half-court, 2 vs. 2 SS Gtraining format with modified rules and lasting ≥ 7.5 min should be prescribed as an enjoyable training alternative to provide optimal cardiovascular stimuli (> 90% of HRmax) for female basketball players.

The possibility of injectable biomaterials being used in the therapy of peripheral artery disease (PAD) is investigated in this article. We conducted a thorough review of the literature on the use and efficacy of biomaterials (BMs) and drug-coated balloons (DCBs). These BMs included hydrogels, collagen scaffolds, and nanoparticles. These BMs could be used alone or in combination with growth factors, stem cells, or gene therapy. The treatment of peripheral artery disease with DCBs is increasingly common in the field of interventional angiology. Studies have been carried out to examine the effectiveness of paclitaxel-coated balloons such as PaccocathTM in lowering the frequency with which further revascularization operations are required. PCB angioplasty and angioplasty without paclitaxel did not significantly vary in terms of mortality, according to the findings of a recent meta-analysis that included the results of four randomized controlled studies. On the other hand, age was found to be a factor that predicted mortality. There was a correlation between the routine utilization of scoring balloon angioplasty along with DCBs and improved clinical outcomes in de novo lesions. In both preclinical and clinical testing, the SelutionTM DCB has demonstrated efficacy and safety, but further research is required to determine whether or not it is effective and safe over the long term. In addition, we reviewed the difficulties involved in bringing injectable BMs-based medicines to clinical trials, including the approval processes required by regulatory bodies. Injectable BMs have a significant amount of therapeutic promise for PAD, which highlights the need for more research and clinical studies to be conducted in this field. In conclusion, this research focuses on the potential of injectable BMs and DCBs in the treatment of PAD as well as the hurdles that must be overcome in order to translate these treatments into clinical trials. In this particular field, there is a demand for further research as well as clinical trials.