The banking sector plays a key role in the economic, social, and political development of a country. The study of the financial performance of banks is essential for investors, creditors, and other interested parties. The aim of this research was to rank the second-tier banks in Albania by financial performance using a fuzzy multi-criteria decision model (fuzzy MCDM). For the ranking of banks, eight financial criteria were taken into account during the years 2020, 2021, and 2022 for 11 banks in the Albanian banking sector. Based on the selected indicators, a decision-making model was created. The Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods were used in this research. The results of the FAHP method showed that the most important indicators are Equity and EBT. The results of the TOPSIS method showed that Banka Kombëtare Tregtare (BKT) had the best indicators for the observed years. The contribution of this research is in understanding the financial operations of banks in Albania.

Purpose Given the substantial challenges and disruptions that companies often encounter from within the organization and the broader market landscape – such as market turbulence, technological advancements and regulatory changes – developing robust organizational resilience and transitioning to digital business practices have become top priorities. This paper aimed to explore if digital human resource management (HRM) significantly influences the organizational resilience within the context of emerging economy. Design/methodology/approach To analyze data collected from HRM experts active in the business sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina, we utilized in this paper multiple regression analysis. This approach allowed us to explore the relationships and impacts within this specific regional context. Findings The study findings revealed that digital HRM significantly enhances organizational resilience, positively impacting its three key components: the ability to anticipate, the capacity to cope and the capability to adapt. Practical implications This study offers digital HRM strategies for enhancing organizational resilience, guiding HR professionals in using digital tools to boost employee adaptability, streamline crisis communication and improve flexibility and readiness for future disruptions. Originality/value This research adds to the existing literature and ensures practical implication on digital HRM and organizational resilience by empirically demonstrating how digital HRM strengthens organizational capabilities to foresee potential disruptions, respond effectively to crises and adapt to changing circumstances. These capabilities help organizations maintain stability and continue operations smoothly during unexpected events, thereby safeguarding their long-term sustainability and competitive edge.

We present GammaTPC, a transformative 0.1-10 MeV $\gamma$-ray instrument concept featuring a tracker using a liquid argon time projection chamber (LAr TPC) technology with the novel GAMPix high spatial resolution and ultra low power charge readout. These enable an economical instrument with unprecedented effective area and sensitivity. We discuss the design and technology in some detail, including how a LAr TPC can be staged in space. Finally, we present a first study of the sensitivity of the instrument in the Compton regime using a new framework for analyzing Compton telescope data.

Tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanoparticles have emerged in the biomedical field as potential theranostic agents due to their unique properties, including biocompatibility. However, their impact on the immune response remains unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of inorganic fullerene-like WS2 (IF-WS2) nanostructures on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in vitro. The study investigated several parameters to evaluate the effects of IF-WS2 nanoparticles. Cytotoxicity was assessed by measuring cell viability, apoptosis, and necrosis. Internalization of IF-WS2 by PBMCs was analyzed using morphological and flow cytometric techniques. Proliferation was studied in CellTrace Far Red-prestained total PBMCs stimulated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and in isolated T cell cultures stimulated with CD3/CD28-coated beads. Additionally, the production of cytokines and chemokines was measured in culture supernatants of total PBMCs and T cells. IF-WS2 nanoparticles were non-cytotoxic up to a concentration of 200 µg/mL. Concentrations ≥25 µg/mL inhibited PHA-stimulated PBMC proliferation but did not affect T cell proliferation. Morphological and flow cytometric analysis demonstrated dose- and time-dependent internalization of IF-WS2 by macrophages. Additionally, IF-WS2 significantly reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8, MCP-1, and GRO-α) in PHA-stimulated PBMCs. Th1, Th17, and Th21 cytokines were downregulated, while Th2, Th9, and T regulatory cytokines were upregulated. In conclusion, this study demonstrated for the first time that pristine IF-WS2 nanoparticles, at non-cytotoxic concentrations, exhibit notable anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties on activated PBMCs in vitro.

BACKGROUND Environmental factors influence children's development. However, their impact on outdoor play among children from international settings remains understudied. This study examined associations between parent perceptions of environmental factors and outdoor play among an international sample of preschool-aged children. METHODS Data were sourced from the pilot phases of the SUNRISE International Study of Movement Behaviors in the Early Years. Parents completed a questionnaire about their child's outdoor play and environmental factors that influenced their child's participation in outdoor play in the past 3 days. RESULTS 1855 children from 19 countries (16 low- and middle-income countries) were examined. Heat (-25.6; 95% CI, -44.6 to -6.6), cold (-26.9; 95% CI, -45.9 to -8.4), and rain (-24.8; 95% CI, -43.3 to -6.6) were negatively associated with weekday outdoor play. Cold (-41.2; 95% CI, -62.4 to -20.0) and social instability (-40.7; 95% CI, -61.5 to -20.3) were negatively associated with weekend outdoor play. Playing at friend's or relative's homes (29.5 [95% CI, 18.6 to 40.5]; 37.9 [25.6 to 50.4]), greenspaces (23.1 [95% CI, 9.6 to 36.6]; 30.4 [95% CI, 15.1 to 45.8]), and on the street (41.4 [95% CI, 26.9 to 55.7]; 34.9 [95% CI, 18.2 to 51.3]) were associated with weekday and weekend day outdoor play, respectively. Playing on the family's property was also associated with weekend day outdoor play (25.5 [95% CI, 18.2 to 51.3]). CONCLUSIONS The environmental context is important to consider when developing interventions to promote outdoor play in young children across diverse international settings. Future research from representative populations is needed to confirm these findings.

We classify the physical operators of the most general bosonic effective gauge theory up to dimension six using on-shell methods. Based on this classification, we compute the complete one-loop anomalous dimension employing both on-shell unitarity-based and geometric techniques. Our analysis fully accounts for the mixing of operators with different dimensions. The results broadly apply to any Effective Field Theory with arbitrary gauge symmetry and bosonic degrees of freedom. To illustrate their utility, we perform a complete cross-check of results on the renormalization of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT), $O(n)$ scalar theory, and the SMEFT extended with an axion-like particle. Additionally, we present new results for axion-like particles with CP-violating interactions.

In the evolving trends of research and innovation (R&I) performance measurement and impact assessment, the traditional scientometric system – largely relying on quantitative metrics such as h-index and journal impact factors – is increasingly under scrutiny due to its limited capacity to capture a wider spectrum of scientific impact. The emergence of open science challenges traditional paradigms by advocating for more transparent and accessible research processes. Theoretically, this study expands the discourse on scientific impact evaluation by advocating for a broader set of criteria encompassing societal and economic dimensions. Integrating open science principles into research evaluation can provide a more comprehensive view of scientific contributions and enable academic inclusivity, transparency, and societal relevance, in line with the ethos of open science. Conceptually, the study analyzes the coexistence and dynamics between scientometric and open science evaluation systems, exploring their competitive and collaborative relationships. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of each system, revealing that a complete replacement of the scientometric approach by open science is unlikely, nor is there stagnation in their development. The main findings suggest a future where scientometric and open science systems coexist and partially converge, especially in the area of research and innovation outcome evaluation. This convergence heralds a more democratic and inclusive approach to evaluating scientific research. For policymakers and organizers of innovative systems, this study offers insights into possible policies that promote open science practices, developing evaluation metrics that acknowledge diverse scientific contributions, and fostering a research culture that values both scientific rigor and societal engagement. Using an exploratory method based on theoretical concepts and practical insights, this study contributes to more nuanced understanding of changing paradigms in research evaluation.

In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing labor market, soft skills are in high demand, especially for new graduates. This study examined the impact of soft skills training on youth employment. As the first sample, the quantitative research method was conducted by applying a questionnaire to the students of Gaziantep University Vocational School of Social Sciences in Turkey. As the second sample, a qualitative research method was conducted by selecting HR Managers homogeneously according to the statistical regional classification throughout Turkey and conducting interviews focusing on the soft skills of new graduates. Based on the results of our analysis, 14 required soft skills were identified. In cooperation with European Union countries, a training curriculum was designed using these 14 soft skills. Participants of the training program were randomly divided into control and experimental groups. The experimental group was only included in the soft skills training program. The employment rates of both groups were compared after nine months of follow-up. The findings showed that soft skills training resulted in higher employment rates.. The findings show that soft-skills training resulted in higher employment rates. Based on our findings, we propose that universities design and apply soft-skills curricula for young undergraduate and vocational school students to increase youth employment. Moreover, soft skills development must be considered when designing and conducting training programs for workers in public institutions and companies.

In this study, a modified 3D printer hotend equipped with a load cell, attached to the feeding system, was used to evaluate the effects of filament material composition and printing parameters on the extrusion force required. Four different materials (commercial PLA, pure PLA, wood-PLA with different ratios of wood particles, and wood-PLA with different ratios of thermally modified wood particles) were used for 3D printing, and the feeding resistance was measured. The filament feeder was connected to the extruder hotend via a load cell, which measured the forces required to push the filament through the extruder and the nozzle. Three printing nozzle temperatures of 200, 210, and 220 °C were used. The results show that the printing temperature and the material influence the required extrusion forces, which varied between 1 and 8 N, but the variation was high. With proper optimization and integration into the printer firmware, this setup could also be used to detect nozzle clogging during printing, modify printing parameters during the process, and prevent the uneven extrusion of composite filaments.

This paper provides a research review regarding the creep of ultra-high-performance concrete with or without the addition of fibers. Unlike other similar studies that mainly considered influential factors and their effects on the creep behavior, this research focuses more attention on the analysis of UHPC creep models. For the creep strain assessments of these concretes, the creep models given in the latest standards cannot be used, but it is necessary to modify them to give reliable results, given the rather complex composition of UHPC. Several proposed creep models for UHPC are presented with comparative analysis. The observation is that by varying key parameters such as compressive strength, relative humidity, cross-sectional dimensions, and temperature, there may be major discrepancies between models, so additional experimental investigations are necessary to perform their calibration. In this paper, the parameters α1, α2, and γ of FIB Model Code 2010 have been modified in order to obtain a match with other proposed models in terms of the final value of the creep coefficient and the creep curve. The creep coefficient of the UHPC decreases when steel fiber content increases, but it is important to consider the excessive fiber addition because very often it causes an increase in creep strain. The application of thermal treatment at a temperature of 90 °C for 48 h significantly improves the time-dependent properties of UHPC. An analysis of the impact of the steel fiber content, fiber type, thermal treatment, and the age of the concrete under load on strains of UHPC specimens and beams under long-term loads is performed.