Background: The newly synthesized palladium(II) complex [Pd(L1)Cl]Cl (where L1 = N2,N6-bis(5-methylhthiazol-2-yl)pyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide) has demonstrated significant in vitro antitumor activity. In this study, the effects of this complex on the immune response and its antimicrobial potential were evaluated. Methods: Splenocytes isolated from mice were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/Concanavalin A (ConA) along with the Pd(II) complex. The concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-4, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10 were measured using commercial ELISA kits. The antimicrobial effect was tested against reference strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as yeast. The Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was determined via the broth microdilution method, followed by the determination of Minimal Bactericidal/Fungicidal concentrations (MBC/MFC). Results: The Pd(II) complex induced an increase in the concentration of all tested cytokines compared to untreated cells. Co-treatment with Pd(II) complex and LPS significantly increased the levels of IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-17 compared to the LPS-only-stimulated group. Co-treatment with ConA and the Pd(II) complex resulted in a significant increase in TNF-α and IL-17 levels, whereas a significant decrease was observed in the concentrations of IL-10, IL-4, and IFN-γ compared to the ConA-only-stimulated group. The tested complex showed weak to moderate antimicrobial activity, Gram-positive bacteria showed better susceptibility to the examined complex compared to Gram-negative. Conclusions: Results of the study indicate that the Pd(II) complex exhibits a significant immunomodulatory effect on splenocytes, alongside weak to moderate antimicrobial activity.

Wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs) represent a growing safety, ecological, and economic challenge, with direct consequences for human lives, material damage, and biodiversity conservation. In the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, systematic analyses that link traffic accidents caused by collisions with wildlife are lacking. This research identifies high-risk locations of WVCs and applies geospatial analysis to the main roads of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The analysis is based on official police reports documenting 14,169 traffic accidents between 2021 and 2023, of which 104 cases (0.73%) were classified as animal-related. Although species were not specified in the reports, these accidents predominantly occurred in areas where wildlife crossings are expected, and thus are treated as potential wildlife–vehicle collisions. The results indicate a concentration of WVCs in nine municipalities, with eight critical road segments identified on main roads. Additional analyses explored the relationship between collisions, road infrastructure (bridges, tunnels), and ecological features of habitats (Emerald Network, Natura 2000, Red List of FBiH, IUCN). Based on the findings, it can be concluded that spatially targeted prevention is essential, with priority given to infrastructural measures (wildlife overpasses, fencing, signage) and strategic measures (improved databases, continuous monitoring, and integration into spatial planning). The obtained results provide a foundation for policies that simultaneously enhance traffic safety and contribute to the protection of wildlife populations.

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) can heighten presence and enable active, embodied interaction in realistic 3D environments, which has been associated with potential benefits in physics education. This article presents a comprehensive review of IVR implementation in physics education at both school and university levels. The analysis included 34 studies indexed in Scopus and ERIC, published between 1 January 2018 and 1 June 2025. Methodologically, this review followed a preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses approach. IVR implementations for physics learning were assessed, topic-aligned activity types were summarized, and associated opportunities and challenges were documented. Findings indicate that IVR can support physics learning by providing complementary visualizations, optimizing cognitive load, enabling haptic learning, saving time, and fostering collaborative inquiry. Conversely, the most frequent potential IVR challenges include discomfort, unreliable interaction, orchestration issues, relatively high costs, and significant extraneous cognitive load.

The biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) via an aqueous peel extract of Citrus sinensis represents a green and sustainable alternative to conventional synthesis methods, eliminating the need for toxic chemicals and diminishing energy consumption. Bioactive compounds present in the extract, such as flavonoids and polyphenols, serve as natural reducing and stabilizing agents during the nanoparticle formation process. Characterization via UV–VIS spectrophotometry confirmed the formation of crystalline and stable ZnO NPs. In this study, an aqueous orange-peel extract was employed as the biological reducing agent for the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles from zinc nitrate as the precursor, and the influence of the precursor/extract ratio on the properties of the obtained particles was investigated. The antimicrobial activity of the synthesized ZnO NPs was tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with significant growth inhibition observed/particularly in the case of E. coli. The results obtained underscore the potential application of biosynthesized ZnO NPs in medicine, food preservation, and biodegradable packaging. This study confirms an efficient, eco-friendly and straightforward approach to the green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using orange peel extract.

Recently there has been a lot of progress in the development of economic nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) schemes for multistage optimal power flow (OPF) problems. However, the additional inclusion of discrete decision variables to model generator runtimes and generator startup costs can amount to large scale mixed-integer nonlinear programs (MINLPs) that are computationally very challenging. This work investigates the practical approach that replaces the nonlinear AC power flow equations by convex quadratic approximations. In combination with the discrete generator dynamics this leads to a mixed-integer quadratically constrained program (MIQCP) which is of significantly lower complexity and can be solved in reasonable time by off-the-shelf solvers such as CPLEX. We further show that simple terminal constraints are not sufficient to guarantee recursive feasibility of the NMPC scheme if constraints on generator runtime and on the number of generator startup events are present. To address this challenge we propose the use of additional time-coupled constraints and prove the resulting recursive feasibility property. Based on the assumption of periodic dissipativity of the underlying system we can prove stability of the proposed controller. To illustrate our results, we present simulations of a realistic 6-bus microgrid under different demand scenarios.

BACKGROUND Acute hyperglycemia is frequently observed in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes and is considered a marker of metabolic and neurohormonal stress. However, its prognostic significance relative to chronic glycemic status remains incompletely understood, particularly in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reflects long-term glycemic control but may not adequately capture acute metabolic derangements occurring during myocardial ischemia. Stress hyperglycemia reflects a transient metabolic response to acute illness mediated by counter-regulatory hormones, systemic inflammation, and increased hepatic gluconeogenesis, and does not necessarily indicate pre-existing insulin resistance or chronic dysglycemia. Recent studies suggest that stress-related hyperglycemia indices may better reflect short-term risk, yet comparative data in NSTEMI populations remain limited. AIM To determine whether admission stress hyperglycemia indices are associated with early mortality in patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. METHODS This prospective, single-center observational study consecutively enrolled 171 patients admitted with confirmed NSTEMI. Stress hyperglycemia was assessed using the stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) and the admission glucose-to-chronic glycemia ratio (ACGR), calculated from admission plasma glucose and HbA1c values obtained at hospital presentation. Patients were categorized according to established HbA1c thresholds. Clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic data were systematically collected. All patients were followed for three months after discharge. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or urgent coronary revascularization. The secondary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Discriminatory performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to assess the independent and incremental prognostic value of stress hyperglycemia indices before and after adjustment for established clinical and echocardiographic predictors. RESULTS During the three-month follow-up period, 88 MACE and 25 deaths were recorded. HbA1c categories were not significantly associated with all-cause mortality or MACE. In contrast, admission glucose levels, SHR, and ACGR were significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors. No significant differences in HbA1c were observed between outcome groups. Stress hyperglycemia indices demonstrated modest discriminatory ability for predicting mortality and showed greater discrimination than HbA1c in ROC analyses. In multivariable models, both SHR and ACGR remained independently associated with early mortality after adjustment for demographic, clinical, and echocardiographic variables, whereas no independent association with the composite MACE endpoint was observed. ROC-derived thresholds used for survival analyses were exploratory and have not been externally validated. CONCLUSION In patients with NSTEMI, stress hyperglycemia indices assessed at hospital admission are independently associated with early mortality, whereas chronic glycemic status shows limited prognostic relevance. These indices appear to reflect acute systemic stress and metabolic instability and may provide clinically useful information for early risk stratification during the initial phase of hospitalization, particularly when comprehensive echocardiographic assessment is not yet available.

This paper presents a reflective analysis of the International Teacher Education (ITE) eTwinning Lab 2025-26, a transnational collaborative project involving pre-service teachers at the University of Cagliari (Italy) in partnership with Aix-Marseille Université (France), the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain), and the University of Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Framed by the eTwinning annual theme “Citizenship education: celebrating what unites us”, the 12-hour laboratory engaged pre-service primary teachers (Pinter, 2017) in designing and simulating transnational, project-based learning experiences using English as a Lingua Franca. Grounded in the principles of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) (Coyle, Hood, & Marsh, 2010) and digital pedagogy, the lab aimed to develop participants’ soft skills and transversal competences: digital literacy, intercultural communication, collaborative project design, pedagogical innovation, and professional discourse community building (Swales, 1990). Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were analysed from post-project questionnaires (N=95 [Cagliari], N=10 [Tuzla], N=10 [Aix-Marseille], N=8 [Castilla-La Mancha]), ongoing formative assessments (through the usage of several tools as Mentimeter, AnswerGarden, and Padlet), and analysis of collaborative outputs (Canva projects). Findings reveal significant improvement in digital tool mastery, particularly with AI chatbots and collaborative platforms, and, most of all, enhanced intercultural awareness and learners’ self-confidence. It is argued here that this experience, with both its products and processes, can contribute to the growing literature on online teacher education and can provide a replicable model for integrating eTwinning into university-based training programs across Europe.

Background/Objectives: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used for postpartum pain management. However, previous studies have indicated that NSAIDs may increase systolic blood pressure, particularly in patients receiving antihypertensive therapy. The aim of the present study was to assess whether postpartum ibuprofen administration is associated with a higher risk of severe postpartum hypertension and increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) compared with acetaminophen. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify relevant studies. Only randomized controlled trials were considered eligible for inclusion. For dichotomous outcomes, effect sizes were expressed as risk ratios (RRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). For continuous outcomes, mean differences (MDs) with 95% CIs were calculated. Statistical heterogeneity among studies was assessed using the I2 statistic. A fixed-effects model was applied in cases of low heterogeneity (I2 < 20%). Results: No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of severe postpartum hypertension between the ibuprofen and acetaminophen groups (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.35; p = 0.59; I2 = 0%). Similarly, MAP did not differ significantly between groups (MD −0.05 mmHg, 95% CI −1.53 to 1.42; p = 0.94; I2 = 0%). Conclusions: No increased risk of postpartum hypertension or difference in mean arterial pressure was observed between the ibuprofen and acetaminophen groups, supporting the safety of ibuprofen for postpartum analgesia in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

DNA barcoding has become a cornerstone for species identification and biodiversity monitoring, enabling applications from ecological research to conservation and environmental policy. The International Barcode of Life (iBOL) provides global coordination, but national nodes are essential for implementing barcoding at scale, building local capacity and translating scientific advances into practice. This paper synthesises experiences from 20 countries (17 in Europe), drawing on a survey and a workshop conducted under the Horizon Europe Biodiversity Genomics Europe project. We examine how national nodes are initiated, governed and sustained and identify common challenges, such as defining scope, securing funding, harmonising methods and engaging stakeholders. Most nodes were initiated by research communities and operate as informal networks with heterogeneous governance and staffing models. Key priorities include constructing comprehensive DNA barcode reference libraries, aligning activities with biomonitoring needs and promoting FAIR and CARE data principles. We highlight strategies for capacity building, methodological standardisation and stakeholder engagement, alongside approaches for diversifying funding and strengthening communication. Based on these insights, we present ten practical recommendations to guide the establishment and long-term success of national DNA barcoding nodes. Strengthening these infrastructures will enhance Europe’s ability to deliver robust DNA-based biodiversity monitoring, underpin metabarcoding and metagenomic studies and contribute to global efforts in species discovery, conservation and environmental management.

Experimental searches for fifth forces coupled to muons are fundamentally limited by the scarcity of muons in ordinary matter, whereas neutron stars contain abundant muon populations. We show that these compact objects therefore provide superior sensitivity across a broad range of mediator masses. Neutron-star cooling implies limits of $g_{\phi\mu}\lesssim10^{-12}$ and $g_{V\!\mu}\lesssim3\times10^{-13}$ on scalar and vector bosons with masses $m_X\lesssim100$ keV, whereas SN 1987A cooling implies only $g\lesssim3\times10^{-9}$. Moreover, hydrostatic equilibrium requires any long-range muonic force to be sufficiently weak, surpassing cooling bounds for $m_X\lesssim10^{-5}$ eV. Together, these observables provide the most stringent probes of muonic interactions over distance scales ranging from picometers to kilometers.

Neutron stars (NSs) are powerful factories for new particles with masses up to the 100 keV range. These compact stars contain significant populations of charged particles, notably protons, electrons and muons. We calculate the emission rates for new scalar, vector, and pseudoscalar bosons that predominantly couple to electrons and muons. For vector bosons, the in-medium renormalization of the effective couplings strongly modifies the emission rates, e.g., purely muon-philic vectors are predominantly emitted by ultra-relativistic electrons. We focus on bremsstrahlung in electromagnetic lepton-lepton or lepton-proton collisions in the ultradegenerate limit. When protons are superconducting, the scalar and vector energy loss rates scale as $T^4$, the pseudoscalar one as $T^6$, to be compared with $T^8$ for neutrino losses by the modified Urca process. For normal-conducting protons, the screening of transverse photons implies instead scalings with a power reduced by $1/3$ and thus $T^{11/3}$ for scalars and vectors, and $T^{17/3}$ for pseudoscalars. As the NS cools, such new particle losses would become important at late times, when surface photon emission begins to take over, which itself scales roughly as $T^2$ in terms of the internal temperature. Our results can be used to constrain the leptophilic coupling strengths through observed NS cooling ages.

As a part of the Gene Bank of the Republic of Srpska, within the Institute of Genetic Resources, University of Banja Luka, field collections of autochhthonous fruit and grape varieties serve as a valuable resource for diverse scientific research, experimental studies, measurements, and long-term monitoring. In ripening season of 2024, we counducted research on traditional autochthonous apple varieties. From field collections, we selected 3 apple accsessions with good yield potential, for sampling. The apple varieties included in this study were Bjeličnik, Vidovka žuta and Kanada Švabica.  After color analyses was done, we concucted analyses of antioxidant potential in samples. Methods used for color were the LAB digital color positioning system and for antioxidant potential, it was determined using the DPPH free radical sequencing method. Results showed that EC50 value of 18.60 mg/mL places 'Vidovka žuta' at the top of the studied varieties for antioxidant potential. 'Bjeličnik' is interesting variety in the pomology of Republika Srpska, named for its characteristic pale, almost white skin (EC50 =24.19 mg/mL). Kanada švabica showed EC50 of 31.87 mg/mL, and suggests a lower relative antioxidant potency compared to 'Vidovka žuta' and 'Bjeličnik'. Color showed that Bjeličnik is also significantly lighter than the others, confirming its phenotype as the "white" apple of the collection. Yellowness (b*) indicated that Vidovka žuta and Kanada švabica are statistically similar in their yellow intensity, while Bjeličnik is significantly less yellow. Traditional apples are a rich source of dietary antioxidants. The high uniformity in 'Bjeličnik' and the superior potency of 'Vidovka žuta' justify their use in breeding programs targeting increased functional value in modern apple cultivars.