This paper describes testing the solid particle erosion resistance of the composite based on A 356.0 aluminium alloy with the addition of 6 % fly ash (FA) as reinforcement. The composite samples were tested in the as-cast state and after being subjected to the multiple passes of the equal-channel angular extrusion (ECAE). The cast composite was obtained by compo-casting. This method implies the mixing of reinforcement into the semi-solid matrix. Extrusion was performed in 3 passes, with rotation around the longitudinal axis by 90° after each pass (route BC). Solid particle erosion resistance was determined based on volume loss ΔV. During the erosion test, the silicon carbide (SiC) particles were used as erodent. The impact angle of the particles was varied (30° and 90°). The results show that after each pass, the microstructure of the composite was improved and wear by solid particles was reduced.

Mosquitoes are important vectors of human and animal pathogens, yet data on their diversity and vector potential remain scarce for the central Balkan country Bosnia and Herzegovina. This study aimed to assess mosquito species composition, associated pathogens, and the potential public health risks in BIH. Adult mosquitoes were collected with light traps, identified morphologically and by barcoding, and screened molecularly for various pathogens, including West Nile virus (WNV), Dirofilaria spp., Trypanosoma spp., and Plasmodium spp. A total of 2691 mosquitoes of 17 species were identified, with Culex pipiens/torrentium being most abundant and new records of Aedes albopictus and Ae. japonicus japonicus. The first detection of WNV (lineage 2) RNA in mosquitoes in BIH highlights the potential risk of circulation in the region, aligning with findings from neighboring countries. In addition, DNA of filarioid nematodes (Dirofilaria immitis, D. repens, and Setaria tundra) were detected, underscoring their role as potential vectors of zoonotic dirofilariasis. Also, Trypanosoma and Plasmodium DNA was detected, warranting further investigation into the possible involvement of mosquitoes in their transmission. The detection of invasive Aedes species and mosquito-borne pathogens emphasize the need for strengthened vector surveillance in southeastern Europe, particularly in BIH. This study provides the first barcode inventory of 17 mosquito species and novel molecular evidence of mosquito-borne pathogens in BIH, offering valuable baseline data for future epidemiological assessments and sustained entomological surveillance.

ABSTRACT Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a life‐threatening condition with no cure, making research into its underlying mechanisms critical. The platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in vascular remodeling, a key factor in PAH progression. Anti‐PDGF receptor therapies, such as imatinib, show promise but are associated with significant side effects. Recent research identified PDGF‐D as a new risk gene in idiopathic PAH, highlighting the need for further investigation into the PDGF pathway in the disease. In this study, we investigated PDGF‐D, a specific PDGFRβ ligand, as a potential therapeutic target. RNA‐Seq data from healthy lungs indicated that PDGF‐D is predominantly expressed in inflammatory cells, whereas in vascular lesions of idiopathic PAH patients, PDGF‐D was produced by various cell types. In vitro, PDGF‐D induced mitogenic effects on pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells. However, genetic deletion of PDGF‐D in the chronic hypoxia mouse model of pulmonary hypertension showed no significant impact on vascular muscularization, hemodynamic parameters, or right ventricular hypertrophy. But, the absence of hypoxia‐induced Pdgfrb upregulation and the lack of increased expression of PAH‐regulated genes, Fgf2 and Notch3, in PDGF‐D‐deficient mice, suggests activation of alternative mechanisms. MicroRNA analyses revealed PDGF‐d‐related alterations in the expression of miR‐21 and miR‐451, both important regulators in PAH, further supporting the notion that PDGF‐D plays a unique role in PAH development. Taken together, our data suggest that PDGF‐D may target a distinct population of PDGFRβ‐expressing cells, separate from those stimulated by PDGF‐B, positioning PDGF‐D as a potentially unique and compelling therapeutic target for PAH.

The comet assay is widely used in human biomonitoring studies of environmental and occupational exposures. However, it is clear from multiple studies that various types of confounding factors might affect the direct relationship between exposure and DNA damage in the comet assay. In addition to common confounders such as age, sex, and smoking, other factors considered to be important determinants for background levels of DNA damage in the comet assay include exhaustive physical exercise, chronic diseases, medical treatment, and diet. These are typically controlled in biomonitoring studies by restriction or matching of subjects. Period effects (or seasonal variation) have been observed in a relatively large number of studies. There are various putative factors, which may cause period effects, including temporal variation in solar radiation, temperature, and air pollution. The present review describes the effects of these confounding factors in measurements of DNA strand breaks by the comet assay. In general, the literature does not indicate that any confounding factor is consistently associated with an increased level of DNA damage, measured by the comet assay. In this respect, it is important to balance the need to control for confounding with the risk of introducing in the statistical analysis a variable, which is influenced by exposure and outcome (i.e. collider bias). In addition, it is important that investigators describe procedures for controlling the effect of confounding factors in the selection of subjects and statistical analysis. Care should be taken in study design and statistical analysis to avoid unwanted effects of confounding factors.

Plywood is a wood-based material that, due to its good properties, has found applications in many areas of the wood industry, transport, and construction. Plywood is fabricated from multiple layers of veneer glued together with the grain direction of each layer of veneer perpendicular to that of the adjacent layers. In order to improve primarily mechanical properties, plywood is reinforced with various fibers, both natural and synthetic. Basalt is used in various forms as a material for reinforcing composite materials. Basalt mesh is primarily used in construction to improve the properties of wall and road structures. In order to determine the possibility of using basalt mesh in the production of wood-based composite materials, plywood reinforced with basalt mesh was produced in laboratory conditions. One, or two, or three basalt meshes were placed in different positions in the panel construction. The manufactured plywood reinforced with basal mesh was tested in accordance with EN 310. The paper presents the results of the bending strength test depending on the quantity and position of the basal mesh in the plywood construction.

Fire resistance of wood materials is crucial for the safety and longevity of construction structures, with spruce wood (Picea abies spp.) being widely used due to its mechanical properties. However, its natural fire resistance is limited, which poses a challenge in the context of fire safety. This study investigates the effects of various treatments and additives on enhancing the fire resistance of spruce wood. The methodology includes testing fire resistance using the small flame test in accordance with relevant standards. The expected results could contribute to improving safety standards in the construction industry, enabling broader and safer application of spruce wood in fire-sensitive constructions. Surface roughness analysis revealed significantly smoother surfaces in treated samples (Sa = 9.03 μm) compared to untreated sawn samples (Sa = 84.54 μm), which contributed to reduced combustion intensity. In small flame tests, untreated samples exhibited visible flames with flame heights up to 13.5 cm, whereas Burn Block treated samples showed no flame development and minimal color changes. Interestingly, burning depth was greater on treated samples, reflecting surface carbonization and the formation of a protective intumescent layer that slowed heat transfer and prevented deeper structural damage.

The research aims to improve the durability and functionality of traditional wooden structures through innovative technologies, reducing the ecological footprint and enhancing the economic viability of local materials. The model benches are made from five different types of indigenous conifer wood: Norway spruce, scots pine, larch, thermally modified spruce, and spruce treated with a copper-ethanolamine based biocide. Sensors installed on the benches allow continuous monitoring of wood moisture, a key factor in determining material durability under specific climatic conditions. Collected data will enable the evaluation of optimal wood types for various climatic conditions, promoting the wider use of indigenous, environmentally renewable materials. The project also aims to connect the wood protection industry with end-users, fostering sustainable approaches to environmental preservation, cultural landscapes, and wooden heritage. The research results support the application of wood materials in sectors such as agriculture, maritime transport, and tourism, contributing to ecologically sustainable and economically efficient use of natural resources.

Cutting processes, in general, and wood cutting processes in particular, are complex to explain and describe, depending on a number of influencing factors such as material characteristics, cutting tool geometry and cutting parameters. A thorough understanding of the characteristics of woodworking machining, such as cutting tool wear, cutting forces, energy consumption, and cutting tool stress, gives the opportunity to improve product quality, increase production efficiency, or improve the technological process. In this paper, some characteristic parameters of processing in flat, extensive milling of solid wood of different species are analysed in order to determine the significance of the selected parameters, as well as their mutual influences on the required cutting power.

Dynamic analysis can be used to determine dynamic displacements, time history, and the frequency content of loads. One of the analytical techniques for calculating the linear response of structures to dynamic loading is modal analysis. In modal analysis, the structural response is decomposed into several modes of oscillation. A mode is defined by its frequency and shape. Engineers refer to the mode with the lowest frequency (longest period) as the fundamental mode of oscillation. This paper presents Holzer’s approximate method for determining the modes and periods of oscillation for frame structures. The proposed approximation method, based on the relative stiffness of floors and the ground level, is also analyzed. The results obtained using the proposed approximate procedure do not significantly deviate from those obtained through more precise calculations. Therefore, it is emphasized that the method can be used both in practice and for verifying computer analyses of complex systems.

In this paper, a comparison between serverless databases and conventional data storage models is discussed, with a focus placed on architectural differences, performance measures, cost-benefit analysis, and use case applicability. In cloud-native applications, the use of serverless databases, in which resources are dynamically allocated as needed, is increasingly observed. In contrast, traditional databases require manual operations for infrastructure provisioning and maintenance. Situations in which serverless databases are preferable, as well as those where traditional approaches remain suitable, are characterized in this work. A guide for selecting a database system in modern computing environments is provided, based on an evaluation of systems such as AWS Aurora Serverless, Firebase, PostgreSQL, and MongoDB.

Alien species Trichopoda (Galactomyia) pictipennis Bigot, 1876 was found in southeasternBosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia in June and August 2024. This is the first recordof this species for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the southeastern part of Croatia.Additionally, this report includes the records from Montenegro and Bulgaria obtainedfrom the online data platform iNaturalist representing the first observations of T.pictipennis for Montenegro and the Black Sea coast in Bulgaria.

The genus Temnostoma comprises saproxylic hoverflies whose larvae develop by boring into wet, decaying wood, where they feed on microorganisms. Records of these species in the northwestern Balkans are sparse in the literature and nearly absent from openaccess databases. To enhance knowledge of their distribution in the region, we present new records of four Temnostoma species from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. Three species were recorded in all three countries, while T. apiforme was found exclusively in Croatia. This discovery marks not only the first record of this species in the country but also the first for the entire Balkan Peninsula. Furthermore, Temnostomameridionale was documented in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the first time. Given thatthese hoverflies are large and visually striking, we hope this study will inspire interestamong citizen scientists and encourage future contributions to the documentation ofthis genus in the region.