During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, treatment protocols varied substantially among countries and even between hospitals. This study compared the clinical characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated in tertiary centers in Türkiye and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We retrospectively analyzed 1338 adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection: 657 patients in Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina, June–December 2020) and 681 in İstanbul (Turkiye, April–May 2020). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data, treatment details (including favipiravir use), need for invasive or non-invasive mechanical ventilation, and in-hospital mortality were extracted from medical records. Patients in Bosnia and Herzegovina were older (61.6 ± 14.4 vs. 56.9 ± 15.8 years; p < 0.001) and had longer hospital stays (9.0 ± 5.5 vs. 7.7 ± 6.1 days; p < 0.001). In the Bosnian cohort, leukocyte, neutrophil, platelet, ferritin, CRP, troponin, creatinine, AST, and ALT levels were significantly higher, whereas hemoglobin and D-dimer levels were lower. The need for ventilatory support was greater in Bosnia and Herzegovina (15.1% vs. 12.2%, p < 0.001), and overall mortality was higher (25.7% vs. 9.3%, p < 0.001). No mortality difference was observed between patients treated and not treated with favipiravir. Despite similar inclusion criteria, patients in Bosnia and Herzegovina exhibited more severe disease, greater organ involvement, and higher mortality than those in Turkiye. Favipiravir use did not influence survival. Inter-country comparisons highlight how differing patient profiles and treatment protocols may impact COVID-19 outcomes; however, interpretation should consider that the two centers contributed data from different phases of the 2020 pandemic, and that country-level differences in circulating variants, healthcare capacity, hospital strain, and evolving clinical guidelines may also have influenced the observed patterns.

This article explores experts’ perspectives on the most important soft skills for entrepreneurial success in the Western Balkans (WB) and identifies effective educational and workplace practices to foster these skills. Using a qualitative Delphi study supported by a literature review, the research gathered and synthesized opinions from 20 experts representing Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Findings show that communication, adaptability, flexibility, teamwork, and critical thinking are essential for business success, while leadership, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and teamwork are considered most vital for future entrepreneurs. Experts emphasized that group projects, specialized courses, and blended learning approaches are effective in educational settings, while workplace skill development benefits from training programs, mentoring, active communication, and openness to feedback. This study provides region-specific insights into skill-building strategies for young entrepreneurs, addressing a key research gap. By integrating expert consensus with evidence-based practices, the article offers a framework for educators, policymakers, institutions, and businesses to strengthen entrepreneurship education and workforce readiness across the WB region.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) continues to pose one of the most significant challenges in maternal health, affecting nearly 40% of pregnant women worldwide according to the World Health Organization (2023).  Despite advances in obstetric screening, conventional diagnostic methods such as complete blood count (CBC) tests often fail to detect early or latent stages of anemia due to physiological changes associated with pregnancy.  This study introduces a robust machine learning framework integrating Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Conditional Tabular Generative Adversarial Networks (CTGAN) for the early detection of IDA in pregnant women. Our approach addresses the class imbalance inherent in clinical datasets and incorporates trimester-specific hematological adaptations.  Using 3,944 anonymized clinical records from ASA Hospital Sarajevo (January–July 2025), we evaluated model performance across hematological features commonly used in obstetric care. The optimized model achieved a precision of 100%, recall of 65.2%, specificity of 100%, and an AUC-ROC of 0.8686. Comparative analysis against conventional CBC screening, which reached only 40.5% sensitivity, demonstrated significant improvement in detection reliability. These findings demonstrate the potential of AI-enhanced diagnostics to support early detection of IDA in pregnant women, reduce missed diagnoses, and strengthen clinical decision-making. Further multi-center validation and integration of additional biomarkers are recommended to confirm generalizability.

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the inappropriate use of antibiotics, amplifying the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly in resource-limited healthcare settings. This study investigated AMR patterns in a tertiary care hospital, focusing on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on invasive bacterial pathogens. Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at the University Clinical Centre of the Republic of Srpska, analyzing AMR data from invasive bacterial isolates collected between 2015 and 2024, and assessing correlations between antibiotic utilization and resistance patterns during the study periods. Results: Among 4718 invasive bacterial isolates, Acinetobacter spp. (26.7%) and K. pneumoniae (20.8%) were the most prevalent. A significant increase in invasive isolates was observed during the COVID-19 period, particularly for K. pneumoniae (p = 0.003), P. aeruginosa (p = 0.017), Acinetobacter spp. (p = 0.013), and E. faecium (p = 0.028). The highest multidrug-resistant (MDR) rates were observed in Acinetobacter spp. (97% during COVID-19) and K. pneumoniae (>80% post-COVID-19). Resistance increased significantly in K. pneumoniae to cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and carbapenems, and in P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. to carbapenems, while P. aeruginosa resistance to aminoglycosides declined. Strong correlations were found between carbapenems use and Acinetobacter spp. resistance (r = 0.861, p = 0.001), and vancomycin use and E. faecalis resistance (r = 0.798, p = 0.006). Moderate correlations were also observed between carbapenems use and resistance of K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa. Conclusions: These findings highlight the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on AMR dynamics, particularly among Gram-negative pathogens, and underscore the urgent need for strengthened antimicrobial stewardship and targeted surveillance to curb the spread of MDR pathogens, especially in resource-limited hospitals.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a complex and potentially life-threatening inflammatory condition with a highly variable clinical course, ranging from mild, self-limiting episodes to severe necrotizing forms. Among its common complications ascites has traditionally been viewed as a passive byproduct of peritoneal inflammation and enzymatic leakage with limited diagnostic or prognostic utility. However, growing evidence challenges this perspective, suggesting that ascitic fluid in AP represents a dynamic and clinically meaningful component of disease progression. In this editorial we reflected on the findings presented by Rao et al, who highlighted the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic significance of ascitic fluid in AP. Easily accessible markers such as lactate dehydrogenase may provide early prognostic insight while emerging molecular biomarkers and cytokine profiles offer promise for more precise risk stratification and individualized therapy. We argue that the systematic evaluation of ascitic fluid should be integrated into the clinical management of moderate to severe AP. Incorporating ascites analysis into standard diagnostic protocols may enhance early risk assessment, inform therapeutic decisions, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Ascitic fluid should be recognized as a clinically valuable marker and an important source of information in the evolving landscape of AP care.

Background Previous studies have shown that items that another individual looks at are better remembered than items that are not looked at, whereas the same effect has rarely been observed for non-social cues such as arrows. This pattern of results has been taken as an indication that joint attention improves memory. However, these previous studies have differed in the type of memory being tested and the type of content that is to be remembered: while effects of joint attention on long-term memory were tested with verbal items and non-verbal items, effects on working memory have only been tested with non-verbal items such as colour. Thus, the aim of the current study was to extend these previous findings and investigate whether joint attention influences working memory for verbal items. Methods In Experiment 1, participants were first presented with an image of a face with eyes that gazed either to the left or to the right. A grid of 4 letters (2x2) was then shown either on the side cued by gaze or on the opposite side. After a retention interval (1000 ms), participants were shown a letter in the centre of the screen and judged whether this letter was part of the grid shown before. In Experiment 2, we followed the same general procedure but one group was presented with gaze cues, and the other group was presented with arrow cues. Results Across two experiments, our results revealed that participants had better recall of letters that had been cued than letters that had not been cued, regardless of cue type. In contrast, participants’ reaction times were not influenced by whether the letter had been cued. Conclusions Our findings suggest that both social and non-social cues can modulate recall of verbal items such as letters in a working memory task.

In this research, the impact of applications on improving urban logistics was examined using the example of the company EX, with an emphasis on the sustainability of its business. To conduct this research, expert decision-making was used. The model used ten criteria and eight applications. To incorporate uncertainty into this research, an intuitionistic fuzzy approach was used. Based on the obtained CC values, the criteria weights were determined using the SiWeC (Simple Weight Calculation) method, while the WASPAS (Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment) method ranked the applications. The results showed that “Security and data protection” and “System reliability and stability” were the most important criteria, while Application 1 achieved the best results. These results were confirmed by the consistency analysis of the WASPAS method and the sensitivity analysis, which considered 30 scenarios.

The primary objective of external fixation is to stabilize bone fractures, with the mechanical characteristics of the fixation system playing a critical role in shaping the biomechanical environment of the fracture and, consequently, the healing process. This study presents an experimental investigation of the stability of eight unilateral external fixation configurations applied to an open tibial fracture. The stiffness of each configuration was evaluated under axial compression, anterior–posterior (AP) bending, medial–lateral (ML) bending, and torsional loading. In addition, the effects of structural parameters—such as the number of half-pins, planarity of the configuration, and interfragmentary distance—on fixator stiffness and generated stresses were examined. The results revealed a linear relationship between applied load and both bone segment displacement and principal stresses. Biomechanical tests demonstrated that biplanar configurations provide sufficient stability for open tibial fractures, while simultaneously offering an optimal structural design for the fixation system. Moreover, the number of half-pins was identified as a statistically significant factor influencing configuration stiffness under axial loading and torsion, with biplanar configurations proving particularly effective in torsional scenarios. However, in AP and ML bending tests, neither configuration type nor any individual parameter produced statistically significant differences in bending stiffness. Interestingly, interfragmentary distance did not exert a statistically significant effect on configuration stiffness under any loading condition. Furthermore, neither configuration type nor the analyzed parameters had a notable influence on the principal stresses measured at the control points.

Abstract Objective. To report two additional cases of glycogen-rich clear cell carcinoma (GRCC) of the breast – detailing their clinicopathologic features, immunophenotypes, and follow-up – and to provide an updated literature review since 2020. Case Reports. Two patients (66 and 52 years old) had GRCC confirmed morphologically and histochemically. Case 1 was ER-positive/HER2-positive (luminal B/HER2-positive) and was managed with surgery, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and anti-HER2 therapy (trastuzumab). Case 2 was triple-negative and received neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (pembrolizumab-based) with marked pathologic tumor regression at resection. Both patients were disease-free at one and 12 months, respectively. Conclusions. GRCC is heterogeneous and should not be regarded as a single clinicopathologic entity within invasive breast carcinoma of no special type or assumed to have a uniform prognosis. Management should be biomarker-guided, as illustrated by these cases. The role of targeted and immune therapies in GRCC warrants multi-institutional studies.

Background Previous studies have shown that stimuli that another individual looks at are better remembered than stimuli that are not looked at, suggesting that joint attention improves memory. However, these previous studies have differed in the type of memory being tested and the type of content that is to-be-remembered: while effects of joint attention on long-term memory were tested with verbalizable stimuli, effects on working memory have only been tested with visual stimuli such as colour. Thus, the aim of the current study is to extend these previous findings and investigate whether joint attention improves working memory for verbalizable stimuli. Methods Participants were first presented with an image of a face with eyes that gazed either to the left or to the right, after which a grid of 4 letters (2x2) was shown. On half of trials, this grid with letters was shown in the same direction that was gazed at, and in the other half of the trials, in the other direction. After a retention interval (1000 ms), participants were shown a letter in the centre of the screen and asked to judge whether they have seen this letter as part of the grid shown before. Results Our results revealed that participants’ judgements about whether they had previously seen the letter was more accurate for letters that had been gazed at than letters that had not been gazed at. In contrast, participants’ reaction times were not influenced by whether the letter had been gazed at. Conclusions Our findings suggest that joint attention can improve working memory for verbalizable stimuli such as letters.

In the early stages of research on the genetics of human morphological traits, particular attention was given to the details of the physical complexities of the face. In this field, prominent focus was placed on the characteristics of the auricle, especially the types of the earlobe (lobulus auriculae). This paper presents the first data on the previously undescribed possibility of inheriting the ossified granules of the antihelix. Based on genealogical analysis of the presence/absence of the granule across five successive generations of a Bosnian family, evidence is provided for the autosomal recessive inheritance of this dimorphism.

Abstract Objective. This article aims to emphasize the importance of considering invasive thymoma in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses and highlights the critical role of timely surgical and oncological management in improving patient outcomes. Case Report. We present the case of a 70-year-old woman who presented with signs of superior vena cava syndrome, including dyspnea, facial swelling, and fatigue. Advanced imaging and intraoperative findings revealed a large anterior mediastinal mass infiltrating the left brachiocephalic vein and superior vena cava, extending into both the right atrium and right ventricle. Surgical intervention was performed, and histopathological analysis confirmed B2 thymoma with a high Ki-67 proliferation index. Despite surgical intervention, the patient’s condition deteriorated, and she ultimately succumbed to the disease. Conclusion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported Bosnian case of B2 thymoma invading the brachiocephalic vein and superior vena cava and infiltrating both the right atrium and ventricle, causing superior vena cava syndrome. Despite their rarity, thymomas should always be considered in patients presenting with an enlarged mediastinum.

Peripheral sensory neurons, residing in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), relay sensory information from the periphery to the central nervous system. Although single-cell transcriptomic studies have identified over 20 distinct sensory neuron subtypes, functional analysis and assessment of subtype-specific pathological changes remain difficult. Effective isolation and enrichment of sensory neurons are challenging yet essential for functional studies. Therefore, we used single-cell transcriptomic data from DRG to identify a panel of neuronal surface markers, including Nrxn2 and Pirt. Using these markers, we developed a fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) panel for neuronal enrichment and analysis that does not rely on transgenic mouse strains and can be broadly applied. The panel was validated by microscopy and single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing, which also revealed broad representation of neuronal subtypes. Expression of these markers in human DRG underscores the translational value of this isolation method for sensory and pain studies. Overall, this study provides a valuable tool for isolating DRG neurons, advancing research on sensory neuron function and pain biology, and facilitating neuroimmune studies.

Foreword.  

Grammatical aspect informs us about the internal temporal contours of a situa tion. In other words, aspect provides information as to how the verbal action is to be regarded, whether it is complete, continuous, or iterative. Bosnian grammati calizes the binary system characteristic of Slavic languages that entails that verbs are marked for the perfective or the imperfective aspect. English, on the other hand, grammaticalizes the perfect and the progressive, which do not entirely cor respond to the perfective/imperfective aspectual opposition. Grammatical aspect is an obligatory category in Bosnian, whilst in English, verbs need not be mor phologically marked for aspect. Expectedly, studies report different processing patterns in sentences with aspectual violations in these two languages. It has been shown that native speakers of English do not show electrophysiological responses to violations of aspect, while native speakers of Bosnian show a clear sensitivity to aspectual violations immediately at the verb. Even though they detect aspectual violations already at the point of the verb in Bosnian, their L1, in this study we investigate whether university students of English process aspectual violations in English, their L2. More precisely, we conducted a self-paced reading study to ex plore whether Bosnian university students of English detect aspectual violations at the position of the verb or in adjacent positions during incremental sentence processing. Our results are in line with the previous findings on L1 processing of English aspect – English aspectual violations are not detected online during sen tence comprehension in L2 processing. However, there is an important difference. Unlike native speakers of English, Bosnian university students of English do not detect aspectual violations even after the sentence has been processed. Such re sults provide evidence for the Shallow Structure Hypothesis in L2 processing. We, therefore, compare our findings with other studies on grammatical aspect, con trast L1 and L2 processing, and discuss English and Bosnian grammatical aspect.