Simple Summary This research considers means of improving the early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC), a common and deadly form of cancer often identified too late for effective treatment. In our study, we examined AIFM3, VGLL4, and WNT4 in cancerous and healthy tissues at various stages of CRC. We found that these markers behave differently as the cancer advances. AIFM3 appears in healthy tissue and early cancer stages but disappears as the cancer worsens. VGLL4 increases in the affected tissues as the cancer progresses, particularly noticeable from early to more advanced stages. WNT4 is higher in cancerous tissues, but decreases in the supportive tissue surrounding cancer cells as the disease advances. Low VGLL4 levels are linked to better patient survival, unlike the other two markers. This finding suggests that VGLL4 could be useful as an indicator of CRC prognosis, potentially guiding treatment approaches.

Polyploidy is a powerful mechanism driving genetic, physiological, and phenotypic changes among cytotypes of the same species across both large and small geographic scales. These changes can significantly shape population structure and increase the evolutionary and adaptation potential of cytotypes. Alyssum moellendorfianum, an edaphic steno-endemic species with a narrow distribution in the Balkan Peninsula, serves as an intriguing case study. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of genetic diversity and population structure across the species’ range, employing an array of genetic techniques (nuclear microsatellites, amplified fragment length polymorphisms, and plastid DNA sequences), flow cytometry (FCM), morphometry, and pollen analysis. The study reveals two genetic lineages: spatially distributed diploid and tetraploid cytotypes. Clear divergence between diploids and tetraploids was shown by AFLP, while plastid DNA sequences confirmed private haplotypes in each of the studied populations. Higher genetic diversity and allelic richness following the north-south pattern were documented in tetraploids compared to diploids, as indicated by nuclear microsatellites. Morphometric analysis via principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) did not reveal any divergence between diploid and tetraploid cytotypes. Nonetheless, a distinction in pollen size was clearly observed. The results suggest an autopolyploid origin of tetraploids from diploid ancestors. Despite the population fragmentation in a very small geographic range, these populations harbour high genetic diversity, which would allow them to remain stable if natural processes remain undisturbed.

Background: CPAP has been shown to be particularly beneficial in the management of acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema by reducing both preload and afterload, thus decreasing the work of breathing and improving oxygenation. Methods: This study was a prospective observational study, conducted in the period from 2022 to 2024, assessing the effectiveness and safety of prehospital CPAP therapy use in patients with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema, administered alongside standard care. Results: In this study, 50 patients with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema were treated by physician-led emergency teams in the Canton of Sarajevo. CPAP significantly improved clinical parameters across all time points. Systolic blood pressure decreased from 151.0 ± 41.0 mmHg at initial contact to 138.4 ± 32.0 mmHg before transportation and further to 130.2 ± 28.5 mmHg upon hospital admission (p < 0.001). Diastolic pressure dropped from 85.6 ± 17.2 mmHg to 81.1 ± 15.2 mmHg before transportation (p = 0.018), with a slight further decrease to 80.2 ± 13.9 mmHg (p = 0.083). Heart rate fell from 114 ± 26.4 bpm to 111.3 ± 24.9 bpm before transportation (p = 0.003) and finally to 99.5 ± 18.2 bpm before hospital admission (p < 0.001). Respiratory rate decreased from 31.0 ± 10.2 to 28.0 ± 10.5 breaths/min (p = 0.002) and further to 22.6 ± 7.3 breaths/min (p < 0.001). End-tidal CO2 levels increased from 28.0 mmHg (23.5; 33.5) to 30.0 mmHg before transportation (p < 0.001), and to 35.0 mmHg (32.0; 37.5) before hospital admission (p < 0.001). Oxygen saturation improved from 79.0% (72.0; 81.0) to 84.0% before transportation (p < 0.001) and reached 94.0% (91.0; 98.2) before hospital admission (p < 0.001). VAS scores for dyspnea significantly dropped from 8.0 (6.0; 8.2) at initial contact to 6.0 (4.0; 8.0) before transportation (p < 0.001) and further to 4.0 (3.0; 5.0) before hospital admission (p < 0.001), indicating substantial symptom relief. ECG findings remained stable throughout the intervention. Conclusions: Prehospital CPAP therapy significantly improved clinical outcomes in cardiogenic pulmonary edema, including reductions in blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and enhanced oxygenation and symptom relief. These findings support its broader use in emergency care, even during short transport times.

AIM Moderate to severe asthma patients with sufficient and insufficient vitamin D serum level, respectively, were assessed with quality of life questionnaires before and after treatment with vitamin D added to their standard asthma treatment. METHODS Patients with moderate to severe asthma have been divided into two groups based on a serum level of vitamin D as sufficient or insufficient level of vitamin D, respectively. During 12 months, a total of 120 patients with sufficient level of vitamin D as well as 120 patients with insufficient level were given treatment with 2000 IU vitamin D for a three-month period. Quality of life of all patients was assessed by Asthma Control Test (ACT), Asthma Quality of Life (AQOL) and the physician's assessment expressed through the Global Evaluation of Treatment Effectiveness (GETE), which were performed before and after the treatment with Vitamin D. RESULTS Values of ACT and AQOL were higher after the treatment with vitamin D in both groups of patients. Values of GETE were lower after the treatment with vitamin D in both groups. All assessed components, psychological, physical, as well as the subjective feeling of control of the disease assessed by treating physicians, showed improvement after treatment. CONCLUSION Adding vitamin D in the treatment regimen of moderate to severe asthma patients improves quality of life and general asthma treatment effectiveness.

Trigonometry is an important part of secondary school mathematics, but it is usually challenging for students to understand and learn. Since trigonometry is learned and used at a university level in many fields, like physics or geodesy, it is important to have an insight into students’ trigonometry knowledge before the beginning of the university courses. This research aimed to develop a test in triangle and circle trigonometry, which can be used to test students’ prior knowledge of basic trigonometric concepts. A test with multiple-choice questions was developed based on content and learning outcomes from the secondary school curriculum. After a group of three experts evaluated the content validity of the test, the corrected version was given to 58 first-year students at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. After the test and item analysis, a final version of the test was made which can be used as a short initial test to measure students’ prior knowledge of trigonometry at the beginning of a university course.

Numerous sectors, including science, business, social sciences, humanities, and finance, heavily rely on data-driven methodologies. Organizations place a high priority on extracting pertinent insights and patterns from massive datasets produced by sensor data, financial transactions, and human behavior. Big data is the term for large, intricate databases that are too big for standard techniques to manage. Through the application of big data analytics technology, these databases may yield insightful information that improves decision-making and fosters innovation and operational efficiency. It is essential to compare technologies like as Hadoop, Spark, and Flink to ascertain which one best suit certain data characteristics and processing needs. A thorough comparison of big data analytics technologies is included in this paper. It showcases the most recent developments in big data analytics, such as cloud-based solutions, machine learning integration, real-time processing, and the capacity to handle a wider range of data types. To fully utilize their data, businesses must comprehend these technologies and how they are developing. Additionally, this paper offers suggestions to consider when selecting the most effective big data analytics tools. Keywords: Big Data, Big data Analytics, Big Data Analytics Technologies, Hadoop, Spark, Flink.

Background: Hemoplasmas represent the type of bacteria that infect red blood cells, potentially leading to various health impacts, including changes in blood parameters. The close interaction between hemoplasma and red blood cells results in cell damage through immune-related and other unspecified mechanisms. Even with a strong immune response and antibiotic treatment, affected animals are likely to remain chronic carriers once clinical symptoms have subsided. These microorganisms were previously documented in sheep and other small ruminants worldwide. Aim: Since there is a lack of research on the link between Mycoplasma infection and blood parameters, our aim was to investigate how Mycoplasma infection affects these blood parameters. In addition, the study conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina represents the first documented research of hemoplasma infection in goats within this region. Methods: In this research, 20 Alpine goats were sampled to investigate the presence of hemoplasma using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Sequences of the 16S rRNA gene fragments were identified subsequently. The effect of Mycoplasma ovis (M. ovis) infection was observed on the following hematological parameters: Red blood cell count (RBC), hematocrit (HCT), hemoglobin (HGB), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, Reticulocyte count, and white blood cell (WBC). Effect on white blood cell differentiation, absolute white blood cell counts, platelet count, and mean platelet volume were also investigated. Results: PCR analysis confirmed the presence of Mycoplasma spp. in 7 out of the 20 blood samples. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene fragments revealed that all positive samples were identified as M. ovis. The research findings highlighted potential effects on blood parameters in infected goats. Goats infected with M. ovis exhibited higher mean levels of HGB and HCT compared to uninfected goats. However, there were no statistically significant differences in RBC counts between infected and uninfected groups. The study also noted significantly higher WBC counts in goats without M. ovis infection. Conclusion: 35% of animals tested positive for M. ovis. Our study’s findings showed notable differences in hematological parameters between goats infected with M. ovis and those that were not infected.

AIM To analyse the impact of age and body mass index (BMI) on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan results in postmenopausal women. METHODS The study included 100 postmenopausal women who underwent the DXA procedure, out of which 50 had a normal BMI and 50 were overweight/obese. Data that were examined included age, BMI, T-score of the lumbar region and the femoral neck, as well as bone mineral density (BMD). Correlation results were presented as Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). RESULTS The T2-score and BMD2 were significantly lower in older patients compared to younger ones (p=0.008 and p=0.007, respectively). Post hoc test results showed that the T2-score and BMD2 were significantly lower in patients ≥71 years of age compared to patients ≤59 years of age (p=0.006 and p=0.005, respectively). Also, T1- and T2-scores, as well as BMD1 and BMD2, were significantly higher in overweight/obese patients (p< 0.001 and p=0.003; p< 0.001 and p=0.002, respectively). The correlation between BMI and the T1-score was moderate (r=0.429), between BMI and the T2-score weak (r=0.348), between BMI and BMD1 moderate (r=0.431), and between BMI and BMD2 weak (r=0.344). CONCLUSION Our study showed that both age and BMI are important factors affecting DXA procedures and should be taken into account with each postmenopausal woman individually in everyday practice.

As simulations play a crucial role for the development of modern electrical machines, it is very important to have good material models used in these simulations. Material models are dependent on certain material parameters which often cannot be measured directly and usually require a lot of computational resources to be determined. This paper investigates the application of neural networks and Gaussian processes for the identification of the magnetic permeability in electrical steel sheets. Through the manufacturing process of such steel sheets, different cutting techniques produce different material behaviour in the vicinity of the cutting edge. Therefore, the method requires the generation of datasets dependent on the degradation profile of the cut steel sheets. This is achieved through simulation and the constructed models can be reused without further simulation runs. This paper also uses an ensemble method to mitigate the issue of measurement noise. For the whole training and testing only simulation data is used as actual measurement data is not yet available.

We introduce the concept of Diophantine spherical vague set approach to multiple-attribute decision-making. The Spherical vague set is a novel expansion of the vague set and interval valued spherical fuzzy set. Three new concepts have been introduce such as Diophantine spherical vague weighted averaging operator, Diophantine spherical vague weighted geometric operator, generalized Diophantine spherical vague weighted averaging operator and generalized Diophantine spherical vague weighted geometric operator. We provide a numerical example to show how Euclidean distance and Hamming distance interact. Applications of the Diophantine spherical vague number include idempotency, boundedness, commutativity and monotonicity in algebraic operations. They can determine the optimal option and are more well-known and reasonable. Our goal was to identify the optimal choice by comparing expert opinions with the criteria. As a result, the model’s output was more accurate as well as in the range of the natural number . The weighted averaging distance and weighted geometric distance operators are distance measure that is based on aggregating model. By comparing the models under discussion with those suggested in the literature, we hoped to show their worth and reliability. It is possible to find a better solution more quickly, simply, and practically. Our objective was to compare the expert evaluations with the criteria and determine which option was the most suitable. Because they yield more precise solutions, these models are more accurate and more related to models with . To show the superiority and the validity of the proposed aggregation operations, we compared it with the existing method and concluded from the comparison and sensitivity analysis that our proposed technique is more effective and reliable. This investigation yielded some intriguing results.