Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a chronic condition of reduced blood flow through the arteries. Early detection and prevention of PAD, especially in at-risk populations, is crucial to reducing morbidity and mortality. Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the clinical feasibility of vascular ultrasound screening for early detection of PAD, as well as potential financial savings through preventive measures. Methods: The study was conducted as a prospectively designed cross-sectional study with retrospective sample analysis, in which the sample consisted of 826 patients over 60 years of age, of both sexes, divided into two groups, conducted from January 2023 to May 2024. Results: The study included 826 patients aged 60 and over, divided into two groups after ultrasound examination of the arteries (Group A with atherosclerosis /63.8%/; Group B - without atherosclerosis /36.2%/). The average age was 65.44±5.9 years, 60-65 years was 64.3%, and over 65 years was 35.7%. A statistically significant difference was recorded between the analyzed groups in terms of comorbidities and risk factors. We found that age, gender, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, smoking and chronic obstructive disease have a significant relationship with the degree of atherosclerosis. Multivariate analysis showed that the age of the subjects, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and smoking are significant predictors of atherosclerosis. The prevalence for hemodynamically significant stenosis of ACI/ACC was 5.0%, for peripheral arteries 4.2%, the prevalence of aneurysm abdominal aorta (>3 cm) was 2.3%, and 0.5% for diameter >5 cm. Conclusion: The results show the high efficiency of ultrasound diagnostics in identifying asymptomatic patients with advanced atherosclerosis, emphasizing the need for better organization of preventive programs, which could lead to potential savings in healthcare costs through earlier detection and treatment.

Background: Normal sleep duration is crucial for maintaining brain homeostasis. Sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease are numerous, multifactorial, and result in significant morbidity. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the association between gender and the duration of therapy on sleep quality in patients with Parkinson's disease. Methods: The study is prospective, and includes 40 consecutively hospitalized patients with verified Parkinson's disease. The study included subjects of both genders and all age groups. To analyze the data on the subjects, we used: medical histories, nursing documentation of patients, a questionnaire with sociodemographic data, and the Parkinson's Disease Sleep Assessment Scale. We divided all subjects into two groups: subjects who have been using therapy for up to 5 years and those who have been using therapy for more than 5 years. Results: Among subjects who have been taking medication for less than 5 years, 33.3% were female and 66.6% were male. Of the total number of respondents who have been taking therapy for more than 5 years, 36.3% are female and 63.6% are male. The duration of the therapy has a statistically significant effect on the quality of sleep in patients with Parkinson's disease (p < 0.05). The subject's gender does not have a significant independent influence on the quality of sleep in patients with Parkinson's disease (p > 0.05). The interaction of gender and length of therapy use has no significant separate effect on the quality of sleep in Parkinson's disease patients (p > 0.05). The quality of sleep is better in male and female subjects who take the therapy until the age of 5. Conclusion: The duration of therapy use has a significant impact on the quality of sleep in Parkinson's disease patients. The gender of the subject has no significant independent influence on the quality of sleep in patients with Parkinson's disease.

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has underscored the significant role of cardiovascular risk factors in determining the severity and outcomes of the disease. Pre-existing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases have emerged as key contributors to increased susceptibility to severe forms of COVID-19, influencing both short-term and long-term health outcomes. This review examines the complex interplay between these risk factors and the virus’s direct impact on the cardiovascular system. Key findings suggest that conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity not only predispose individuals to more severe disease but also exacerbate complications such as myocardial injury, arrhythmias, and heart failure. Furthermore, the long-term cardiovascular effects of COVID-19, including myocarditis and pericarditis, are of growing concern, particularly in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions. The virus’s ability to induce myocardial damage through mechanisms involving ACE2 receptor binding and inflammatory cytokine storms has been well-documented. The pandemic has also highlighted significant cardiovascular complications, including left and right ventricular dysfunction, myocardial injury, and elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, with the right ventricle being particularly affected due to pulmonary damage. Imaging modalities such as echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance have proven valuable for diagnosing myocardial injury and complications, although accessibility may be limited in routine clinical practice. Survivors of severe COVID-19, especially those with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, face an elevated risk of major adverse cardiovascular events for up to two years post-infection. Evaluation of post-COVID patients includes ECGs, laboratory tests, echocardiography, and cardiac MRI, which provide critical insights into myocardial injury and complications. Preventive measures, including vaccination, regular monitoring of cardiovascular health, and lifestyle modifications, play a crucial role in reducing the long-term risk of cardiovascular complications. The role of vaccination in mitigating the risk of severe disease and cardiovascular complications is well-established, despite rare cases of vaccine-related myocarditis. Understanding these interactions is essential for developing targeted management strategies, improving patient outcomes in both acute and long-term COVID-19 effects, and addressing the broader challenges posed by COVID-19’s impact on cardiovascular health.

The paper is concerned with hexacyclic systems (Fn) and their M¨obius counterparts (Mn). Continuing the studies in MATCH Commun. Math. Comput. Chem. 94 (2025) 477, the characteristic polynomial and the eigenvalues of the Sombor matrix of Fn and Mn, and the respective Sombor energies are determined. Upper and lower bounds for the Sombor energy in terms of the number of hexagons are also obtained.

The paper aims to explore the impact of state audits of grants in the public sector on reducing non-compliance with legal regulations. The research was conducted over a ten-year period among federal and cantonal ministries in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) responsible for planning and distributing grant funds as part of their regular duties. The research results show that the total number of recommendations given during the observed 10-year period was 1,666, including: 245 recommendations related to grant planning, 684 recommendations related to the distribution of grant funds, 554 recommendations concerning the oversight of the designated expenditure of allocated funds, 74 recommendations concerning grant implementation reporting, and 109 recommendations regarding the accuracy of accounting records. During the observed ten-year period, the number of recommendations decreased by 75%. The research results also indicate that the adoption of stricter guidelines for grant management has a strong impact on reducing the number of identified irregularities. The paper also presents an analysis of the most common causes of irregularities. The results of the conducted research will contribute to filling the literature gap on the importance of grant audits, the most common causes of identified irregularities, and the significance of stricter legal regulations and clearer rules related to grant management.

This paper investigates the impact of different accounting bases and financial reporting frameworks on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in the public sector. Specifically, it examines how various accounting approaches (cash, modified cash, accrual, and modified accrual) and reporting frameworks (national accounting standards, International Public Sector Accounting Standards-IPSAS with or without modifications, and other frameworks) influence the perception of corruption in public institutions. The study uses a sample of 147 countries, with the CPI as the dependent variable and accounting basis and financial reporting framework as independent variables. The results of the ANOVA analysis reveal a statistically significant difference in corruption perception indices among countries employing different accounting bases. The results of this study indicate that countries applying simpler accounting frameworks, such as national standards and IPSAS modified for the local context, show a lower perception of corruption, as evidenced by a higher CPI value. In contrast, more complex frameworks, including IPSAS or national standards referencing IPSAS, combined with cash and partial accrual bases, do not significantly reduce corruption perception. Additionally, countries using national standards based on IFRS exhibit the lowest levels of perceived corruption in the public sector.

Soybean yield potential is strongly impacted by environmental conditions. Soybean yield variability could be explained by climatic variables. Choice of tolerant varieties adapted to different limited environmental conditions could be used as adaptive strategies to sustain the development of soybean areas. Three soybean varieties with high seed and oil content (Balkan, Novosađanka and Vojvođanka) were analyzed in three localities of Vojvodina Province in Serbia: Novi Sad (45°20′00″ S; 19°51′00″), Pančevo (44°52′15″ S; 20°38′51″) and Laćarak (44°59′45″ S; 19°34′03″). The highest yield of the three examined soybean varieties was shown by Vojvođanka (3365.0 kg ha-1), whereas the statistically highest yield was in 2010 (4301.1 kg ha-1) in the investigated period (2006-2011). All three varieties gave the lowest seed yield at the Pančevo locality, due to the deficit of precipitation and lower content of humus in the soil. The oil content in the seeds was also influenced by all three examined factors. The soybean varieties Vojvođanka and Balkan had statistically higher oil content than Novosađanka. The agroecological and soil conditions of Novi Sad were the most suitable for the synthesis of oil in the seeds of all genotypes. Oil content was statistically highest in 2010 (22.31%) compared to all tested years. The analysis has shown that Vojvođanka was the most promising of all soybean’s varieties.

Background: In recent years, research efforts have focused on understanding virtual environments and the importance of collaboration in such environments. The spread of remote working, exacerbated by the global pandemic and changing workforce dynamics, has meant that organizations are increasingly reliant on dispersed teams. Building trust in virtual teams is paramount to fostering effective collaboration, and achieving common goals. Trust reduces uncertainty, promotes collaboration and facilitates open communication between team members. Building trust in virtual contexts is challenging due to limited face-to-face interactions. In addition, knowledge sharing plays a crucial role in improving team effectiveness by enabling information sharing and problem solving. The lack of physical proximity in virtual environments is a barrier to spontaneous knowledge sharing and highlights the critical need for a culture that encourages knowledge sharing. Methodology: This study highlights the importance of cultivating a supportive virtual environment, ensuring psychological safety and utilizing technical platforms to facilitate information sharing. Quantitative data and survey methods are used to explore the integral impact of trust, knowledge sharing, collaboration, and team effectiveness. Findings and Conclusions: The results of this study contribute to the existing literature on virtual teamwork by highlighting techniques and practices that improve team performance. The finding that trust and information sharing play a central role in virtual teams can help organizations develop effective virtual work policies, design appropriate training programs, and select suitable collaboration platforms. Limitations and Future Research: While the study provides valuable insights, the generalizability of the findings to other contexts is limited by the restriction to a single sample. Replicating the study in different organizational contexts would improve the robustness of the results. Furthermore, the cross-sectional nature of the study limits the possibility of proving causality. Future research efforts could use longitudinal studies to examine the complex relationships between trust, teamwork, collaboration, and knowledge sharing over time.

Background: The etiology of oral ulceration is multicausal with numerous predisposing factors. Studies by various authors cite Helicobacter pylori infection as a possible cause of certain oral ulcerations. Objective: The aim of the study is to prove the presence of Helicobacter pylori in the oral cavity of patients with oral ulcerations, as well as to examine the relationship between the presence of Helicobacter pylori in the oral cavity and the development of oral ulcerations. Methods: The study included regular patients at the Department and Clinic of Oral Medicine and Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Sarajevo, suffering from oral ulcerations, as well as healthy patients without oral diseases. The diagnosis of oral ulceration is based on a thorough history, clinical examination, and exclusion of other oral diseases. All patients were taken anamnestic data on the existence of digestive system diseases, and by reviewing medical documentation, a previously diagnosed digestive system disease by a gastroenterologist was recorded. A cytological smear was taken in all 80 cases, in patients with ulcerative lesions a smear was taken from the lesion and in healthy subjects from the mucous membrane of the palate, cheek and tongue. Highly sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine the presence of Helicobacter pylori in the oral cavity and oral lesions. Results: The results of our study showed that there is no statistically significant difference between the presence of Helicobacter pylori in the oral cavity of patients with oral ulcerations and subjects with healthy mucosa. Conclusion: Helicobacter pylori is not a risk factor for the development of oral ulcerations and can be found on the oral mucosa as a transient pathogen.

Eduard von Keyserlings erster Roman Fräulein Rosa Herz (1887) war kein Bestseller. Da sich Keyserling später selbst von seinem Frühwerk distanzierte, überrascht auch die vernachlässigende Einstellung der Forschung gegenüber diesem Werk nicht. Für das Verständis von Keyserlings Poetik erweist sich der Roman jedoch als wichtige Grundlage. Der Text behandelt viele zeitspezifische Themen, darunter auch die Adoleszenz, wobei Keyserlings Schreiben generell der weiblichen Adoleszenz mehr Aufmerksamkeit schenkt. Die einzelnen Problempunkte, die Keyserling dabei aufgreift, werden auch in diesem Beitrag dargestellt. Obwohl Fräulein Rosa Herz in den 80er Jahren des 19. Jahrhunderts erscheint und traditionell nicht als Adoleszenzroman bezeichnet wurde, kann der Roman als interessanter und wertvoller Beitrag zur Adoleszenzliteratur der Moderne betrachtet werden.

The article aims to mathematically model processes that occur in non-metallic heterogeneous materials when active thermography methods were used for deep study control. Currently, the trend in industrial development is using non-metallic heterogeneous mediums as a system of various components as structural materials. Such materials are characterized by improved physical and mechanical properties, which can be adjusted by selecting compositions and the ratio of component phases and macrostructure. At the same time, they are characterized by disadvantages such as variability of volume and time properties and the presence of various defects. Effective control methods are of particular importance to ensure the quality and reliability of products made from materials of this class. In the article, the authors analyzed the capabilities of existing non-destructive testing methods for flaw detection of products made of non-metallic heterogeneous materials. When developing a new and improving an existing measurement method, the problem of establishing a set of radiation parameters was used. This allowed for describing the state of the material with the necessary accuracy and the functional connections of these parameters with the latter’s characteristics.

Food sovereignty is the human right to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and the right of people to define their own food and agriculture systems. Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. In contrast to food security, which focuses on ensuring that enough food is available, food sovereignty emphasizes control over food production and distribution by local communities. Shifting the focus from food security to food sovereignty essentially represents a reconnection between nature, food, and people. The right to seeds is at the basis of each community’s food sovereignty, what is possible to achieve only in the system of farmers’ seeds. Farmer seed systems are a critical contribution to food sovereignty and farmers’ rights. For over 10.000 years, people have freely saved, selected, exchanged, and sold seeds, using and reusing them for sowing and food production. The farmers’ seed system is defined by the long-standing continuous renewal and free distribution of seeds and knowledge among people. Seeds are gifted, shared, or traded in informal and formal markets. These seeds are more resilient to climate change, pests, and pathogens, and they also ensure a more diverse food system and a dynamic global ecosystem. Today, farmers’ rights to seeds, crucial for their survival, are seriously threatened and are in decline worldwide. These seed systems are undermined by inadequate legislation and insufficient support from governments and public research, primarily as the result of a protected seed market based fundamentally on intellectual property rights and trade agreements. Farmers’ seed systems are vital for preservation of plant genetic diversity of all agricultural crops. It is increasingly expected that global climate change, combined with other factors, will significantly alter this agricultural biodiversity. Broad efforts will be needed to help reduce the climate vulnerability of current agricultural production systems and building more resilient and adaptive agroecosystems. The farmers’ seed system and the associated traditional agricultural practices are key factors for adaptation.