The Wallace--Freeman estimator is a classical invariant point estimator whose large-sample properties have not been fully developed in a modern asymptotic framework. We show that the estimator can be formulated as a penalised M-estimator with a specific penalty weight, yielding a unified route to its asymptotic analysis. This representation allows us to establish existence, consistency, an asymptotic linear expansion, and asymptotic normality under standard regularity conditions. We further derive the first-order difference between the Wallace--Freeman estimator and the maximum likelihood estimator, and show that this induces an explicit $O(n^{-1})$ bias correction determined by the gradient of the penalty. As a consequence, the Cox--Snell bias formula for the maximum likelihood estimator extends naturally to the Wallace--Freeman estimator by the addition of a penalty-driven correction term. As an illustration, we derive the first-order bias of the Wallace--Freeman estimator for the Weibull model and show how the penalty modifies the corresponding maximum likelihood bias. These results place the Wallace--Freeman estimator within the general theory of penalised likelihood and provide a rigorous asymptotic basis for its use in parametric inference.

Autori u radu pišu o političkoj situaciji u Banja Luci od 1990. do kraja 1992. godine. To je period od održavanja prvih višestranačkih izbora do perioda intenzivne kampanje protjerivanja i masovnih zločina u Banja Luci. Osim osvrta na rezultate izbora 1990., demografska slika opštine prema popisu stanovništva u Bosni i Hercegovini 1991. godine imala je veoma važnu ulogu u odnosu prema brojčano manjinskim narodima. U Banja Luci i cijeloj Bosanskoj krajini već su 1991. godine bile vidljive refleksije agresije Jugoslovenske narodne armije (JNA) na Hrvatsku, što je dovelo do zaoštravanja međunacionalnih odnosa. Izbijanjem agresije na Republiku Bosnu i Hercegovinu 1992. godine počinjeni su masovni zločini nad banjalučkim civilima bošnjačke i hrvatske nacionalnosti od strane Vojske Srpske Republike BiH (VSrRBiH) / Vojske Republike Srpske (VRS) i pripadnika policijskih struktura pri Ministarstvu unutrašnjih poslova (MUP) SrRBiH/RS. Terorisanje, zločini, prisilno odvođenje u logore i druga mjesta zatočenja te progon nad pripadnicima ova dva naroda nastavljeni su i nakon 1992. godine o čemu govore relevantni dokumenti i svjedočenja očevidaca.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) occupies a dominant transformational position in a wide range of fields, including education, business, law, medicine, rehabilitation – among others. Despite the controversies regarding the use and abuse of this technology, it is possible for professionals, especially those in education, to reap its benefits for instruction, research, and administrative endeavors. Keeping in mind the ethical concerns and the current limitations of the system, AI can provide substantial assistance to, for example, teachers, students, and scholars. Setting aside fears of this technology, teachers can save time and become more efficient and productive with their administrative and instructional tasks. Teachers can also use AI to improve the academic, communication, and social skills of students, including—and especially--students in special education programs. Students can learn to use AI independently; in fact, AI can help students to become autonomous and critical seekers of knowledge. After highlighting some challenges of using AI, the present manuscript discusses a few benefits of AI for children and adolescence who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/Dhh). The manuscript also contains recommendations for teacher education and future research endeavors.

This paper aims to systematically present existing research on cognitive and executive functions, speech and auditory perception, language, literacy, and academic development, and cross-modal reorganization in children with CIs. The methodology included a systematic search of databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) using keywords related to cognition and CIs. After eliminating duplicates and applying inclusion criteria, an analysis was conducted of relevant references published from 2015 to the present, which were analyzed both in tables and narratively. Research confirms that the cognitive development of children with CIs depends on auditory input and the brain’s ability to integrate information from different sensory modalities. Multisensory and interactive approaches to rehabilitation have the potential to enhance cognitive development and should be further researched and applied in practice.

U ovom radu analizira se odnos socijalne politike prema civilnim žrtvama rata i njihova međusobna korelacija u Bosni i Hercegovini. Krajnji cilj je doći do odgovora na pitanja kako odgovoriti potrebama civilnih žrtava rata kroz kvalitetnu socijalnu politiku u Bosni i Hercegovini. U ostvarivanju socijalne pravde, socijalnih prava, smanjivanju društvene nejednakosti i općoj humanizaciji društva u Bosni i Hercegovini posebnu ulogu ima upravo socijalna politika. S tim u vezi primjenu socijalnih politika u području brige i zaštite civilnih žrtava rata sve više pažnje usmjeravaju na deinstitucionalizaciju i tako nastoje da trendovi u brizi o civilnim žrtvama rata idu prema zbrinjavanju ne na državnom nivou, nego na nivou lokalne zajednice. Ono što bi moglo biti jedno od rješenja ili državnih strateških pravaca jeste razvijanje različitih modela podrške, uz podršku njima najbližih osoba, odnosno podrška primarne socijalne mreže uz podršku države. Činjenica je da se naše društvo mora suočiti sa izazovom kreiranja sistema koji će biti prilagođen i u skladu s potrebama kategorije civilnih žrtava rata. Važan preduslov za poboljšanje statusa i brige o civilnim žrtvama rata jeste kroz primjenu kvalitetne i zakonom utvrđene socijalne politike. Odnos socijalne politike prema kategoriji civilnih žrtava rata je vrlo prisan, samom činjenicom jer se ona bavi raznim društvenim segmentima, a civilne žrtve rata su upravo jedna od najugroženijih društvenih kategorija čija ljudska, socijalna i druga prava, bi se trebala početi primjenjivati onako kako to nalažu i međunarodne konvencije koje su sastavni dio socijalne politike, a ne biti samo mrtvo slovo na papiru.

Objective To compare cognitive profiles and dementia severity among older patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), with and without ischemic stroke (IS), and to evaluate the contribution of vascular burden to global cognitive status. Methods This cross-sectional clinical study included 124 patients aged ≥55 years who were stratified into three groups: AF without IS (n = 50), AF with IS (n = 25), and IS without AF (n = 49). Global cognitive status was assessed using ordinal categories derived from the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Attention and working memory were additionally evaluated using the Information-Memory-Concentration (IMC) test derived from the Blessed Dementia Scale. Vascular burden was assessed using the Hachinski Ischemic Score (HIS). Group differences were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests, and predictors of worse cognitive status were examined using ordinal logistic regression. Results Patients with combined AF and IS demonstrated a trend toward a less favorable cognitive profile and higher vascular burden compared with patients with AF alone or IS alone. The proportion of female participants differed significantly across groups (p = 0.022), whereas age category and educational level were comparable. In multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis, higher Hachinski Ischemic Score independently predicted worse global cognitive status (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.42–2.25; p < 0.001) after adjustment for age, sex, education, and major vascular risk factors. Conclusions Vascular burden plays an important role in cognitive impairment among older patients with atrial fibrillation, particularly when accompanied by ischemic stroke. Incorporating vascular burden assessment into routine clinical evaluation may facilitate earlier recognition and characterization of cognitive impairment in aging populations.

Abstract Introduction Sepsis is a global health priority with nearly 50 million cases annually. Cardiovascular dysfunction is common, frequently manifesting as hypotension that persists despite fluid resuscitation. Most affected patients require the use of intravenous (IV) vasoactive agents, typically necessitating intensive care unit (ICU)-level monitoring, invasive interventions and contributing substantially to healthcare costs. Midodrine, an oral alpha-1 agonist approved for orthostatic hypotension, has increasingly been used off-label as a vasopressor-sparing (reducing IV vasopressor use) strategy in sepsis, despite limited and inconsistent evidence. This pragmatic, randomised, open-label trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of midodrine in patients with sepsis-associated hypotension. We hypothesise that, compared with standard care, midodrine administration will reduce the duration of IV vasopressor use. Methods and analysis A total of 308 adult patients with sepsis-associated hypotension will be enrolled (154 per arm). The intervention group will, in addition to standard of care, receive enteral midodrine 10 mg three times daily. Outcomes will be ascertained pragmatically via electronic health record-based data retrieval and adjudicated by research coordinators blinded to treatment assignment. The primary outcome is time alive and off IV vasopressors in the first 28 days (in hours) after randomisation. Secondary outcomes include cumulative vasopressor exposure; use and duration of central venous access; cumulative fluid balance over the first 48 hours and up to 7 days of ICU stay; ICU and hospital length of stay; and ICU-, hospital-, and organ support-free days through day 28. Safety outcomes include adverse events potentially attributable to midodrine during hospitalisation including acute kidney injury. Primary analyses will follow an intention-to-treat framework, including all randomised participants according to their assigned treatment groups. Primary and secondary outcomes will be compared using a van Elteren test stratified by randomisation factors. A predefined secondary Bayesian analysis of the primary outcome will provide complementary estimates of treatment effect. Safety outcomes will be summarised descriptively without formal between-arm hypothesis testing. Ethics and dissemination The Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board approved this protocol and required written informed consent from all participants (IRB# 24–0 00 121). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and international conference presentations. Trial registration number NCT06319248.

Simple Summary The virus responsible for COVID-19 can affect multiple animal species, including wildlife. In this study, we tested, by commercial ELISA, blood samples from red foxes and golden jackals in Serbia for IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Antibodies were detected in both species, with a seroprevalence of 13.3% in red foxes and 7.3% in golden jackals (overall seroprevalence: 10.3%). All the samples were tested in parallel by an in-house adapted ELISA. These results provide the first evidence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in wild canids in Serbia. Monitoring pathogens in wildlife improves our understanding of disease ecology and supports early recognition of potential zoonotic risks.

Abstract Congenital intrinsic obstruction at or near the duodenojejunal junction is exceptionally rare and most commonly results from incomplete embryonic recanalization, leading to the formation of a mucosal web. We report a 7-day-old term male neonate (birth weight 3350 g) who presented with persistent feeding intolerance and intermittent bilious vomiting since birth. Abdominal radiography showed marked dilation of the stomach and duodenum with distal bowel gas. An upper gastrointestinal contrast study revealed a conical narrowing at the duodenojejunal junction. Surgical exploration revealed a mucosal web located immediately distal to the duodenojejunal junction. Given the marked luminal disparity, simple web excision was deemed inadequate, and segmental resection with primary end-to-end jejunojejunal anastomosis was performed. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. Proximal jejunal webs near the duodenojejunal junction are rare but surgically correctable causes of neonatal bilious vomiting and should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

In this paper, the dynamic analysis of a vibro-impact system with ideal excitation and various friction models is performed. A physical model of an oscillating mechanical system with possible impact occurrence is presented and the corresponding mathematical model is derived by using Lagrange’s equations of motion. To describe interaction between impact element and environment, three different friction models are considered: Coulomb, viscous and Coulomb-Stribeck model. Newton’s impact law with a coefficient of restitution is employed to describe relationship between pre-impact and post-impact velocities. The dynamic behavior of the vibro-impact system under the ideal excitation, where the system does not influence the excitation source, is investigated for each friction model by numerically solving the governing equations. The results of numerical analysis are presented through amplitude-frequency diagrams, displacement-time responses and phase portraits. The main objective is to determine the influence of different friction models on amplitude-frequency diagrams, particularly on the regions exhibiting impact and non-impact behavior. For parameter regions with multiple coexisting solutions, basins of attraction are constructed to illustrate the dependence of the system regime on initial conditions.

ABSTRACT Indoor spaces contain diverse microbial communities that shape human health. These microorganisms are particularly relevant to respiratory diseases, including asthma and allergies. Despite growing recognition of the importance of indoor microbial exposures, research in this field is slowed by differences in methods. These inconsistencies make it difficult to compare results and draw conclusions. This systematic review analyses 106 studies published between 2000 and 2025 that investigated indoor microbiomes in dust, air, and other matrices across homes, schools, and other built environments. We assessed sampling strategies, DNA extraction protocols, sequencing technologies, and bioinformatic pipelines, identifying trends, inconsistencies, and areas requiring harmonisation. Passive sampling, particularly dust collection, was the most common approach, while Illumina‐based 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing dominated molecular analyses. However, variations in targeted gene regions, extraction kits, and analytical tools limited cross‐study comparability. Ecological findings revealed consistent detection of bacterial taxa such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Corynebacterium, and fungal taxa including Cladosporium, Aspergillus, and Penicillium, with diversity shaped by building characteristics, ventilation, humidity, occupancy, and presence of pets. This review highlights the need for standardised protocols in indoor microbiome research to facilitate reproducibility, enable meta‐analyses, and inform health‐related guidelines for indoor environments.

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is the most common neurological disorder associated with brain tumors, which leads to linguistic communication damage. Anxiety and depression are among the most prevalent psychiatric comorbidities in this population. Objectives: To determine the level of cognitive functioning, anxiety, and depression in patients with intracranial tumors with and without aphasia. Subjects and methods: A prospective study was conducted on 91 patients with verified brain tumors which were hospitalized at the Clinic for Neurosurgery for one year period. The patients were assessed with Mini Mental State Examination, Beck’s depression inventory, and Beck’s anxiety inventory. The type and severity of aphasia were determined by the Boston Aphasia Test. Results: The highest number of patients, a total of 31 (37.3%), had moderate anxiety disorder. 30 patients (36.1%) had shown symptoms of moderate depression, and 33 (39.7%) had shown mild and moderate cognitive dysfunction. Conclusion: Anxiety, depression, and cognitive dysfunction were significantly more pronounced in subjects with aphasia.