Background: The symptoms of COPD differ based on the stage of the disease, becoming more noticeable in its severe stages and during exacerbations. They are associated with temporary incapacity for work and cause a decrease in working capacity. Also, occupations with special working conditions and exposure to pollutants at work cause increased bronchial secretion and cough. This research aims to identify the most common symptoms in COPD patients and evaluate their work capacity based on symptom prevalence. Methods: 200 subjects were included in the prospective study. Participants were divided into two groups: a study group and a control group. Within each group, subgroups were created based on smoking habits, a key risk factor for COPD development. Results: The dominant symptom in both groups was cough, with 34.67%. In subjects with preserved working capacity, the most common symptoms are chest pressure with 13.33% and shortness of breath with 9.33%, while in the group with reduced working capacity, fatigue (30%) and dyspnea with 26%. In the control group, most subjects had obstructive bronchitis, asthma and chronic simplex bronchitis. Conclusion: According to the GOLD classification, modified working capacity decreased by 51.33%, while retained working capacity declined by 48.67% in relation to disease severity. Cough was the dominant symptom in both groups, while other symptoms varied independently of the stage of the disease.

Purpose Anterior clinoidal meningioma (ACM) remains a challenging lesion to treat surgically due to its intricate neurovascular relationships with surrounding anatomy and often presents with ipsilateral visual loss. Anterior clinoidectomy (AC) by skilled skull base surgeons enables early optic nerve (ON) decompression, tumor devascularization, and radical tumor resection. The authors provide an update on ACM surgery, current views on the role of AC and its impact on outcomes in surgical treatment, as well as a new 2 stage 4 by 4 step concept of ON decompression involving AC. Methods A systematic review of PubMed and meta-regression of surgically treated ACMs was performed. Results In total, 908 patients were analyzed; 415 (45.7%) underwent routine AC (performed in all cases) and 493 (54.3%) underwent selective AC (planned preoperatively). The routine AC cohort showed higher risk for new cranial-nerve (CN) deficits (12.5% vs. 3.0%; p < 0.001), vascular complications (6.7% vs. 3.3%; p = 0.02), and new focal neurological deficits (5.5% vs. 2.3%; p = 0.04). No differences were found in visual outcomes, gross-total resection, mortality, recurrence, or other major complications. Random-effects meta-regression of routine AC showed increased odds of new CN deficit (odds ratio [OR], 3.34; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.51–7.38; p = 0.005; heterogeneity [I2] = 60.5%) and vascular complication (OR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.05–6.38; p = 0.04; I2 = 47.8%), with moderate and substantial heterogeneity among routine AC studies, respectively. Conclusions In experienced hands, AC remains an invaluable tool for ACM treatment as it offers more consistent tumor devascularization, prevention of tumor recurrence, optic nerve decompression, and increased working space, which facilitates optimal tumor resection and better long‐term control and functional outcome. We propose a new didactical structured concept of routine AC via 2-stage, 4 by 4 steps to improve the utility of AC and decrease associated operative risks compared to selective AC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00701-025-06742-x.

Dear editor,We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the attention given to our published scientific paper, as well as for the positive comments, valuable suggestions, and thoughtful questions in the Comment on the article by Bajpai. We consider his contribution extremely important for improving the quality of future research in this field.

Background: A doubt that occupational medicine specialists face is whether exposure to solvents is an independent risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Aim: The present study investigates the connection between the length of work experience (exposure) at workplaces that are exposed to organic volatile substances with eventual changes in the morphological structure of the liver parenchyma or laboratory parameters of liver function, and to investigate whether organic volatile substances, as an independent factor can lead to liver steatosis or changes in laboratory parameters of liver function.  Methods: A prospective study was conducted from January to April 2023. and included 62 coke industry workers who were divided into two groups of 31 workers each (experimental with workers exposed to organic volatile substances at the workplace and control with workers who were not exposed). Laboratory parameters of liver function were monitored, as well as ultrasound findings of liver parenchyma in coke industry workers undergoing examination. Exclusion criteria were known history of liver disease, blood transfusion, alcohol consumption and diabetes mellitus. Results: Changes in laboratory parameters of liver function and ultrasound findings of liver steatosis were found with high statistical significance in the workers of the experimental group, for which no statistically significant association with elevated values of lipid status was found. With diabetes as an exclusion factor and the insignificant prevalence of hypertension in the examined workers, it can be concluded that metabolic syndrome is not related to our results. During the correlation analysis, it can be concluded that organic volatile substances are an independent cause and trigger for fatty infiltration of the liver parenchyma and changes in the laboratory findings of liver function parameters. Conclusions: Exposure to organic volatile substances at the workplace as an independent factor causes liver steatosis with elevated values of laboratory parameters of liver function and it can be said that it is an independent cause of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. 

Understanding how water-quality models perform across different hydrological and biogeochemical contexts is essential for managing nutrient losses in agricultural catchments. This study evaluated SimplyP, a parsimonious phosphorus model, adapted to better represent Irish agricultural catchments and implemented within the flexible Mobius2 framework. Long-term, high-frequency monitoring data from the Agricultural Catchments Programme (ACP) were used for two sites: Ballycanew, a grassland catchment dominated by surface runoff, and Castledockrell, an arable, groundwater-driven catchment. Model calibration and validation were performed for streamflow (Q), suspended sediment (SS), and multiple phosphorus (P) fractions, with performance assessed using Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE). In Ballycanew, the model reproduced Q, SS, and total P load well, with weaker agreement for total reactive phosphorus (TRP), likely reflecting unaccounted point sources during low flows. In Castledockrell, performance was moderate for Q and SS, but TRP and other P fractions were not adequately captured, highlighting the need for more detailed representation of subsurface P pathways in groundwater-dominated systems. Overall, SimplyP is well-suited to surface-runoff-dominated catchments with conventional phosphorus mobilisation. Its flexible implementation in Mobius2 allows relatively straightforward modifications, such as including groundwater-mediated P processes, to extend applicability to more complex systems. High-resolution ACP datasets were crucial for identifying model strengths and limitations, supporting refinement for improved nutrient management across diverse agricultural landscapes.

The thermal stability and structural evolution of a GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) heterostructure grown on a Si (111) substrate were investigated using in situ high-temperature X-ray diffraction (HT-XRD), reciprocal space mapping (RSM), Raman spectroscopy, and rocking-curve (RC) analysis at varying temperatures. The heterostructure, consisting of a p-GaN cap, an AlGaN barrier, and a GaN channel supported by two AlGaN/AlGaN superlattice (SL) buffer layers, maintained clear and periodic satellite peaks up to a temperature of 1000 deg C, confirming excellent structural integrity. Symmetric and asymmetric RSM results reveal that both the Si and GaN diffraction peaks shift to lower angles with increasing temperature, consistent with thermal expansion, and show no significant broadening or relaxation throughout the heating process. The c-lattice constant follows the theoretical expansion predicted by the multi-frequency Einstein model, whereas the a-lattice expansion is slower due to in-plane strain constraints imposed by the underlying Si substrate and buffer layers. Rapid lattice contraction during the fast-cooling stage induces a residual compressive strain of approximately 0.3 percent in the GaN channel after cooling. Raman spectra further confirm this strain state through a blue shift of approximately 1.5 cm-1 of the GaN E2 (high) phonon mode, corresponding to an in-plane strain of about 0.2 percent. Rocking-curve analysis reveals an increase in both screw and edge dislocation densities by 28 percent and 12 percent, respectively. These results collectively demonstrate that the GaN HEMT heterostructure exhibits robust crystalline stability up to 1000 deg C, with only minor strain redistribution and limited dislocation activity, providing experimental evidence for GaN device applications under high-temperature conditions.

Abstract.

Let $X$ be an orbisurface, meaning a compact hyperbolic Riemann surface possibly with a finite number of elliptic points, and let $X_1$ denote its unit tangent bundle. We consider the twisted Selberg zeta function $Z(s;\rho)$ associated to a representation $\rho: \pi_1(X_1) \to \text{GL}(V_\rho)$. We prove a relation between the twisted Selberg zeta function $Z(s;\rho)$ and the regularized determinant of the twisted Laplacian associated to $\rho$. These results can be viewed as a generalization of a result due to Sarnak who considered the trivial character. Yet our proof is different, as it is based on evaluation of the Laplace-Mellin type integral transformations. Going further, we explicitly compute the multiplicative constant, which we call the torsion factor, and express its dependence on parameters which determine the representation. We study the asymptotic behavior of the constant for a sequence of non-unitary representations introduced by Yamaguchi and prove that the asymptotic behavior of this constant as the dimension of the representation tends to infinity is the same as the behavior of the higher-dimensional Reidemeister torsion on $X_1$ (up to an absolute constant).

Natural plant oils are commonly used in skincare products for their emollient properties. Plum seed oil is a promising cosmetic ingredient since it represents a sustainable material derived from fruit processing waste, recognized in the CosIng Database for its skin-conditioning function. The aim of this study was to incorporate plum seed oil into a topical emulgel and assess its biophysical effects on the skin. An in vivo study on healthy volunteers evaluated the safety (irritation potential) and long-term efficacy (impact on biophysical skin parameters during 28-day application) of emulgel containing 6% (w/w) plum seed oil as a natural emollient and active ingredient. Results showed that plum seed oil exhibited no irritation potential during a 24-hour safety assessment since transepidermal water loss (TEWL) decreased (p <0.05), and erythema index didn’t change significantly. Results of 28-day efficacy study suggested, potential anti-irritant effects after long-term usage. In addition, pH, skin integrity and skin color were preserved during the study, while skin hydration was increased. To our knowledge, this is the first study to employ non-invasive biophysical methods to assess the influence of plum seed oil in cosmetic formulations. These findings point plum seed oil’s potential as a natural, sustainable, safe and effective raw material for cosmetics.

This review explores the intersection of gender, geography, and sustainability by examining the role of women in the blue economy across Europe’s Outermost Regions (ORs). Despite growing recognition of the blue economy’s role in sustainable development, there is limited understanding of how women participate in these sectors at the geographic periphery of the European Union. Using publicly available data from Eurostat, INSEE, ISTAC, and other national portals, we analyze employment patterns through a gender lens, supported by qualitative insights from case studies in regions such as the Azores, Réunion, and Guadeloupe. Due to the scarcity of disaggregated blue economy data, general labor force participation is used as a proxy, highlighting both opportunities and visibility gaps. Theoretically grounded in feminist political ecology and intersectionality, the review identifies key barriers, including data invisibility, occupational segregation, and structural inequalities, as well as resilience enablers such as women-led enterprises and policy interventions. We conclude with targeted recommendations for research, policy, and practice to support inclusive blue economies in ORs, emphasizing the need for better data systems and gender-sensitive coastal development strategies.

Background: Football is a sport that requires a high level of technical, tactical, and motor skills, with particular emphasis on agility, speed, explosive strength, and flexibility. The development of these abilities depends on biological maturity, training experience, and individual factors, which affect player performance across different age categories. Purpose: The aim was to examine and compare the level of motor abilities between football players of FC GOŠK Gabela (Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina) in the junior (U19) and senior (U25) age categories, focusing on key elements such as agility, speed, explosive and repetitive strength, as well as flexibility. Method: The sample consisted of 22 players from the same club, divided into two groups by age category: 11 juniors (U19) (body height = 181.56 ± 5.74 cm; body weight = 73.29 ± 6.40 kg; BMI = 22.21 kg/m²) and 11 seniors (U25) (body height = 184.98 ± 5.97 cm; body weight = 77.35 ± 5.70 kg; BMI = 22.55 ± 0.38 kg/m²). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, and differences between groups were determined using an independent t-test for small samples. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Mean Difference and 95% Confidence Intervals were also calculated to further assess the significance and effect size of the detected differences (Cohen’s d). Results: Seniors achieved significantly better results in agility tests (Illinois and Zig-Zag tests) and the 60-meter sprint, while differences in other tests were statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). Differences in upper body explosive strength (medicine ball throw) and flexibility were not significant, although seniors showed slightly better average values. Conclusion: The obtained results indicate that biological maturity and longer training experience significantly influence the improvement of motor abilities, especially agility and speed over longer distances.

<p>Rad, ali i nastojanje koji su poduzeti izvan rada, predstavljaju uvertiru analiziranju stanja i perspektiva socijalne pedagogije u zemljama Evropske unije i Bosne i Hercegovine. S ciljem jednog konkretnijeg, jezgrovitijeg, ali i pragmatičnijeg i vi&scaron;e informisanog zagovaranja za socijalnu pedagogiju u Bosni i Hercegovini, akumulacijom teorijskog i na praksi utemeljenog kapitala socijalne pedagogije, Bosna i Hercegovina potrebuje za stručnom praksom socijalne pedagogije. Socijalna pedagogija, ali i druge komplementarne i temeljne pomagačke znanosti i struke u Bosni i Hercegovini, nisu imale značajne teorijske i istraživačke pomake od kraja rata, a koje bi se nametnule kao socijalno-politički bitnima. Paradigmatska revolucija koja bi započela iz socijalne pedagogije, čini se da bi inovirala odgojno-obrazovne programe koji su nerijetko sredstvo u funkciji obespravljivanja. To bi se rezonovalo i na socijalnu politiku koja negira sudjelujuće odlučivanje i kvazi model deficita koji je samo inačica medicinskog modela tretiranja osoba različitih sposobnosti u Bosni i Hercegovini.</p>