Background: Adolescents are a susceptible population in terms of medication use. They are not only inclined to abuse illegal substances but are also prone to nonmedical medication use, which exposes them to a significant risk of various adverse drug reactions (ADR). Objective: This research aims to assess medication use among adolescents in Sarajevo Canton. Methods: This paper features information about the most frequently used medications, reasons for their use, sources of their procurement, ADR and concurrent use with other medications and/or alcohol. To obtain this data, a questionnaire with open- and close-ended questions was created. The survey was conducted online and 444 participants were included. Results: Medications were used by 90.1% of adolescents. The most commonly used medications were non-opioid analgesics, antibiotics, dietary supplements, antihistamines and benzodiazepines. Mild to moderate pain was the most frequent reason for medication use. Participants were at risk of ADR, drug-drug interactions (DDI), and drug-alcohol interactions. Conclusion: It is up to healthcare workers, especially pharmacists, to educate and guide adolescent patients on rational medication use and inform them about potential dangers following the use of these medications.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression in cells. However, their application in gene therapy is limited by obstacles such as poor cellular uptake and instability (Mendonça et al., 2023). To overcome these limitations, cationic nanostructured lipid carriers (cNLCs) as delivery systems for miRNAs are developed. cNLCs protect and stabilize miRNAs, and also enhance cellular uptake, which results in effective nucleic acid-based therapy. Another approach, found in literature, to enhance cellular uptake is coating particles with human serum albumin (HSA) (Liu et al., 2012). Therefore, the effect of functionalization of miRNA-cNLC complexes with HSA was investigated. The physicochemical properties of uncoated and HSA-coated complexes were compared in terms of particle size, size distribution, surface charge, topography, and cellular uptake in 3T3-L1 mouse embryonic fibroblasts and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

Nowadays, nucleic acids are gaining much attention as leading therapeutics. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are one part of this family of promising tools that can be used in the treatment of numerous diseases. However, the application of miRNAs is limited due to their poor stability and limited cellular uptake. Here, we developed cationic nanostructured lipid carriers (cNLCs) as delivery agents for miRNA. Furthermore, we used human serum album (HSA) as a coat for the cNLCs, to see how it will influence the uptake. These nanoparticles showed favorable physicochemical properties to be used as drug delivery systems, as they successfully complexed miRNA. Therefore, our next goal is to study and understand their cellular uptake. For this purpose, we traced the uptake of the miRNA/cNLCs in two different cell lines (3T3-L1 and MCF-7 cells) under varying experimental conditions.

Although solid oral dosage forms present majority of commonly prescribed drugs, some patients struggle with ingesting them (Awad et al., 2021). Amongst those, a very significant group is the pediatric population. On the other side, questions concerning dosage consistency arise when it comes to liquid oral preparations, particularly for suspensions (Gupta et al., 2021). To avoid the limitations of conventional oral dosage forms, orodispersible films (ODFs) were developed as a promising, patient-tailored therapeutic alternative. After the administration, ODFs are swallowed naturally with saliva, and there is no need for additional water (Yadav et al., 2021). Furthermore, in terms of the pediatric population, the product not only has to be easy to swallow, but it also has to be visually appealing. Therefore, a lot of attention is dedicated to the visual appearance of ODFs, including their color and transparency or opacity (Zamanian et al., 2021). One of the methods used to produce ODFs is the solvent casting of polymer solution/dispersion. The aim of our study was to determine whether high shear mixer heads have an influence on the optical characteristics and disintegration time of the obtained ODFs.

Introduction The veterinary profession is facing various challenges in the 21st century, such as livestock production intensification, shifting distribution of infectious diseases, growing focus on food safety alongside growing demand for companion animals’ veterinary services. Information technologies and digitalization trends had driven changes in many business sectors, including providing veterinary services thus opening new avenues to overcome the existing challenges this profession is facing. Methods A study was conducted among 244 veterinary practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The gathered information related to subjects involving digital presence, the utilization of information technologies, and the business performance. To obtain this information, a personalized questionnaire was utilized as the means for collecting data. Results The study revealed that only 10.2% had a business-associated website, and 54.9% were present on at least one social media platform. The study suggests that a positive impact on annual profit can be achieved through the implementation of effective digital marketing strategies such as web presence, search engine optimization, Google business account existence, website Google advertisement, continuous administration of social media, and social media advertisement. The statistical analysis indicates that Google advertisements, website search engine optimization, and social media advertisements greatly affect annual profit. Discussion Improving digital presence of veterinary businesses with professionally managed websites, use of social media platforms, investment in online marketing strategies, and adopting telehealth services and online access to patient records positively affects business performance and better fits the growing needs of clients and society.

Highlights • Microarray analysis of dorsal root ganglia from mice subjected to collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) and controls revealed that arthritis leads to differential expression of 120 circular RNA genes.• Bioinformatical analysis indicates that altered levels of circRNAs in DRG is associated with sensitization-related processes.• Microarray or RT-qPCR analysis showed increased levels of circVps13 and circMicall1 in the inflammatory phase and circNufip1 the late “post-inflammatory” phase in DRG from mice subjected to CAIA.

Next-generation mobile communication systems are planned to support millimeter Wave (mmWave) transmission in scenarios with high-mobility, such as in private industrial networks. To cope with propagation environments with unprecedented challenges, data-driven methodologies such as Machine Learning (ML) are expected to act as a fundamental tool for decision support in future mobile systems. However, high-quality measurement datasets need to be made available to the research community in order to develop and benchmark ML-based methodologies for next-generation wireless networks. We present a reliable testbed for collecting channel measurements at sub-6 GHz and mmWave frequencies. Further, we describe a rich dataset collected using the presented testbed. Our public dataset enables the development and testing of innovative ML-based channel simulators for both sub-6GHz and mmWave bands on real-world data. We conclude this paper by discussing promising experimental results on two illustrative ML tasks leveraging on our dataset, namely, channel impulse response forecasting and synthetic channel transfer function generation, upon which we propose future exploratory research directions. The original dataset employed in this work is available on IEEE DataPort (https://dx.doi.org/10.21227/3tpp-j394), and the code utilized in our numerical experiments is publicly accessible via CodeOcean (https://codeocean.com/capsule/9619772/tree).

Abstract It is known that aquatic macrophytes are an important part of freshwater ecosystems, and that they play a different role in their structure and functioning. Their presence and distribution depends on water temperature and transparency, nutrient content, conductivity, pH, chemical composition and water circulation. Therefore, the goal of our research was to determine the influence and interrelationship of physicochemical parameters of water on the content of photosynthetic pigments in aquatic macrophytes of Lake Necik, in the Ramsar area of Bardača (Republic of Srpska). Content of total chlorophyll (a + b) during the growing season (June–October) ranged from 0.231 to 1.145 mg g−1 FW in Phragmites communis Trin. ex Steud., from 0.061 to 0.541 mg g−1 FW in Salvinia natans L. (All.), from 0.063 to 0.626 mg g−1 FW in Utricularia vulgaris L. and from 0.063 to 0.443 mg g−1 FW in Ceratophyllum demersum L. Research has shown that floating and submerged macrophytes have a lower ratio of chlorophyll a/b compared to emergent hydrophytes, which is most likely the result of stress caused by increased light intensity and temperature. Seasonal variations in the content of photosynthetic pigments indicated that the species Phragmites communis proved to be more tolerant to the stress caused by the influence of various abiotic factors, while Salvinia natans proved to be more sensitive. Spearmon’s correlation coefficient of the physicochemical parameters of water and the concentration of photosynthetic pigments of macrophytes showed a significant influence of certain abiotic factors (temperature, transparency and nutrients) on the content of pigments in the leaves of Phragmites communis, Salvinia natans, Utricularia vulgaris and Ceratophyllum demersum L.

Advancements in neurosurgical visualization have been made possible by the introduction of the operating microscope (OM) and the emergence of exoscopic technology (EX). Both OMs and EXs provide enhanced magnification and illumination, but they come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. OMs provide high-quality magnification and illumination and have been used successfully in a variety of surgical procedures. They can be customized to fit the specific needs of the surgeon and are a well-established technology. However, they can be bulky, expensive, and cause discomfort during extended procedures. EXs provide high-definition magnification and illumination, improved depth perception and ergonomics, and can be cost-effective. They can be customized to fit the specific needs of the surgeon and can be made using locally available materials, reducing the need for expensive imports. However, they may require adjustment and have a learning curve for surgeons who are used to operating with OMs. Additionally, they may have limited availability in some healthcare settings. The choice between OMs and EXs will depend on the specific needs of the surgeon and the healthcare setting. The integration of 3D EX systems has revolutionized neurosurgery, offering improved depth perception and ergonomics. EX's cost-effectiveness addresses accessibility concerns, making it an attractive alternative, particularly for low and middle-income healthcare settings. The exoscope seems to be a safe alternative compared to an operative microscope for the most common brain and spinal procedures. The exoscope may help expand access to neurosurgical care and training worldwide. In conclusion, both technologies have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the choice between them will depend on the specific needs of the surgeon and the healthcare setting.