Rapid global changes in climate and habitats lead to shifts in species' geographic ranges. Range contractions experienced by numerous species may result in local extinctions and connectivity disruptions. In some species, range expansions have been observed instead, suggesting the enlargement of suitable habitats and/or adaptations to changing environments. Despite its importance for wildlife management, our understanding of the factors influencing species' spatial responses to rapidly changing environments remains limited. The golden jackal serves as an excellent model to address this knowledge gap, given its ongoing rapid range expansion. In this study, we investigated environmental factors contributing to genetic connectivity and local adaptation across the expanding range of the golden jackal, based on a comprehensive sampling scheme across Eurasia (n = 363), a high‐quality set of genomic markers (19,746 SNPs), and a landscape genomics framework. At the continental scale, geographic distance emerged as the predominant factor. At finer spatial scales, genetic connectivity was best explained by climatic predictors, specifically high annual and seasonal variations in precipitation and temperature, which can shape the species' spatial genetic structure by constraining gene flow. Our connectivity models for current and future climatic conditions show that the species' northward expansion is facilitated by changes in these variables in central and northern Europe promoting high connectivity. Precipitation and temperature were also responsible for most local adaptation signals. Given the potential role of hybridization with domestic dogs in shaping range expansion patterns, we investigated the association between environmental conditions and dog admixture proportions. We found no significant trends, indicating a limited effect of dog admixture on habitat choice. Collectively, our findings suggest that the golden jackal has the potential to continue its expansion across Eurasia in response to ongoing global climate change, providing an example of a species that rapidly tracks the expansion of its suitable habitats.

Postoperative sequelae such as pain, swelling, and trismus are common following mandibular third molar surgery. This single-blind controlled trial was performed to evaluate the effects of two newer platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) formulations, horizontal PRF (H-PRF) and extended PRF (E-PRF/albumin-PRF), on soft tissue healing and postoperative complications. Sixty-seven ASA class 1 patients aged 16-30 years were assigned to the H-PRF, E-PRF, or control (natural coagulum) group, with 60 completing the study. The primary outcome was soft tissue healing, while secondary outcomes included pain, analgesic use, swelling, trismus, alveolar osteitis, and infection. The PRF formulations did not significantly improve soft tissue healing during the first postoperative week (day 3: P = 0.64; day 7: P = 0.22). On day 7, the H-PRF group showed a significantly reduced trismus when compared to the control group (P = 0.017). No significant differences were observed in terms of pain, swelling, or analgesic consumption (all P > 0.05). A significantly reduced trismus observed with H-PRF suggests potential clinical benefits; however, further studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these findings and their clinical relevance.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the level of insight into illness in patients with schizophrenia and its associations with demographic factors, clinical symptoms, executive functions, and selected metabolic parameters. SUBJECTS AND METHODS This cross-sectional study included 60 outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSMIV criteria. Participants were divided into two groups based on the median score of the Self-Appraisal of Illness Questionnaire (SAIQ): preserved insight (n=30) and impaired insight (n=30). Positive symptoms were assessed with the Positive Symptoms Rating Scale (PSRS), negative symptoms with the Brief Negative Symptom Assessment (BNSA), executive functions with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale-II (WB-II) subscales. Metabolic parameters included body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and waist circumference. Statistical analysis was performed using t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression (p<0.05). RESULTS Patients with impaired insight exhibited significantly higher positive (PSRS: 28.5±4.2 vs 18.3±3.1; p<0.001) and negative symptoms (BNSA: 35.2±5.6 vs 22.1±4.0; p<0.001), poorer executive performance (WCST total score: 45.6±8.9 vs 68.4±7.2; p<0.001), higher BMI (28.7±3.4 vs 24.5±2.8; p<0.01), and elevated blood pressure values. SAIQ total score negatively correlated with positive (r=-0.62; p<0.001) and negative symptoms (r=-0.58; p<0.001), illness duration (r=-0.45; p<0.01), and positively with years of education (r=0.48; p<0.01) and WCST score (r=0.52; p<0.001). Regression analysis showed that negative symptoms (β=-0.41; p<0.001) and executive dysfunction (β=-0.35; p<0.01) were the strongest independent predictors of poor insight (R²=0.62). CONCLUSION Impaired insight in schizophrenia is strongly associated with greater psychopathological burden, neurocognitive deficits (especially executive dysfunction), and metabolic disturbances. These findings support the implementation of integrated therapeutic strategies targeting insight, cognition, and cardiometabolic health to improve long-term outcomes.

Hydrophobic eutectic solvent systems (ESSs) were prepared and characterized using temperature-dependent thermophysical and transport property measurements, supported by thermal analysis. The investigated systems comprise terpene-based mixtures, menthol:octanoic acid (1:2) and menthol:decanoic acid (1:1), and thymol-based mixtures, thymol:butanol (1:1), thymol:hexanol (1:1), thymol:octanoic acid (1:1), and thymol:oleic acid (1:1), as well as salt-containing ESSs based on tetrabutylphosphonium bromide (TBPBr), TBPBr:octanoic acid (1:1), and TBPBr:lauric acid (1:1). Density, dynamic viscosity, and electrical conductivity were measured at atmospheric pressure (p = 0.1 MPa) over 293.15–313.15 K. From density data, molar volumes and isobaric thermal expansion coefficients were calculated. The temperature dependence of viscosity was correlated with both Arrhenius and Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann equations. Conductivity results were used to compute molar conductivities, and the coupled conductivity–viscosity behavior was assessed via Walden analysis to quantify deviations from ideal electrolyte behavior and estimate ionicity. Thermal behavior and stability were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and simultaneous thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DSC). The resulting dataset enables a consistent comparison of volumetric, flow, and ion transport descriptors across fully molecular terpene-based mixtures and TBPBr-containing systems. Overall, the combined transport descriptors, including Walden analysis, provide a practical framework for distinguishing molecular from salt-containing hydrophobic ESS families and support formulation selection for temperature-dependent applications, particularly in biphasic extraction processes.

The aim of this study was to examine changes in various intensities of physical activity - PA (moderate, low – walking, total, and vigorous) and their relationship with mental health parameters (anxiety, depression, and stress) among working-age adults after recovering from COVID-19; The study was conducted between February and May 2022 and included 288 participants aged 20–60 years (M = 47.06; SD = 12.41), of whom 95 were men and 193 were women. PA levels were assessed using the long form of IPAQ, while depression, anxiety, and stress levels were evaluated using the long form of DASS-42 questionnaire. Differences between the initial and final measurements were analyzed using a one-way repeated measures ANOVA, with partial eta squared (η²) reported as a measure of effect size. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05, and data were processed in SPSS (version 23.0); Total PA showed the largest increase over time (Wilks’ Λ = 0.94, F(1, 287) = 16.00, p < 0.001, η² = 0.05), followed by moderate PA (Wilks’ Λ = 0.96, F(1, 287) = 10.45, p = 0.001, η² = 0.03). Low-intensity activity in the form of walking also significantly increased (Wilks’ Λ = 0.97, F(1, 287) = 7.57, p = 0.006, η² = 0.02), whereas vigorous PA did not show a significant change (Wilks’ Λ = 0.99, F(1, 287) = 0.64, p = 0.423, η² = 0.00). Re-garding mental health, anxiety significantly decreased (Wilks’ Λ = 0.98, F(1, 287) = 3.99, p = 0.047, η² = 0.01). Depression (Wilks’ Λ = 0.99, F(1, 287) = 1.24, p = 0.266, η² = 0.00) and stress (Wilks’ Λ = 0.99, F(1, 287) = 0.65, p = 0.418, η² = 0.00) demonstrated downward trends without significant differences; Increases in total and moderate PA, alongside reg-ular walking, were associated with reductions in anxiety and favorable trends in other mental health domains. Although this association between increased PA and reduced anxiety was observed, it was not directly tested statistically in the presented model. These findings underscore the importance of integrating simple and sustainable forms of PA into prevention and rehabilitation programs for working-age adults in the post-COVID period.

INTRODUCTION Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. Maltophilia) is a multidrug-resistant pathogen causing severe infections in intensive care units (ICUs). This study aimed to identify the risk factors influencing 30-day mortality and evaluate antimicrobial susceptibility patterns in ICU patients with S. maltophilia infections. METHODOLOGY A prospective, multicenter, international observational study was conducted between 15 October 2023 and 15 April 2024, in 36 ICUs across 12 countries. Adult patients (≥ 18 years) with S. maltophilia isolated from blood, urine, or respiratory cultures were included if isolates were considered clinically consistent with infection. Colonized or coinfected patients were excluded. Clinical, laboratory data were collected prospectively. Thirty-day outcome was defined as survival or death after the first positive culture. RESULTS A total of 207 patients were included; 109 (52.7%) died within 30 days. The primary infection sites were pneumonia (28.5%) and bloodstream infections (38.0%). Resistance rates were 7.2% for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), 10.4% for levofloxacin, and 27% for ceftazidime. None of the patients received effective empiric therapy. Older age (p = 0.030), acute renal failure (p = 0.016), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; p = 0.008), malignancy (p = 0.001), and sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) ≥ 2 (p = 0.001) were independently associated with higher mortality. Repeat culturing and antimicrobial modification according to susceptibility testing reduced mortality (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS S. maltophilia remains a lethal ICU pathogen. Early risk assessment, cultures, susceptibility testing, and therapy changes are vital. TMP-SMX and levofloxacin stay effective; but surveillance, infection control, and prudent antibiotic use remain essential.

Football player performance depends on agility, speed, explosive and repetitive strength, flexi-bility, and anthropometric characteristics such as height, weight, and BMI. Monitoring and ana-lyzing these variables are crucial for optimizing training, preventing injuries, and player selec-tion. Data on the physical and motor profiles of U25 football players in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina are limited. To assess the anthropometric characteristics and motor abilities of U25 football players from FK GOŠK Gabela and to examine the relationships be-tween these variables. The study included 22 healthy male players (mean height 183.27 ± 5.98 cm, weight 75.32 ± 6.27 kg, BMI 22.38 ± 0.60 kg/m²). Anthropometric measurements were conducted according to ISAK protocols. Nine standardized motor tests were administered to evaluate agili-ty (505 test, T-test, Illinois test, 5-10-5 drill, Zig-Zag test), speed (30 m and 60 m sprint), explosive and repetitive strength (push-ups in 10 s), and flexibility (sit & reach). Testing was conducted over two consecutive days during the 2024 pre-season, following a standardized warm-up under controlled conditions. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and the multiple regression analysis were applied. Player height and weight were significantly correlated with agility and sprint per-formance, while BMI showed moderate associations with selected agility tests. Multivariate analysis confirmed that height, weight, and BMI significantly predicted performance across agil-ity, sprint, and strength tests, with body dimensions explaining 65–68% of the variance in the 10-second push-up test (R² = 0.682), the 505 agility test (R² = 0.678), and the 60-meter sprint (R² = 0.671; all p < 0.01). The findings provide insight into the physical and motor profiles of elite young football players and can be used to optimize performance, design individualized training programs, and monitor player development.

Nanoparticles have been used as promising carriers for targeted and controlled drug delivery by researchers due to their unique physicochemical properties, such as size, surface charge, and especially shape. Among these parameters, the shape of nanoparticles has attracted increasing attention because it significantly affects their interactions with biological barriers, including blood vessels, cell membranes, and extracellular matrix. The aim of this study is to investigate and analyze the effects of nanoparticle shape on drug delivery efficiency and to classify related articles based on clinical and experimental findings. A comprehensive review was conducted on 30 scientific articles, from which 22 studies published between 2010 and 2025 were selected that directly investigated the role of particle shape in drug delivery systems. While spherical nanoparticles have received the most attention, recent evidence suggests that rod-shaped, disc-like, and elongated structures may provide increased circulation time, improved tumor penetration, and more controlled drug release profiles. The findings suggest that precise engineering of nanoparticle morphology, along with size variations, is crucial for optimizing drug delivery performance. Overall, controlling the shape of nanoparticles offers a powerful strategy for improving therapeutic outcomes in the treatment of cancer and other complex diseases.