Introduction: Medical interventions involving the zygomatic region, including maxillofacial surgery, implantology, and aesthetic procedures, require a comprehensive understanding of the zygomaticofacial foramen (ZFF) to minimize the risk of injury during surgical manipulation. Materials and Methods: This study examined the location, number and prevalence of zygomaticofacial foramina (ZFF) in fifty-seven dry human skulls of known age and sex. The lateral surface of the zygomatic bone was divided into four regions (A, B, C, and D) to assess the regional distribution of ZFF. Additionally, the distance between each ZFF and the most prominent point of the lateral zygomatic surface (ZP) was measured, using this point as the center of an imaginary clock to precisely determine foramina positioning. Results: Among the 114 sides analyzed, the ZFF was absent in 4.4% of cases. The distribution of foramina per side was as follows: one (40.4%), two (36.8%), three (10.5%), four (5.3%), and five (2.6%). The mean distance between the ZFF and the most prominent point of the zygomatic bone was 8,62 ± 2.54 mm. On the right side, mZFF were most frequently located at 1 o'clock (23.8%), 12 o'clock (25.0%), and 11 o'clock (28.5%), while on the left side, they were most commonly found at 1 o'clock (26.1%), 11 o'clock (28.9%), and 12 o'clock (31.9%). Conclusions: The anatomical variability of the zygomaticofacial foramen (ZFF) in terms of its number and position should be carefully considered when administering regional block anesthesia or performing surgical and aesthetic procedures in the zygomatic region.

Anthelmintic resistance in livestock is a growing concern worldwide, with significant implications for animal health and agricultural productivity. This study explores the perceptions of veterinarians and farmers in Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the factors contributing to anthelmintic resistance in Haemonchus contortus nematodes. Data were collected through structured questionnaires completed by 106 veterinarians and 188 farmers in 2022 and 2023. The analysis focused on self-reported therapeutic practices, farm management and environmental variables. Logistic regression, including Firth’s penalized approach, was used to assess associations between these perceived factors and the reported occurrence of resistance. Notably, combination anthelmintic treatments were perceived as a significant risk factor (OR > 49.3), while higher altitude was seen as potentially protective (OR = 0.10). Routine prophylactic deworming was associated with an increased likelihood of perceived resistance (OR = 173.7), whereas staying informed about newly registered products was perceived as protective (OR = 0.34). Although the findings are based on the self-reported perceptions and practices of veterinarians and farmers, they align with globally recognized trends and offer the first structured insights into factors perceived to contribute to anthelmintic resistance in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This study underscores the importance of awareness and responsible anthelmintic use and the need for improved diagnostics and ongoing education to combat anthelmintic resistance.

The aim of the paper is to provide an insight into morphosyntactic and lexical strategies employed to name aged care facilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is also necessary to compare their translation equivalents into English in order to reach general conclusions about the naming classification strategies employed and availability of the information in the English language on the internet. Furthermore, as protective euphemisms are frequently related to taboo words and concepts that vary across cultures, the paper also discusses how protective euphemisms may be related to politically correct language and linguistic policy creation. The paper proposes that the varying use of euphemistic strategies employed could be due to the lexical strategies available, cultural differences and differing levels of understanding regarding sensitive language use. The theoretical framework is grounded in research conducted by Burridge (2012), Benczes and Burridge (2015), Felton (1969), Halmari (2011), and Candrian (2015) to provide a more comprehensive understanding of euphemisms and their role in shaping contemporary language use.

Autonomous Vehicle decisions rely on multimodal prediction models that account for multiple route options and the inherent uncertainty in human behavior. However, models can suffer from mode collapse, where only the most likely mode is predicted, posing significant safety risks. While existing methods employ various strategies to generate diverse predictions, they often overlook the diversity in interaction modes among agents. Additionally, traditional metrics for evaluating prediction models are dataset-dependent and do not evaluate inter-agent interactions quantitatively. To our knowledge, none of the existing metrics explicitly evaluates mode collapse. In this paper, we propose a novel evaluation framework that assesses mode collapse in joint trajectory predictions, focusing on safety-critical interactions. We introduce metrics for mode collapse, mode correctness, and coverage, emphasizing the sequential dimension of predictions. By testing four multi-agent trajectory prediction models, we demonstrate that mode collapse indeed happens. When looking at the sequential dimension, although prediction accuracy improves closer to interaction events, there are still cases where the models are unable to predict the correct interaction mode, even just before the interaction mode becomes inevitable. We hope that our framework can help researchers gain new insights and advance the development of more consistent and accurate prediction models, thus enhancing the safety of autonomous driving systems.

This paper proposes a method for planning the optimal capacities of a photovoltaic (PV) system and a battery energy storage system (BESS), ensuring compliance with all operational network constraints through the application of the flexible power point tracking (FPPT) algorithm for absolute active power control of the PV system. The considered constraints, related to the thermal loading of power lines, as well as the maximum permissible node voltages according to EN50160, are defined by standards governing the probabilistic behavior of the system within specific time intervals. The proposed methodology is based on a sequential Monte Carlo simulation and black-box optimization using the DIRECT (DIviding RECTangles) method. The main advantage of the simulator is that the key variables are treated as correlated stochastic processes rather than independent random variables. The objective of the proposed optimization is to maximize the profit of energy production and storage devices. The developed optimization procedure has been applied to determine the optimal configuration of the PV system for a predefined node in the IEEE 33 test system.

Simple Summary The alarming rise in early-onset cancers among adolescents and young adults parallels the global surge in ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption. Beyond poor nutrition, UPFs act as “Trojan horses,” introducing biologically active compounds, particularly endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), that interfere with hormonal regulation, immune responses, and microbial balance. These exposures, often occurring during vulnerable developmental stages, disrupt endocrine signalling; promote chronic, low-grade inflammation; alter the gut microbiota; and induce epigenetic changes, thereby creating a permissive environment for carcinogenesis. Key EDCs migrate from packaging into foods, while additives and high-temperature processing further compound the risk. This review integrates emerging evidence across disciplines to highlight UPFs as silent but systemic disruptors of metabolic and genetic homeostasis. The “Trojan horse” model reframes UPFs as long-term, multifactorial risk factors, underscoring the need for multi-omics research and personalised dietary strategies to assess and mitigate cancer risks in younger populations.

In this paper, an assessment of the impact of the electrification of the vehicle fleet in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the total electrical energy consumption is made, for different scenarios of increasing the number of electric vehicles. Based on a statistical analysis of the structure and number of vehicles in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period from 2010 to 2024, an estimate of the total number of passenger cars, as well as the number of electric vehicles for the period up to 2050, is made. It is estimated that in 2050 the number of electric passenger cars will be around 300,000. For one representative electric passenger car, averaged annual electrical energy consumption is calculated. Based on the calculation and for the estimated number of electric vehicles in use, the total annual consumption of electrical energy for the segment of passenger cars is defined, for different scenarios of increasing the number of electric vehicles. Following the estimated increase in the number of passenger electric cars, an exponential increase in electrical energy consumption is estimated, reaching the annual amount of 635 GWh in 2050, which is 10 times higher than the total electrical energy consumption of the transport sector in 2024. In this way, for the period up to 2050, the additional amount of electrical energy that the electrical power grid should provide, due to the electrification of the vehicle fleet, is estimated.

Urbanisation and land-use change are among the main pressures on soil health in periurban areas, but the multifunctionality of grassland soils is still not sufficiently recognised. In this study, the physical and chemical properties of soils under grassland, forest and croplands in the periurban area of Zagreb were investigated in a two-year period. Grasslands consistently exhibited multifunctional benefits, including high organic matter content (4.68% vs. 2.24% in cropland), improved bulk density (1.14 vs. 1.24 g cm−3) and an active carbon cycle indicated by increased CO2 emissions (up to 1403 kg ha−1 day−1 in 2021). Forest soils showed the highest aggregate stability (91.4%) and infiltration (0.0006 cm s−1), while croplands showed signs of structural degradation with the highest bulk density and lowest water retention (39.9%). Temporal variation showed that grassland was particularly responsive to favourable climatic conditions, with soil porosity and water content improving yearly. Principal component analysis showed that soil structure, biological activity and moisture regulation were linked, with grassland plots favourably positioned along the axes of resilience. The absence of tillage and the presence of permanent vegetation cover contributed to their high capacity for climate and water regulation and carbon sequestration. These results emphasise the importance of protecting and managing grasslands as an important component of urban green areas. Practices such as mulching, minimal disturbance and continuous cover can maximise the ecosystem services of grassland soils. In addition, the results highlight the potential risk of trace metal accumulation in cropland and grassland soils located near urban and farming infrastructure, underlining the need for regular monitoring in periurban environments. Integrating grassland functions into urban planning and policy is essential for improving the sustainability and resilience of periurban landscapes.

Rectal carcinoma (RC) represents approximately 30% of all colorectal carcinomas (CRC) and is considered a distinct clinical entity. Vascular invasion (VI) is recognized as an independent predictor of poor outcomes in RC. In this study, we applied bioinformatics methods to identify gene pathways most likely associated with VI in rectal carcinoma. As ADAMTS8 showed statistically significant negative relations with the VI in RC patients, we further analyzed its top co-dependent genes—DNAL4, EVI2B, PPP1R35, PTGR3, RPL21, SOX4, and ZNF3—for the experimentally proven molecular modulators. We identified a total of 23 compounds from the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database based on previously reported data for all eight target genes. The search was expanded to include additional chemical agents by structure similarity using the PubChem database, which revealed 9661 additional compounds. These were subsequently used for molecular interaction analysis against target proteins co-expressed with, or associated with, ADAMTS8 in RC with VI. Ultimately, we identified four high-affinity compounds—cyanoginosin LR, doxorubicin, benzo[a]pyrene, and dibenzo(a,e)pyrene—that interacted with all target proteins. These compounds show potential for further assessment of their role in modulating processes related to vascular invasion, which is a strong negative predictor of RC outcomes.

Developing decision-making algorithms for highly automated driving systems remains challenging, since these systems have to operate safely in an open and complex environments. Reinforcement Learning (RL) approaches can learn comprehensive decision policies directly from experience and already show promising results in simple driving tasks. However, current approaches fail to achieve generalizability for more complex driving tasks and lack learning efficiency. Therefore, we present Scenario-based Automated Driving Reinforcement Learning (SAD-RL), the first framework that integrates Reinforcement Learning (RL) of hierarchical policy in a scenario-based environment. A high-level policy selects maneuver templates that are evaluated and executed by a low-level control logic. The scenario-based environment allows to control the training experience for the agent and to explicitly introduce challenging, but rate situations into the training process. Our experiments show that an agent trained using the SAD-RL framework can achieve safe behaviour in easy as well as challenging situations efficiently. Our ablation studies confirmed that both HRL and scenario diversity are essential for achieving these results.

This paper examined the effect of Islamic finance on poverty reduction in 53 African countries over the period 2013 to 2022. Islamic finance, based on Islamic principles and values, emphasizes ethical conduct, social responsibility, and promotion of social welfare. Poverty remains a pressing issue in many African countries, and traditional financial systems have for long struggled to effectively address this challenge. Islamic finance offers unique features and mechanisms that can contribute to poverty reduction efforts. This study employs a panel System Generalized Method of Moments (SGMM) estimation technique and explores the empirical evidence on the relationship between Islamic finance development and poverty reduction, while controlling for other variables such as foreign aid, government budgets, and government effectiveness. The findings indicate that Islamic finance development, foreign aid, and government budgets have significant positive effects on poverty reduction, while government effectiveness has a negative effect. Thus, the findings highlight the potential of Islamic finance in poverty reduction in African countries and provide valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in harnessing the benefits of Islamic finance for inclusive and sustainable development.

The forestry sector is increasingly dealing with a significant lack of labor and faces the difficult task of securing a professional, stable and sustainable manpower. In this study, different strategic directions for strengthening forestry workforce sustainability are presented and evaluated. The considered strategic directions were developed with respect to forestry employees’ views on necessary measures for making the forestry occupation more appealing. Those measures were observed in three categories: (I) stronger recruiting, (II) stronger retention and (III) higher work commitment. The findings of the survey and other performed analyses resulted in the creation of four different strategic directions: (1) the direct financial strategy, implying increased direct monetary compensation as the main instrument and putting focus on labor productivity; (2) the indirect financial strategy, stressing worker wellbeing through indirect material benefits and aiming at performance quality; (3) the educational strategy, focusing on worker training and education and (4) the technical–technological strategy, aiming at the increased utilization of modern machinery and advanced technologies in forest operations. The results of the study include a comparison of the defined strategies by SWOT analysis and the construction of An analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model as the multi-criteria tool for strategy evaluation. Considering the possibility and conditions of its implementation in the national forestry sector, the technical–technological strategy has been evaluated as best option to pursue. The objective of the study is to contribute to enhancing the sustainability of forestry workforce by defining critical issues and pointing to specific cornerstones that can assist in formulating effective future policies and strategies in the forestry sector.

Commercial juice processing generates a wide range of citrus byproducts including Citrus reticulata pomace. Citrus reticulata pomace consists primarily of pectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and simple sugars. The essential oil present in small amounts contributes to the characteristic citrus aroma. In this research, volatile and semi-volatiles were extracted from citrus pomace (byproduct of mandarin juice production and then encapsulated using a freeze-drying technique. The main goal was to evaluate the efficiency of different coatings such as gum arabic, maltodextrin, and carboxymethylcellulose, to encapsulate citrus aroma. To confirm encapsulation, the microcapsules were disrupted in water. In disrupted microcapsules, a total of 17 monoterpenes, 13 sesquiterpenes, and 15 other compounds were identified, while on the surface of microcapsules, only up to 7 compounds were identified. From 46 aroma compounds identified in disrupted microcapsules, the most abundant ones were limonene, linalool, and α-terpineol.