Background:Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a disorder of gut-brain interaction, is diagnosed using symptom-based Rome criteria. These criteria classify IBS patients into four subtypes in accordance to their stool patterns. However, whether this subtyping approach is based on true differences in the underlying biology of IBS patients, is unclear. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the faecal headspace reflect both the gut microbial and host intestinal intraluminal processes and thereby may be used to study pathophysiological differences between IBS and its subtypes. Methods:We profiled faecal headspace VOCs in a cohort of 164 patients with IBS and 143 healthy controls using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Random forest models were employed to impute missing values and identify discriminatory VOCs to differentiate IBS patients from healthy controls. We corrected for faecal water content using Partial Least Squares Regression. Multivariate associations between the obtained volatile profiles and Rome III IBS subtypes were evaluated using regularized MANOVA. Results:A total of 39 VOCs, including short-chain fatty acid esters, neurotransmitter-related metabolites, alcohols, and sulphides, were selected as significantly altered in patients with IBS. Our classification model achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.82 on both training and independent test sets, demonstrating robust separation between IBS patients and healthy individuals. However, VOC profiles did not associate to Rome III -based IBS subtypes. Conclusion:This study highlights the potential of faecal VOC profiling as a non-invasive tool for studying and characterising IBS, yet they also reveal a disconnect between metabolic signatures and current stool-based subtypes. While the Rome criteria remain the clinical standard for diagnosis and subtyping of IBS, they offer limited insight into underlying disease mechanisms. Future research should focus on integrating VOC analysis with other omics approaches to refine IBS sub-classification into biologically relevant clusters, which may aid to improve personalised therapeutic strategies.

Spent coffee grounds (SCG) offer significant ecological and cosmetic potential. The conversion of SCG into safe and efficient cosmetic products promotes all aspects of sustainability and circular practices within the cosmetic industry.

Urinary tract infections, as one of the most common infectious diseases, contribute substantially to the global healthcare burden, particularly due to the rising prevalence of resistant bacterial strains such as Klebsiella pneumoniae. Background/Objectives: The aim was to investigate the prevalence of urinary tract infection pathogens among hospitalized patients at Saint Apostol Luka Hospital in Doboj during the period 2021–2023. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Saint Apostol Luka Hospital, Doboj, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Data from the Department of Microbiology were analyzed for the period 2021–2023, including patients with positive urine cultures (≥103 CFU/mL) of a single uropathogen. Bacterial identification and susceptibility testing were performed according to EUCAST standards, and statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS v24. Results: Escherichia coli was the most frequent isolate (29.2%), followed by Klebsiella spp. (24.2%) and Enterococcus spp. (19.8%). A significant rise in K. pneumoniae prevalence and resistance to multiple antibiotics—including β-lactams, carbapenems, aminoglycosides, and colistin—was observed during the study period. Conclusions: This study revealed that E. coli and Klebsiella spp. were the leading uropathogens, with notable differences in distribution by sex, age, and hospital department. A marked rise in multidrug resistance, particularly among K. pneumoniae, was observed across the study period. These findings underscore the urgent need for continuous surveillance and stronger antimicrobial stewardship to curb resistance trends.

Recent excavations at Pompeii’s Regio IX have uncovered an intact ancient construction site, offering insights into Roman building techniques at the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. Microstructural and chemical analysis of materials collected from previously constructed walls, walls under construction, and adjacent dry, raw material piles show unequivocally how quicklime was pre-mixed with dry pozzolan before adding water in the creation of Roman concrete. This construction method, also known as hot mixing, results in an exothermic reaction within the mortar and the formation of lime clasts, key contributors to the self-healing and post-pozzolanic reactivity of hydraulic mortars. The analysis of reaction rims around volcanic aggregates demonstrate aggregate/matrix interfacial remodeling, where calcium ions originating from the dissolution of lime clasts diffuse and remineralize, producing amorphous phases and various polymorphs of calcium carbonate (including calcite and aragonite). Furthermore, the parallel discovery of masonry materials and tools permits elucidation of the entire construction workflow, including the steps required to process binding mortars and larger aggregates (caementa). These findings advance our understanding of ancient Roman construction and long-term material evolution, providing a scientific basis for developing more durable and sustainable concretes and restoration materials inspired by ancient practices. Here the authors combine microstructural and chemical analysis of building materials collected from an active construction site in Pompeii prior to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. Through these analyses, they identify the key raw materials and processes used in the production of Roman concrete.

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Abstract Due to an ongoing energy crisis and fluctuating energy prices, the prerequisites for maintaining optimal indoor environmental quality (IEQ), a critical determinant of productivity, cognitive performance, and overall well-being, have been significantly disrupted. This study focuses on examining determinants of thermal comfort, a subjective evaluation of the thermal environment and a key component of IEQ. Through a survey of employees and users of public buildings in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the research employs a four-stage regression analysis to identify the main predictors of thermal comfort. Although 71.33% of respondents report satisfaction with the heating system, only 43.13% find the heating to be adequate, with the optimal perceived temperature averaging 21.66°C. The results show that key factors influencing thermal comfort include thermal sensation, thermal memory, gender, and respondent type (employee versus user). These seminal results could offer valuable productivity and financial implications for energy savings, especially for budgetary policymakers aiming to reduce energy consumption as well as for public sector management and public institutions seeking to improve well-being and productivity.

Treatment of Clostridioides difficile infections in University Clinical Hospital Mostar from an economic perspective Clostridioides difficile is the most prominent pathogen directly tied to a healthcare system and proven to be one of the main causes of high economic impacts. It results in a frequent need for hospitalization, including the treatment of sepsis and post-acute care, and requires an extended number of days spent at the hospital. In addition to the costs of the medicine and laboratory analysis, extended hospitalization is the key component of the high healthcare expenses. The rational use of antibiotics, mandatory implementation of general hygiene measures, like washing hands, and disinfecting surfaces can significantly contribute towards hospital's overall expenses. This is particularly important for those in contact with an infected patient or with a patient suspected of having CDI. These basic measures establish security systems in the prevention of CDI. Proper managing and forecasting of the costs on the annual level for each individual healthcare institution is a necessary measure. Developing an accurate estimate of the funds needed for the treatment and prevention of CDI and its best Treatment of Clostridioides difficile infections in University Clinical Hospital Mostar from an economic perspective Clostridioides difficile is the most prominent pathogen directly tied to a healthcare system and proven to be one of the main causes of high economic impacts. It results in a frequent need for hospitalization, including the treatment of sepsis and post-acute care, and requires an extended number of days spent at the hospital. In addition to the costs of the medicine and laboratory analysis, extended hospitalization is the key component of the high healthcare expenses. The rational use of antibiotics, mandatory implementation of general hygiene measures, like washing hands, and disinfecting surfaces can significantly contribute towards hospital's overall expenses. This is particularly important for those in contact with an infected patient or with a patient suspected of having CDI. These basic measures establish security systems in the prevention of CDI. Proper managing and forecasting of the costs on the annual level for each individual healthcare institution is a necessary measure. Developing an accurate estimate of the funds needed for the treatment and prevention of CDI and its best

Abstract Introduction This study examines the prevalence of bullying among primary school students in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), analyses gender differences, and assesses its association with traumatic and psychosomatic symptoms. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among students in grades seven to nine. Participants were categorised based on bullying involvement as victims, bullies, bully/victims, or uninvolved. Validated self-report questionnaires were used to measure bullying exposure and assess psychosomatic and trauma-related symptoms. Results In total, 13.3% of the students identified as victims, 3.1% as bullies, and 4.4% as both. Victims and bully/victims reported significantly higher rates of psychosomatic symptoms (e.g., pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal complaints) and trauma-related symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, dissociation) than uninvolved students. Bully/victims showed the highest overall burden, suggesting compounded vulnerability. Conclusions These findings highlight the urgent need for trauma-informed, context-sensitive prevention strategies. Training school staff to recognise emotional and somatic distress, integrating basic screening tools into school and primary health services, and enhancing intersectoral collaboration are critical steps in ensuring early identification and adequate support for affected students.

Background/Objectives: Chronic synovitis is a hallmark of osteoarthritis (OA) progression, driving cartilage degradation via inflammatory mediators. While the MAPK signaling pathway is implicated in OA pathogenesis its activation patterns in hip synovium remain poorly characterized, and regional differences within the synovial membrane have not been systematically examined. This research aims to determine the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) in the MAPK signaling pathway in the synovial membrane of osteoarthritic hips. Methods: We compared synovial immunofluorescence expression of the aforementioned proteins in a control (CTRL) group of subjects with femoral neck fractures and a group with hip OA. Results: Higher ERK1/2 immunoexpression was detected in the intima compared with the subintima in the CTRL group (p < 0.05), and a similar distribution was observed in the OA group (p < 0.0001). The intima of the OA group exhibited a considerably greater area percentage of positive signal than the intima of the CTRL group (p < 0.01). In all groups examined, we observed that p38 MAPK expression was markedly more positive in the intima than in the subintima (p < 0.0001), but without statistically significant differences between groups. JNK and EGFR immunoexpression were higher in the intima than in the subintima across all analyzed groups, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). No differences in the expression of these two markers were detected between the CTRL and OA groups (p > 0.05). Differential analysis of the GEO dataset revealed no significant differences in expression between the OA and CTRL groups in the expression of MAPK1, MAPK3, MAPK8, MAPK9, MAPK10, and MAPK11. EGFR was significantly elevated in OA compared to CTRLs in the differential analysis of the GEO dataset. Conclusions: This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of MAPK pathway activation in hip OA synovium, revealing ERK1/2 as a key player with region-specific upregulation in the synovial intima. Combined with elevated EGFR expression, these findings suggest potential therapeutic targets for hip OA synovitis. The discordance between protein and mRNA levels for ERK1/2 indicates post-transcriptional regulation, warranting further investigation into phosphorylation status and functional activation. Our results support the development of targeted interventions for hip OA, a condition with limited treatment options beyond joint replacement.