The paper deals with the assessment of risks related to drinkingwater quality, the analysis of physicochemical and microbiological parameters that are key to assessing human safety and health. Through a detailed analysis of these parameters, the paper investigates whether the appropriate physicochemical and microbiological parameters are within the framework defined by the regulation, and whether they may pose a threat to human health.Physicochemical parameters include aspects such as pH values, electrical conductivity, oxidizability, concentrations of various chemical compounds (such as nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, chlorides, heavy metals, etc.) and represent the degree of pollution bychemicals that may pose a threat to human health, while microbiological parameters relate to the presence of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause various diseases in humans.The paper uses data from laboratory analyses of water samples monitored at 32 locations in the Tuzla Canton during two seasons. Through this assessment, the paper highlights the importance of regular monitoring of drinking water quality, as well as the implementation of adequate measures to prevent potential health hazards for users.KEYWORDS:public water fountains, physical-chemical analysis, microbiological analysis

Cornus mas L. is traditionally used for various medicinal purposes, although systematic data on its pharmacognostic properties are still limited. Considerable variation was observed among plant organs, so phenolic and flavonoid content varied by plant part, with location-related differences among samples, with the highest in leaf and fruit from Bijeljina and the lowest in leaf from Sarajevo. Antioxidant activity was much better in leaf and bark than in fruit. Extracts inhibited ESBL-producing Escherichia coli, with MICs mainly at 125 µg/mL; bark extract (Tuzla) showed 250 µg/mL and reduced biofilm formation. Leaf and bark extracts showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity against PC-9, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231 cells, while fruit extracts were weaker. In human lymphocytes, bark (Bileća) and leaf (Tuzla) extracts decreased nuclear division and induced micronuclei at 200 µg/mL. Molecular docking indicated strong bacterial target binding for loganin and cornuside, supporting the antibacterial and antitumor potential of C. mas.

Climate change is an existential threat, and it is often difficult to translate the urgency and immediacy of climate catastrophes into common parlance. One way to effectively engage the public in climate change conversations is through effective communication practices, such as persuasive communication. Persuasive communication uses tailored messages to elicit desirable behavioural outcomes in the audience and has great potential to promote positive attitudinal and behavioural changes in the target audience. However, while persuasive communication has potential, recurring evidence suggests that using fear appeals in climate change communication can create unintentional mental health challenges for the audience. In light of the scale and scope of climate crises, positive, personal, and people‐centred persuasive communications may be more suitable for long‐term and sustainable deployment. However, there is a shortage of research in the literature. Bridging this research gap, this paper aims to explore how fear‐based climate communications impact public mental health and how alternative positive messaging frameworks can serve as sustainable interventions. This study seeks to enhance public mental health and cultivate a sense of engagement and responsibility among individuals, thereby facilitating collective action and influencing policymakers to implement more constructive climate‐response strategies. Ultimately, we aspire to offer inclusive and sustainable solutions that empower the public to actively participate in protecting our shared environment while mitigating climate change.

In this research, the results of bentonite characterization by XRF and SEM/EDS before and after adsorption are presented. The influence of adsorbent mass and initial ion concentration on the capacity and efficiency of adsorption of lead (II) ions using bentonite is determined by adsorption experiments for initial lead (II) concentrations of 200, 300 and 400 mg/L, adsorbent dosage of 0,5, 1 and 2 g, at pH 5, temperature 25 °C, stirring rate of 200 rpm, contact time between adsorbent and lead (II) ions of 2,5minutes. The obtained results showed that with an increase in the adsorbent mass, the adsorption capacity decreases for all three tested initial concentrations, while the adsorption capacity increases with an increase in the initial concentration of Pb(II) ions for all three investigated masses of adsorbent. On the other hand, the adsorption efficiency increases with increasing adsorbent mass, while the adsorption efficiency decreases with increasing initial ion concentration.KEYWORDS:adsorption; lead; bentonite; mass; concentration

Tandem mass spectrometry relies on unique parent-to-product transitions for selective analysis. For sets of isomers or isobars that have identical behaviors in multiple separation dimensions (e.g., LC retention, m/z), quantitation is challenging owing to feature convolution. For example, recent environmental analysis of the enantiomers of O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODV), an anti-depressant manufactured in a racemic mixture, identified tramadol (TRA, a racemic painkiller) as a co-eluting interference. Here, we demonstrate that differential ion mobility spectrometry (DMS) coupled with chiral LC-MS2 can be used to separate and quantify the enantiomers of ODV and TRA. This method was applied to six wastewater influent samples from an Ontario municipal wastewater plant, where the sum of the enantiomeric concentrations was statistically identical to the racemic concentrations observed on reverse-phase LC-MS2 (t-test, α = 0.05, p-value = 0.26 for ODV and p-value = 0.47 for TRA). We also identify low-intensity product ions specific to ODV that enable isolation and quantitation via chiral LC-MS2 alone, albeit at a relatively high limit of quantitation (LOQ) in comparison to the most intense MRM transition (m/z 264 → 58). Using our chiral (LC × DMS)-MS2 method, the instrumental LOQ of each enantiomer of TRA was determined to be 0.67 ng mL-1 and 5.0 ng mL-1 for the enantiomers of ODV.

This study investigates the impact of reusing commercial hydrated lime as a heterogeneous catalyst on the content of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and its characteristics in the methanolysis process of rapeseed oil. The reuse evaluation was conducted by performing consecutive methanolysis reactions up to three times under optimal reaction conditions. Characterization of both unused (fresh) and used catalyst (after the first use and third reuse) was carried out using XRD and SEM/EDS methods, in order to examine structural and morphological changes associated with the catalytic activity of hydrated lime. After the first, second, and third consecutive reuses of commercial hydrated lime under optimal methanolysis conditions, FAME content of 95.46%, 93.92%, and 80.01%, respectively, were achieved. The aforementioned FAME content is high but it is below the minimum ester content requirement set by the EN 14214. Therefore, repeated use of hydrated lime reduces its catalytic activity, resulting in lower FAME content compared to the content obtained with fresh catalyst (96.7%). It was demonstrated that the extent of catalytic activity reduction is correlated with the number of reuses, but also depends on the chemical, structural, and textural properties of the catalyst. XRD analysis of the catalyst after the first use and third reuse revealed the formation of a new crystalline phase, calcium diglyceroxide (C6H14CaO6), identified as the primary crystalline phase, along with Ca(OH)₂ and CaCO₃ as secondary crystalline phases. KEYWORDS:biodiesel, methanolysis, fatty acid methyl esters, heterogeneous catalyst, hydrated lime, reuse

Economic, technological, and industrial development, along with rising energy demand in Tuzla Canton, particularly in the municipality of Lukavac has led to increased air pollution and environmental degradation, affecting water and soil quality. This paper analyzes data on air pollutants in the urban and industrial areas of Lukavac for 2018 and 2019. Data for the urban area were obtained from the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Tuzla Canton, while industrial data came from Global Ispat Coke Industry Lukavac. In 2018, sulfur dioxide levels in the urban area exceeded limit values, while PM2.5 and nitrogen oxides were particularly high during winter months due to natural and anthropogenic factors. Carbon monoxide remained within permitted levels. In 2019, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter occasionally exceeded limits, while nitrogen oxides, ozone, and carbon monoxide were below them. In the industrial zone, annual concentrations of carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and particulate matter exceeded permitted values in both years, although sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides met regulatory limits. Air pollution poses serious health risks, increasing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, especially among vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, and industrial workers.KEYWORDS:air pollution, pollutants, urban area, industrial area

Purpose In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown limited efficacy, and the role of the TIGIT axis remains underexplored. This study aimed to characterize TIGIT axis components on protein level and their relationship to PD-1/PD-L1 expression in matched blood and tumor samples from PDAC patients to identify immunosuppressive mechanisms and fuel future strategies for immune checkpoint co-targeting in PDAC patients. Experimental design Fresh tumor and peripheral blood samples were collected from PDAC patients undergoing surgical resection. Flow cytometry was performed on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and PBMCs to assess expression of TIGIT, DNAM-1, TACTILE, and PD-1. Ligands CD111, CD112, CD113, and CD155 were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Additional RNA expression analysis (TCGA/GTEx) was used to evaluate ligand distribution and gene expression profiles. Results TIGIT was highly upregulated on intratumoral CD8⁺ T cells and regulatory T cells, frequently co-expressed with PD-1. DNAM-1 expression was significantly reduced in tumors. However, contrasting pattern emerges with Tregs, which uniquely upregulate DNAM-1 in the PDAC TME. In addition, CD112 and CD155 were broadly expressed, including novel stromal CD112 localization. NK cells were nearly absent intratumorally, correlating with DNAM-1 downregulation. Conclusions Our findings identify TIGIT as a promising immunotherapeutic target in PDAC and suggest that dual checkpoint blockade (TIGIT/PD-1), alongside restoration of DNAM-1 signaling, may overcome immune suppression. These results provide mechanistic rationale to inform future clinical trials in PDAC. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00262-026-04343-w.

Pristranost u citiranju literature ponajprije se odnosi na tendenciju citiranja pozitivnih i jasnih empirijskih rezultata i tvrdnji naspram onih negativnih i nejasnih. Iako je taj tip pristranosti opisan za različite literature, postoje pokazatelji koji ukazuju i na razlike u stupnju pristranosti među raznim disciplinama. Stoga je važno analizirati pristranosti u citiranju u specifičnim istraživačkim područjima. Cilj je ovoga rada bio istražiti pristranost u citiranju u komparativnoj psihologiji u području koje se bavi ispitivanjem fizičke kognicije životinja. Testirana je pristranost u citiranju radova objavljenih između 1994. i 2019. godine (ukupno 57 radova), uzimajući u obzir kategoriju kojoj je glavna tvrdnja iz izvornoga članka bila dodijeljena („pozitivna”, „negativna”, „nejasna”) i čimbenik odjeka časopisa u kojemu je članak objavljen. Ukupno je pronađen 2991 citirajući rad. Rezultati ukazuju na to da ne postoji jasan učinak kategorizacije glavne tvrdnje na stopu citiranosti, kao ni jasna uloga čimbenika odjeka časopisa kao medijatora. Ti rezultati upućuju na to da za to područje istraživanja u komparativnoj psihologiji ne postoji jasna pristranost u citiranosti radova koja se temelji na prirodi rezultata i tvrdnji.

Extant literature captures the benefits and risks concerning young adults’ use of digital technologies and platforms, but it does not unilaterally recognize the drivers of problematic digital behavior. Those drivers might differ across dimensions of young adults’ digital lives, their socioeconomic backgrounds, and other demographic determinants. In this study, we analyze the determinants of addictive digital behavior of economics and business students from a Southeast European (SEE) sample of 372 participants. We measure digital addictive behavior regarding Internet use, with a focus on mobile phones, using established psychological scales. Our results show that age is generally associated with lower problematic digital behavior (significant in the full sample), while female students report higher PRIUSS-3 scores than male students. Higher ICT proficiency is associated with lower PRIUSS-3 and MPPUS-10 scores. Daily screen time is associated with higher MPPUS-10 scores, but it does not significantly predict PRIUSS-3 in the multivariable model. The empirical results can be used to frame the higher education policies and targeted interventions in the SEE region.

In the present study, two types of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were investigated: green-emitting (G-GQDs) and blue-emitting (B-GQDs). Physicochemical characterisation was performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential, and hydrodynamic radius measurements to evaluate the morphology, particle size, aggregation behaviour, and colloidal stability of the GQDs in both water and cell culture medium. G-GQDs exhibited superior colloidal stability and more uniform dispersion than B-GQDs, whereas both types showed reduced aggregation and surface charge in cell culture medium due to protein corona formation. Toxicological characterisation was performed using an in vitro human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) 3D spheroid model, with GQDs exposures up to 250 µg/mL (100 µg/cm2). Cytotoxicity was measured using the CellTiter-Glo luminometric assay, while genotoxicity was evaluated by the comet assay and flow cytometric analysis of γH2AX and phosphorylated histone H3 (p-H3) after 24 h of exposure. Both GQDs induced dose-dependent cytotoxic effects in HepG2 spheroids. At non-cytotoxic concentrations, a dose-dependent increase in DNA damage was observed, as determined by the comet assay. However, no evidence of DNA double-strand breaks (γH2AX) or elevated p-H3 levels was detected, suggesting the absence of clastogenic and aneugenic activity. The observed DNA single-strand breaks may be partly attributed to reactive oxygen species induction. These results indicate that, although GQDs induced cytotoxicity and single-strand DNA damage, no clear evidence of more severe genotoxic effects was observed under the tested conditions. Further studies are warranted to elucidate underlying mechanisms and comprehensively assess the safety profile of GQDs for biomedical applications.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a high burden of complications, most of which first present to primary care.Objective: To assess the prevalence and predictors of diabetes-related complications among patients seeking primary health care.Methods: This retrospective study analysed records of 1000 patients with T2DM in primary care. Demographic, clinical, and therapeutic variables were examined, and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of complications.Results: Majority of the patients (58.3%) had at least one complication. Neuropathy (41.8%), retinopathy (32.3%), and chronic coronary syndrome (CCS)(22.3%) were most frequent. Independent predictors for complications included older age, longer disease duration and higher HbA1c (p<0.001 for all). Neuropathy was significantly associated with female sex (p=0.016), while myocardial infarction and CCS showed significant association with male sex (p=0.027 and p=0.002 respectively). All complications were strongly associated with hospitalisations (all p<0.001), except for retinopathy. Family history independently predicted retinopathy (p=0.039) and CCS (p=0.014).Conclusion: Diabetes-related complications remain highly prevalent and are strongly linked to glycaemic control, disease duration, and age. Sex, and family history also shape complication patterns, while treatment modality reflects disease severity. These findings highlight the need for early, individualised management and implementation of guideline-based strategies to reduce complication burden and improve outcomes in frontline care.

ABSTRACT This study investigates the historical context and the creation process of the painting Tito and Our Revolution by Vojo Dimitrijevic, housed at the Historical Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, through the application of various instrumental examination techniques. The artwork represents an intriguing fusion of socialist themes with contemporary European artistic movements of the era. Additionally, conservation efforts were undertaken to preserve the damaged painting and reintroduce it to public attention. The materials used in the painting were analyzed through a combination of non-invasive (radiography, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy) and invasive (Fourier- transform infrared spectroscopy, thin-layer chromatography, polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy / energy dispersive spectroscopy) techniques. The analyses revealed an earlier, concealed composition beneath the visible painting, characterized by significantly different color choices and structural arrangement. Furthermore, the study sheds light on the true motivations behind the artwork and clarifies the conflicting narratives surrounding it. Radiography, stratigraphic, and elemental analyses confirmed not only the precise material characterization but allowed to better understand the materials and also the artist’s technical awareness and decision-making during his creative work. The findings were used to guide the conservation strategy, but also contributed to the re-evaluation of the painting as a work that transcends propaganda and embodies the personal expression of the artist.

Teaching quality is crucial for positive student outcomes, yet it can be limited by challenges in the classroom. In this study, we examine how teacher-reported limitations to teaching (e.g., student absenteeism, disruptive behavior, lack of engagement, language barriers) relate to student-reported teaching quality. We also explore whether teacher job satisfaction mediates this relationship. Using data from the Norwegian extension of the TIMSS 2019 Grade 9 student questionnaire, we assess three dimensions of teaching quality based on the three basic dimensions (TBD) framework. Results show that more frequent limitations to teaching are linked to lower student-reported quality. We find that more satisfied teachers deliver clearer instruction and achieve better classroom management. However, we find no evidence that limitations to teaching are associated with lower job satisfaction, nor that job satisfaction mediates the relationship between limitations and teaching quality. We discuss implications for teacher education and educational policymaking.