Distribution of K and Cs in food and food additives from western Serbia and associated radiological ingestion risk.

Soil may contain certain concentrations of the natural radionuclide K as well as the artificial radionuclide Cs, which can accumulate in the edible parts of plants. This can lead to an exceedance of the ingestion dose. In this study, measurements of K and Cs were conducted for 144 food samples (including fruit, tea, cereals, beans, salt, and sugar) using gamma spectrometry.

Radionuclides in drinking water from an industrial region in western Serbia and public health risk assessment.

Drinking water that contains elevated levels of radioactive substances can pose a potential risk for the development of cancer. Therefore, regular monitoring of radioactivity in water intended for human consumption is essential. In this context, a long-term investigation was carried out across 13 sites in the Mačva District (Western Serbia) during the 2010-2020 period.

Embedded hardware-based adaptive filtering for noise reduction in bioimpedance data.

With the rise of wearable, affordable solutions using integrated circuits like the AD5933, noise reduction in bioimpedance data has become increasingly important. In this paper, we present an automated method for the realization of a digital filter for noise reduction in bioimpedance data. Unlike traditional methods that require manual tuning, our approach automatically adjusts the filter coefficients based on the characteristics of the incoming bioimpedance data - specifically by minimizing the smoothness difference between consecutive filtered data points.

Impact of health promotion strategies on HPV vaccination uptake: A descriptive epidemiological study (2019-2024).

Introduction/objectives: The effectiveness of vaccines depends not only on resource availability but also on broad public acceptance and the uptake of widely accessible vaccines. A vaccination campaign is a strategically coordinated initiative designed to enhance vaccine coverage within a specific population. This study evaluated the impact of health promotion strategies (HPS), including social marketing and education, on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake among adolescents aged 9-19 years in City of Novi Sad, Serbia (population ~300,000).

The structural basis of aldo-keto reductase 1C3 inhibition by 17α-picolyl and 17()-picolinylidene androstane derivatives.

Human aldo-keto reductase 1C3 (AKR1C3) is a steroid modifying enzyme involved in cancer progression. Here, A-ring modified 17α-picolyl and 17()-picolinylidene androstane derivatives are shown to inhibit AKR1C3 activity . None of the androstane derivatives have off-target affinity for the androgen receptor, based on a fluorescence assay in yeast cells.

Addressing wastewater challenges in the dairy industry: a focused case study.

This Research Paper addresses the hypothesis that wastewater characteristics in the dairy industry vary with product type and operational procedures, and that current treatment methods face limitations in managing such variability. The study examined raw and clean-in-place (CIP) wastewater from a Serbian dairy plant over three years. Physico-chemical and microbiological analyses included pH, protein, fat, carbohydrates, total solids, total microorganisms, , Enterobacteriaceae, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and dissolved oxygen (O).

Nationwide epidemiological study of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in Serbia.

Background: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a rare autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, mediated by antibodies against aquaporin 4 (AQP4-IgG) in 80 % of cases. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of NMOSD and incidence over a twelve-year study period (2013-2024), in Serbia.

Methods: This study comprises data from 146 NMOSD patients, diagnosed according to the NMOSD criteria 2015.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring During Recreational Diving in Type 1 Diabetes: Navigating Clinical and Technical Uncertainties.

Recreational diving with self-contained underwater breathing devices is gaining popularity worldwide as a sport and leisure activity. People living with type 1 diabetes mellitus (PLT1D) are no exception, although historically diabetes mellitus, especially insulin-treated, has been described as an absolute contra-indication for diving. However, based on observational data collected by the Divers Alert Network, the presence of background diabetes mellitus became only a relative contraindication for those without significant co-morbidities or long-term complications.

Potential of MRNA vaccines for mpox prevention: current evidence and future directions.

In 2022, the presumption of monkeypox (mpox) to be of limited epidemiology shifted when a global outbreak was announced. Being a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family, it'd been reported in over 82 countries with over 17 000 confirmed cases by July 2022, thus showing its capability for spreading rapidly. As the smallpox vaccine offers 85% cross-immunity against mpox, the outbreak highlighted the attenuation of global immunity against orthopoxviruses after the cessation of vaccination campaigns against smallpox.

Recent Advances in Metal-Organic Framework Nanozyme (MOFzyme)-Based Biosensors for Detecting Food Contaminants.

Ensuring food safety and freshness demands highly sensitive and reliable biosensors for food contaminant detection, where signal probes act as vital elements in this endeavor. Metal-organic framework nanozymes (MOFzymes) have emerged as signal probes owing to their highly tunable porosity, component versatility for modulating enzyme-like activity, and customizable surface modifications. This review systematically encapsulates MOFzyme-based biosensors for the identification of diverse food pollutants.

Managing penicillin resistant pneumococcal meningitis: an international id-iri study.

Penicillin-resistant pneumococcal meningitis (PRPM) is a challenging and fatal infection. We conducted a multicentre international retrospective study to evaluate the clinical features, outcomes, predictors of outcomes antimicrobial efficacy and drug susceptibility in patients with PRPM. The study, conducted through the "Infectious Diseases-International Research Initiative" across 33 centers in 11 countries, analyzed PRPM patients treated between 2019 and 2024 using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Factors influencing the well-being of Central and Eastern European university teachers: the role of physical activity and the sources of stress and resources in the workplace.

Background: While previously a university education career seemed like a predictable, relatively stress-free, flexible, socially recognized profession, this today is no longer the case. Where it once was a job which protected its teachers from all sorts of workplace sources of stress like uncertainty, low work control, it now no longer offers such shielding.

Methods: In our study, based on the Jobs-Demands and Resources Theory, we examined the backgrounds and predictor roles of institutional stress sources and resources, and physical activity as an individual asset, in the wellbeing of teachers.

Weight loss practices in Chinese national and international-level Sanda athletes.

Background: Sanda is an unarmed combat sport (CS) comprises punching, kicking, throwing, wrestling, and defensive techniques that has increased in popularity. To ensure athletes compete against opponents of similar body size and weight for fairness, Sanda competition is classified according to weight classes. Previous studies revealed that CS athletes tend to intentionally lose weight to gain a competitive advantage over their opponents.

Resurgence of Pertussis in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Serbia: Shifting Seasonality, Age Patterns, and the Need for Booster Immunization.

Background: Despite decades of high childhood vaccination coverage, pertussis has re-emerged in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (AP Vojvodina), Serbia. We aimed to describe the temporal, seasonal, and age-specific patterns of pertussis in AP Vojvodina and to analyze trends by vaccination status in order to highlight changes in epidemiology and potential gaps in vaccine-induced protection.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 2796 pertussis cases reported between January 1997 and December 2024, examining temporal, seasonal, and age-specific trends, stratifying by vaccination status across four consecutive periods (1997-2003, 2004-2010, 2011-2017, and 2018-2024).

Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Comprehensive Overview of Established and Emerging Concepts.

Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent micronutrient deficiency globally, affecting approximately one in four individuals, with a particularly high burden among children, women of reproductive age, and populations in low- and middle-income countries. It contributes significantly to the global burden of disease, with consequences ranging from impaired cognitive and motor development in children to increased risks during pregnancy, including low birth weight, preterm delivery, and maternal mortality, as well as reduced physical performance and quality of life in adults. ID often precedes iron deficiency anemia (IDA), though clinical and functional impairments-such as cognitive deficits, immune dysfunction, and fatigue-can occur even in the absence of anemia.

Effect of Clear Corneal Incisions via Femtosecond Laser Versus Manual Incisions on Corneal Aberrations in Cataract Surgery.

This study aimed to evaluate whether clear corneal incisions (CCIs) created with the FEMTO LDV Z8 femtosecond laser during cataract surgery are non-inferior to manual CCIs in terms of surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) and higher-order aberrations (HOAs). A total of 78 cataract patients were randomly assigned to two groups: 38 eyes underwent femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS), and 40 eyes underwent conventional manual cataract surgery (CCS). Preoperative and six-week postoperative SIA, HOAs, and all topographic and refractive data were analysed for both groups.

Differential Exposure to spp. and Spotted Fever Group in Serbia and North Macedonia: A Comparative Study.

Several diseases caused by tick-borne pathogens, including Lyme borreliosis (LB) and spotted fever group rickettsioses, are endemic in the Balkan Peninsula, positioned between Central Europe and the Middle East. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess serological exposure to spp. and spotted fever group (SFGR) among individuals with recent tick bites and healthy controls in two Balkan countries-Serbia and North Macedonia.

From Forest to Fork: Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Potential of (Bull.) Murrill in Cooked Sausages.

In response to the growing demand for clean-label preservatives, this study investigates the potential of , an edible polypore mushroom, as a multifunctional additive in cooked sausages. The ethanolic extract of (LsEtOH) was evaluated for its chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and antimicrobial activity. Leucine (12.

Additive-Free Multiple Processing of PLA Pre-Consumer Waste: Influence on Mechanical and Thermal Properties.

Poly(lactide) (PLA) is the most versatile biopolymer with few possible end-of-life scenarios, like recycling, biodegradation/composting, and incineration. Biodegradation occurs under strictly defined conditions, and ultimately, PLA is landfilled, where it behaves like conventional plastics. To completely utilize the potential of PLA, it is necessary to increase the recycling and upcycling rates.

Correction: Andjic et al. Immortelle Essential-Oil-Enriched Hydrogel for Diabetic Wound Repair: Development, Characterization, and In Vivo Efficacy Assessment. 2024, , 1309.

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Potential of Pumpkin Pulp Carotenoid Extract in the Prevention of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity.

: Doxorubicin is a chemotherapeutic agent whose clinical use is limited by side effects (SEs). The most common SE is doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC), for which there is still no prevention. The hypothesis arises that active substances of natural origin could influence DIC prevention by affecting several pathways of DIC occurrence.

Colorimetric Food Freshness Indicators for Intelligent Packaging: Progress, Shortcomings, and Promising Solutions.

The colorimetric food freshness indicator (CFFI) is a promising technology in intelligent food packaging, offering the capability for real-time monitoring of food freshness through colorimetric changes. This technology holds significant promise in mitigating food waste and enhancing transparency across the supply chain. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the classification system for the CFFI, encompassing colorimetric films and sensor arrays.

Habitat Loss and Other Threats to the Survival of (Linnaeus, 1758) in Serbia.

The cessation of traditional mountain grazing has emerged as a principal driver of habitat degradation and the local extinction of (Linnaeus, 1758) in Serbia. While previous studies have cited multiple contributing factors, our research provides evidence that the abandonment of extensive livestock grazing has triggered vegetation succession, the disappearance of the larval host plant (), and a reduction in microhabitat heterogeneity-conditions essential for the persistence of this stenophagous butterfly species. Through satellite-based analysis of vegetation dynamics (2015-2024), we identified clear structural differences between habitats that currently support populations and those where the species is no longer present.