University of Dubrovnik

ABSTRACT This research investigates the relational construction of gender and innovation within small and medium enterprises (SMEs) during systemic business crises. Moving beyond essentialist, trait‐based perspectives, this study adopts a processual feminist lens to explore how gendered organizational practices shape innovative capacity during disruptions. Drawing on a quantitative sample of 6900 SMEs from 25 countries, we analyze how gendered leadership (Female CEOs), the relational configuration of the workforce, and institutional egalitarianism influence innovation. Rather than viewing gender as an isolated explanatory variable or a set of fixed traits, we conceptualize innovation as a performative enactment that is both constrained and enabled by institutional inequality regimes. Our findings challenge the static assumptions of social role theory by demonstrating that crises disrupt traditional gender scripts. We argue that the increased participation and innovative contributions of women during crises are not temporary departures from stereotypes, but represent a strategic navigation of gendered power structures within the firm. For practice, we suggest that SMEs can achieve sustainable competitive advantage only by dismantling previous organizational logics and recognizing innovation as an outcome of diverse, intersectional organizational processes rather than individual‐level gendered traits.

The aim of this paper is to identify the incidence of overeducation, its determinants, and its impact on workers' wages in Croatia. The analysis was conducted on a sample of respondents from Croatia using data from the 2022 and 2023 PIAAC survey. Overeducation was measured subjectively by comparing respondents' level of formal education with the level of education they themselves considered necessary for their work. A total of 30.3% of respondents stated that their work did not fully utilise their educational qualifications. To analyse the determinants of overeducation, the Heckman selection model was used to correct for possible bias in the sample due to the inclusion of only employed respondents. Area of education, experience, and business ownership were found to be statistically significant determinants of overeducation. The impact of overeducation on wages was assessed using a regression model, which found that overeducated employees earn statistically significantly less than colleagues with similar educational qualifications who perform jobs corresponding to their level of education.

Recent syntaxonomic studies have significantly advanced our understanding of vegetation diversity and classification across Europe. The following overview highlights selected scientific achievements published in the past five years, at both continental and national levels, with particular emphasis on contributions relevant to Croatia.

The new social and economic paradigm, organised around emerging information technologies, represents profound organizational, political, economic, social and cultural changes at various levels – from individual companies to entire countries, from specific regions to global transformation. Economic development under these conditions cannot be analyzed solely through tangible and measurable inputs such as labor, capital and technology. It is now essential to consider the impact of intangible resources, including human, intellectual, social, moral and psychological capital. Economic growth, educational attainment, business and entrepreneurship, social behavior and inequalities, as well as earnings, are economic aspects of psychological capital. These aspects are key indicators of its significance in both individual personal development and the economic development of society. Despite its well-documented influence on organizational outcomes, the macroeconomic implications of psychological capital remain largely unexplored. This paper addresses this gap by developing a conceptual model linking psychological capital with human capital, social capital, productivity, unemployment and economic growth. The impact of psychological capital on economic growth is demonstrated using the system dynamics method, employing qualitative cause-and-effect diagrams to highlight key variables and feedback mechanisms. The conclusion is that economies with higher levels of psychological capital demonstrate greater productivity, lower unemployment, increased human and social capital and consequently, higher economic growth. The research underscores the need for future empirical validation through system dynamics modelling and simulation.

Diabetes mellitus and its microvascular complications, including diabetic retinopathy (DR), present significant health challenges. DR is a leading cause of vision impairment and blindness among working-age individuals in developed countries. The prevalence of DR continues to rise, underscoring the need for more precise diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Due to its multifactorial nature and despite advancements in understanding DR pathophysiology, predicting its onset and progression remains challenging. Traditional screening and treatment methods often fall short of addressing the heterogeneous nature of the disease, underscoring the need for personalised therapeutic strategies. Recent research has highlighted the vital role of genetic biomarkers in the development and progression of DR, paving the way for a precision medicine approach. Personalised eye care in patients with diabetes aims to accurately predict the risk of DR progression and visual loss in real time. A precision medicine approach that utilises genetic biomarkers offers a promising pathway for personalised diagnosis and treatment strategies. Each DR case is distinct in phenotype, genotype, and therapeutic response, making personalised therapy crucial for optimising outcomes. Advancements in genomics, including genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and next-generation sequencing (NGS), have identified numerous genetic markers associated with DR susceptibility and severity. Emerging evidence underscores the critical role of genetic factors, which account for 25–50% of the risk of developing DR. Advances in identifying genetic markers, such as gene polymorphisms and human leukocyte antigen associations, along with the development of targeted drugs, highlight a promising future for personalised medicine in DR. By identifying specific genetic variants associated with DR, we can enhance prevention and early diagnosis, tailor personalised treatment plans, and more accurately predict disease progression. This represents a critical step toward personalised medicine in DR management. Integrating genetic and epigenetic biomarkers into clinical models may transform DR care through earlier diagnosis and precision-guided interventions, gearing it toward precision ophthalmology.

The role of nurse educators in academia requires balancing teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities, often with limited institutional recognition or support. These demands can influence job satisfaction, professional relationships and faculty retention. In Croatia, where nursing education is still developing within the higher education system, little is known about the experiences of nurse educators. This study explored job satisfaction and professional relationships of nurse educators employed full time in higher education institutions in Croatia. An exploratory descriptive qualitative study was conducted in 2024 among full-time nurse educators from 12 higher education institutions offering accredited nursing programs in Croatia. Data were collected through semi-structured online interviews. The interview guide included questions on job satisfaction and professional relationships. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The study included 52 participants. Participants generally reported high job satisfaction, associated with autonomy in academic work, opportunities for professional development, and meaningful interaction with students. However, dissatisfaction stemmed from administrative overload, limited financial incentives, and uneven task distribution among colleagues. Institutional support and collegiality emerged as key factors sustaining motivation and professional identity, while many educators expressed a desire for closer integration of academic and clinical roles to strengthen both teaching relevance and clinical competence. This study highlighted the complex interplay between job satisfaction, professional expectations, and institutional support of nurse educators employed as full-time faculty. The findings emphasise the need for institutional and policy reforms to enhance the working conditions and recognition of nurse educators. Reducing administrative demands, providing fair financial and professional rewards, and establishing structured mentorship and development programs could foster career sustainability and faculty retention. Strengthening institutional support for academic nurses is essential for maintaining a competent and motivated teaching workforce, ultimately improving the quality and continuity of nursing education and practice in Croatia. Not applicable. This study was not a clinical trial.

IntroductionTo evaluate the feasibility of a WEKA-based machine learning pipeline for detecting post-treatment hemodynamic remodeling by comparing pre- and postoperative cerebral angiographic images in patients with middle cerebral artery aneurysms.MethodsThis retrospective, single-center study analyzed 60 patients (51 women, 9 men; mean age, 58.2 ± 10.2 years) with unruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms treated between January 2019 and June 2024. Thirty patients underwent microsurgical clipping, and 29 underwent endovascular intervention. A WEKA-based Random Forest classifier was trained on 15 manually annotated pre- and postoperative digital subtraction angiography (DSA) image pairs and then applied to the remaining dataset. Custom Python-based post-processing was used to denoise and refine the segmented images. Vascular surface area changes were assessed by comparing pixel counts before and after treatment. Statistical analysis included paired and unpaired t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and effect size estimation.ResultsAmong 51 analyzable image pairs, 75% showed increased vascular pixel counts postoperatively, particularly in the endovascular group (segmented pixels: p = 0.034; refined pixels: p = 0.017). No statistically significant differences were observed in the neurosurgical group. Between-group comparisons of postoperative images did not reach significance.ConclusionThe WEKA pipeline enabled quantification of vascular remodeling but remained limited by manual preprocessing and lack of external validation. Machine learning–guided segmentation of angiographic images can detect treatment-induced vascular changes, particularly following endovascular therapy. This method demonstrates promise for future development of automated imaging biomarkers to support outcome monitoring and clinical decision-making in neurovascular care.

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a common cause of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in elderly individuals, and it is characterized by the deposition of amyloid β protein (Aß) in the walls of small-caliber cortical and leptomeningeal vessels. The diagnostic criteria for CAA highlight its association with spontaneous lobar hemorrhage, convexity subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and cortical superficial siderosis but not with subdural hematoma (SDH). This article presents a three-patient case series of CAA who experienced a lobar ICH associated with an SDH, underscoring a potentially under-recognized correlation between an acute ICH and coexistent SDH. We present a case series of three patients in a single university medical center who experienced acute-onset lobar ICH with a concurrent SDH, treated with evacuation. Histopathological examination established the diagnosis of CAA in all three cases. This case series underscores a potentially under-recognized association between an acute ICH and coexistent SDH in the context of CAA. Considering our findings, we emphasize the possibility that SDH may be a more frequent manifestation of CAA than previously recognized. Therefore, patients with CAA who initially present with acute SDH may be underdiagnosed, consequently leading to delayed identification and missed opportunities for proper risk assessment and management.