University of East Sarajevo

The introduction of various sustainable packaging solutions and packaging optimization into parcel delivery systems represents a very important step toward improving the sustainability of the entire system. Owing to such an approach and the implementation of different solutions, it is possible to better plan resources, achieve economic savings, and contribute to environmental protection, which all indirectly have a positive impact on society as a whole. This paper aims to highlight the importance of sustainable approaches and solutions for packaging postal items, considering that there is a direct connection between this process and the sustainability of the entire parcel delivery system. This research provides an overview of the contribution to sustainability improvement for three selected approaches: recyclable packaging, reusable packaging, and precisely dimensioned packaging. In addition, through an illustrative numerical example, a significant potential for improving the sustainability of parcel delivery systems through the application of optimized packaging solutions is demonstrated.

Although greenhouse vegetable production is rapidly shifting toward innovative soilless systems, soil-based conventional cultivation still dominates globally. This production system faces growing pressure to transition to sustainable practices. However, introducing biofertilisers into intensive systems often yields inconsistent results. Specifically, their effects on different lettuce traits vary due to complex relationships between genotype, biofertiliser, environmental conditions, and market demands. Single-parameter evaluations fail to balance conflicting criteria, necessitating multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods for selecting optimal choices. This study aims to overcome these inconsistencies through an integrated fuzzy MCDM-based optimisation model. Three lettuce cultivars (‘Carmesi’, ‘Aquino’, and ‘Gaugin’) were grown in an unheated Surčin (Serbia) greenhouse during a 58-day autumn experiment using a complete block design. Four treatments were applied: a control (without fertilisation), effective microorganisms, a Trichoderma-based fertiliser, and their combination. Biofertilisers were applied before transplanting and four times foliarly during the vegetation period via battery sprayer. This defined 12 production models (cultivar–fertiliser pairs), evaluated across 10 criteria: agronomic (core ratio, number of leaves), quality (nitrate content, total antioxidant capacity, total soluble solids, and chlorogenic acid), sensory (overall taste, overall quality), and economic (total variable costs, total income). Four decision-making experts from the Faculty of Agriculture and the ready-to-eat salad industry assessed weighting coefficients using the fuzzy PIPRECIA (PIvot Pairwise RElative Criteria Importance Assessment) method. The fuzzy MARCOS (Measurement Alternatives and Ranking according to COmpromise Solution) method was used to rank the alternatives. To confirm the stability of the obtained ranking with the fuzzy MARCOS method, we performed sensitivity analysis through 20 different scenarios. Applied fuzzy methods identified alternative A11—‘Aquino’ cultivar with combined biofertilisers—as the best-ranked option, followed by A6 and A7. This study validates fuzzy PIPRECIA and fuzzy MARCOS as effective tools for optimising lettuce production models. They support farmers in selecting the most favourable solution based on multiple criteria, aiding the shift from mineral fertilisers to sustainable biofertiliser-based systems in intensive production—especially helpful for producers making this transition.

<p data-start="0" data-end="341"><strong data-start="0" data-end="17">Introduction.</strong> Vitamin D deficiency is common worldwide and has been associated with disturbances in glucose metabolism, although evidence remains inconsistent. This study evaluated serum 25(OH)D levels and their crude associations with glycemic control and chronic diabetic complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).</p> <p data-start="343" data-end="1179"><strong data-start="343" data-end="355">Methods.</strong> This retrospective study included 170 adults with T2DM treated between January 2023 and June 2024. Participants were categorized according to serum 25(OH)D concentration into a low vitamin D group (≤30 ng/mL) and a normal vitamin D group (≥31 ng/mL). Collected data included age, sex, body mass index (BMI), diabetes duration, treatment modalities, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial glucose (PPG), HbA1c, and documented complications (retinopathy, neuropathy, diabetic kidney disease, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease). Normality was assessed using Q–Q plots and the Shapiro–Wilk test. Group comparisons were performed using Student’s t-test or non-parametric equivalents, and correlations were evaluated using Pearson or Spearman coefficients. No multivariable regression analyses were conducted.</p> <p data-start="1181" data-end="1558"><strong data-start="1181" data-end="1193">Results.</strong> Patients with lower 25(OH)D levels had significantly longer diabetes duration, higher BMI, and higher HbA1c, FPG, and PPG values. Weak negative correlations were observed between 25(OH)D and glycemic parameters (r = –0.13 to –0.25). The prevalence of chronic diabetic complications was significantly higher in the low vitamin D group. All findings were unadjusted.</p> <p data-start="1560" data-end="1814" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><strong data-start="1560" data-end="1575">Conclusion.</strong> Lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with poorer glycemic parameters and a higher prevalence of chronic diabetic complications in T2DM. However, given significant group differences and the lack of adjustment, causality cannot be inferred.</p>

<p><strong>Introduction.</strong> The most common malignant facial skin tumors are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and melanoma. Surgical excision remains the gold standard of treatment, followed by reconstruction of the resulting defect. The aims of this study were to present reconstructive options for facial defects following excision of malignant skin tumors and to evaluate functional and aesthetic outcomes of local flap reconstruction.<br /><strong>Methods</strong>. This retrospective case series included 80 patients surgically treated at Varis Clinic in Belgrade and at the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital in Foča, from January 2021 to October 2025. Patients were analyzed with respect to tumor type, defect size and localization, sex, age, and postoperative complications. Reconstruction was performed using local flaps.<br /><strong>Results.</strong> Facial defects resulted from excision of BCC in 51 patients, SCC in 24 patients, and melanoma in five patients. Complete flap survival was achieved in all cases (100%). Postoperative infection with marginal flap necrosis occurred in three patients (3.75%) and resolved after conservative treatment. Functional and aesthetic outcomes were satisfactory in all patients.<br /><strong>Conclusion.</strong> Local flaps represent a reliable reconstructive method for small to large facial defects. Proper surgical planning, anatomical knowledge, and meticulous technique are essential for achieving optimal functional and aesthetic outcomes.</p>

Background: Pancreatic hamartoma (PH) is an exceptionally rare, benign, mass-forming lesion accounting for less than 1% of all pancreatic tumors. Its rarity and non-neoplastic nature contribute to significant diagnostic challenges, often leading to misclassification as malignant disease. This study presents a case of PH and a systematic review of all reported cases, with emphasis on histopathological and imaging characteristics. Methods: A comprehensive electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted up to 1 April 2025, to identify eligible case reports and series. Results: We describe a 37-year-old woman with a cystic lesion of the pancreatic tail, ultimately confirmed histologically as a cystic pancreatic hamartoma following distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy, with an uneventful postoperative course. Of 687 screened studies, 51 met the inclusion criteria, comprising 77 cases (68 adults, 9 pediatric). PHs occurred most frequently in males (52.9%), with a mean age of 59.5 ± 12.9 years, and were often asymptomatic (57.4%). The pancreatic head was the most common site (52.9%). On MRI, PHs typically exhibited low T1-weighted and high T2-weighted signal intensity, with no FDG uptake (82%) and moderate or no restriction on DWI, distinguishing them from neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Histologically, most lesions were solid (64.7%) or solid-cystic (35.3%), with low spindle cell cellularity and absent Langerhans islets. Conclusions: Low T1WI signal and moderate DWI signal are the key features distinguishing PHs from NETs. Incorporating these findings with EUS-FNA and immunohistochemistry can support a provisional diagnosis and help avoid unnecessary radical surgery.

Abstract This article explores antigender mobilisation – a global phenomenon that challenges and undermines gender equality – with a focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Using a political process model of social movements, it examines antigender activities and tactics within broader social, institutional, and political contexts. Drawing on qualitative interviews and focus groups with activists, journalists, and other professionals with lived experience, the study highlights how narratives centred on tradition and family values intersect with wartime legacies, ethnic divisions, prevailing conservativism, political conditions, and international influences. In the Republika Srpska entity, such campaigns have been supported by the state and systematically coordinated, posing serious threats to women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. Elsewhere in BiH, antigender rhetoric persists but remains more fragmented. The findings demonstrate how local dynamics intersect with transnational trends, revealing the mechanisms by which antigender mobilisation undermines gender equality in a postconflict setting.

This paper presents the application of various methods for predicting electricity generation in photovoltaic (PV) power plants using real experimental data obtained from the measurement of meteorological and operational parameters over a three-day period. The objective of the study was to develop a reliable and interpretable model for short-term prediction of PV system output power based on a limited set of available data. The research applied a linear regression model, multiple linear regression, and a Random Forest regression model. The models were trained using data from the first two days of measurement, while the third day was used for testing accuracy and verifying model performance. The input parameters included solar radiation, module temperature, wind speed, and ambient temperature, while the target variable was the measured output power of the power plant expressed in megawatts. The results show that both linear and multivariable linear regression achieved a high level of agreement between measured and predicted values, with multiple linear regression reaching an R² of approximately 0.97, indicating that it explains about 97% of the variations in output power. However, the Random Forest model demonstrated superior performance, achieving an R² of about 0.975 on the test set, due to its ability to model complex and nonlinear relationships between meteorological parameters and power generation. The analysis confirms that even from a limited three-day dataset, it is possible to build a stable, robust, and accurate model for short-term PV power output prediction. The Random Forest model proved to be the most reliable solution for this type of task, while multiple linear regression provided a simple and efficient baseline approximation suitable for rapid implementation in real-time solar energy monitoring and management systems.