Background: The study aims to investigate the role of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) in the development, progression, and therapeutic potential of glioblastomas. Methodology: The study, following PRISMA guidelines, systematically examined hypoxia and HIFs in glioblastoma using MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, and Scopus. A total of 104 relevant studies underwent data extraction. Results: Among the 104 studies, global contributions were diverse, with China leading at 23.1%. The most productive year was 2019, accounting for 11.5%. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α) was frequently studied, followed by hypoxia-inducible factor 2 alpha (HIF2α), osteopontin, and cavolin-1. Commonly associated factors and pathways include glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) receptors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt-mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). HIF expression correlates with various glioblastoma hallmarks, including progression, survival, neovascularization, glucose metabolism, migration, and invasion. Conclusion: Overcoming challenges such as treatment resistance and the absence of biomarkers is critical for the effective integration of HIF-related therapies into the treatment of glioblastoma with the aim of optimizing patient outcomes.

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) often results in significant pain and disability, and histopathologic (HP) evaluation of intervertebral discs (IVDs) offers critical insights into treatment outcomes. This prospective observational study explores HP changes in IVDs and their association with clinical outcomes following surgical treatment for LDH. A cohort of 141 patients undergoing MRI-confirmed LDH surgery underwent HP evaluation using a semi-quantitative HP degeneration score (HDS). Preoperatively and at a six-month follow-up, the comprehensive clinical assessment included the Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS), with a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) calculated from ODI and VAS. Results indicated significant associations between higher HDS and adverse clinical outcomes, including persistent pain and greater disability post-surgery. Specifically, an HDS ≥ 7 was predictive (OR = 6.25, 95% CI: 2.56–15.23) of disability outcomes measured with MCID-ODI (AUC: 0.692, 95% CI: 0.609–0.767, P < 0.001), and HDS ≥ 8 was predictive (OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.04–2.77) of persistent pain measured with MCID-VAS (AUC = 0.628, 95% CI: 0.598–0.737, P = 0.008), highlighting the diagnostic potential of HDS in assessing postoperative recovery. This study underscores the potential of HP evaluation using HDS to provide valuable insights into disease progression and outcomes in LDH patients, complementing conventional radiologic methods. The findings support the application of personalized treatment strategies based on HP findings while acknowledging challenges in interpretation and clinical implementation.

Lejla Čano Dedić*1, Arzija Pašalić 2, Emsel Papić2, Dalila Smajlović3, Sabina Šegalo2 1 University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Health Studies, Polyclinic Atrium Sarajevo 2 University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Health Studies 3 Institute for Health Protection of Employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Sarajevo Canton *Corresponding author: Lejla Čano Dedić University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Health Studies, Polyclinic

Uvod: Povećanje koncentracije olova u okolišu posljedica je intenzivne industrijalizacije i urbanizacije. Toksična djelovanja olova zasnivaju se na inhibiciji aktivnosti velikog broja enzima, indukciji oksidativnog stresa i disregulaciji biosinteze proteina. Najčešći put unosa u općoj populaciji je ingestija kontaminirane hrane i vode, dok je inhalatorni put najčešće povezan sa profesionalnom izloženošću u različitim zanimanjima. Cilj istraživanja je evaluirati laboratorijske metode i biomarkere u procjeni izloženosti olovu. Materijal i metode: Za potrebe neeksperimentalnog kvalitativnog istraživanja korišteni su dostupni naučni članci publicirani na engleskom jeziku u relevantnim bazama podataka (MEDLINE i ScienceDirect). Pretraga baza provedena je upotrebom ključnih riječi: „laboratory diagnostics“, „occupational exposure“, „lead“. Rezultati: Najširu primjenu u laboratorijskoj dijagnostici kod procjene profesionalne izloženosti olovu imaju atomska apsorpciona spektrometrija (AAS) kao zlatni standard i induktivno spregnuta plazma sa masenom spektrometrijom, koja se zbog niske granice detekcije opisuje kao senzitivnija metoda u poređenju sa AAS. Koncentracija olova može se odrediti u brojnim biološkim uzorcima, ali se u laboratorijskoj praksi najčešće upotrebljavaju krv i urin. Kao najznačajniji biomarker u praćenju izloženosti koristi se enzim dehidrataza δ-aminolevulinske kiseline (ALAD) u krvi, kojeg karakterizira progresivna inaktivacija olovom i negativna korelacija sa koncentracijom olova. Također, koncentracija delta-aminolevulinske kiseline u urinu (δ-ALA-U) odražava stanje narušene funkcije enzima u biosintezi hema, te se smatra da dodatno određivanje cink protoporfirina u krvi i koproporfirina u urinu značajno doprinose u procjeni poremećaja izazvanih profesionalnom izloženošću olovu. Zaključak: Adekvatno praćenje izloženosti olovu ovisi o dostupnosti i karakteristikama primijenjenih laboratorijskih metoda, te specifičnosti i osjetljivosti biomarkera. Zbog toga, precizno određivanje koncentracije ALAD i δ-ALA-U, uz dodatne biomarkere, postaje imperativ za poboljšanu evaluaciju profesionalne izloženosti i omogućava pravovremeno poduzimanje preventivnih mjera.

Introduction: Hypothyroidism is a common disorder of the endocrine system caused by insufficient biologically active hormones at the tissue level or the inability of the tissue to utilize thyroid hormones. Iron plays a crucial role in the synthesis and metabolism of thyroid hormones, and it is stored in the body as ferritin. We aimed to evaluate the correlation between serum ferritin (SF) levels and thyroid hormone panel levels in both hypothyroid and euthyroid subjects. Methods: In 2022, a matched case–control study was conducted. The study involved participants with hypothyroidism and a control group (n = 53). The levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), and SF were measured using the chemiluminescence immunoassay on a Mindray Cl 900-i analyzer (Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., China). Results: The hypothyroid group had TSH levels that were significantly higher (10.76 [8.54-18.76] vs. 1.76 [1.26-2.58]; p < 0.001) and SF concentrations that were significantly lower (39.08 [21.15-45.70] vs. 54.09 [41.41-71.82]; p < 0.001) compared to the control group. In both male and female subjects of the hypothyroid group, a strong negative correlation was found between SF concentration and TSH levels ([Rho = −0.855,p < 0.01]; [Rho = −0.747; p < 0.01]). In female subjects of the hypothyroid group, a weak positive correlation was found between SF concentration and fT3 (Rho = 0.488; p < 0.05). In the euthyroid group, a correlation of the same strength and direction was found for fT4 (Rho = 0.366; p < 0.05). Conclusion: Research results indicate a correlation between lower SF concentrations and hypothyroidism, which is of particular importance for understanding the etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment modalities of patients with hypothyroidism.

Emsel Papić*1, Nurija Bilalović2 1 Univerzitet u Sarajevu-Fakultet zdravstvenih studija, 2 Organizaciona jedinica Klinička patologija, citologija i humana genetika, Klinički Centar Univerziteta u Sarajevu, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosna i Hercegovina *Dopisni autor: Emsel Papić, Univerzitet u Sarajevu-Fakultet zdravstvenih studija, Sarajevo, Bosna i Hercegovina, email: e.papic99@gmail.com Uvod: Heterogena priroda akutne mijeloične leukemije (AML) iziskuje primjenu specifičnih i pouzdanih laboratorijskih