Background and Objectives: This study aimed to examine the impact of postacute rehabilitation duration on the outcome of the functional recovery and patients’ quality of life after the stroke. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients (52 females, 48 males, mean age: 66.5 ± 7.3; range 53 to 79 years) who experienced a stroke (50 with ischemic stroke (IS) and 50 with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH)) took part in the study. Patients (treated with postacute rehabilitation measures for six months) were examined after one, three, and six months of postacute rehabilitation. Functional independence was measured using the functional independence measure (FIM) test, while the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life. Results: Patients with ICH had a slightly lower FIM score (FIM motor = 29.8 ± 11.8; FIM cognitive = 14.4 ± 4.6) on admission compared to patients with IS (FIM motor = 41.8 ± 18.8; FIM cognitive = 18.7 ± 6.3), but, after six months of postacute rehabilitation, patients with ICH reached an approximate level of functional independence (FIM motor = 53.8 ± 14.4; FIM cognitive = 25.8 ± 4.7), as did patients with IS (FIM motor = 67.6 ± 16.4; FIM cognitive = 29.2 ± 4.0). The motor and cognitive FIM, as well as quality of life, was statistically significantly increased at all four measurement points (p < 0.001). Furthermore, there is a statistically significant connection between functional independence and quality of life at all tested times. Conclusion: Patients achieved the highest degree of functional independence after six months. Furthermore, our findings point out that inpatient rehabilitation as well as outpatient rehabilitation are effective in functionality and quality of life improvement after a stroke; thus, both should be emphasized and regularly implemented.

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic imposed immense stress on healthcare systems worldwide, significantly affecting the mental well-being of healthcare workers (HCWs). This study examined the sociodemographic, occupational, and COVID-19-related predictors of burnout syndrome among Serbian HCWs. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 400 doctors and nurses utilized the Maslach Burnout Inventory to assess emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Sociodemographic, work-related, and COVID-19-related data were collected via a questionnaire. Results: Key predictors of emotional exhaustion included female gender, inadequate rest, sleep disturbances, and frontline COVID-19 work. Depersonalization was associated with fewer children, temporary employment, and COVID-19 frontline duties. Conversely, older age, religiosity, larger households, and a higher socioeconomic status positively correlated with personal accomplishment. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the urgent need for targeted interventions, including improved working conditions and mental health support, to reduce burnout and enhance HCWs’ well-being during medical crises.

Burnout is one of the phenomena that occurs in situations of increased mental and emotional exhaustion at work, so it is expected that healthcare professionals will experience it more often in a situation of increased stress amid the outbreak of COVID-19. The aim of this national cross-sectional survey study was to examine the levels of burnout and the relationship between burnout syndrome, healthcare workers’ resilience, and different sociodemographic and work-related variables during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Serbia. The sample included 398 healthcare professionals who actively worked with patients during the COVID-19 outbreak. The primary contribution of our study was that we identified moderate to high levels of burnout among healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, psychotherapists, and pharmacists) in Serbia during the COVID-19 outbreak, but also significant negative correlations between these levels of burnout and resilience, as well as statistically significant factors related to burnout such as the number of working hours per day, age, length of service, and profession.

Background: Insomnia is markedly more prevalent in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients than in the general population and is closely linked to pain, fatigue, psychological comorbidities, and systemic inflammation. Evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship, where active disease worsens sleep quality, while poor sleep amplifies inflammatory activity and symptom severity. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase to identify studies from the last 15 years involving adult RA patients. Inclusion criteria required assessment of insomnia or sleep quality in relation to disease activity, treatment outcomes, or inflammatory markers. Data from clinical trials, cohort studies, and reviews were synthesized to examine prevalence, mechanisms, and therapeutic implications. Results: Insomnia affects up to 45% of RA patients and correlates with higher DAS28 scores, elevated CRP/ESR, increased pain sensitivity, and reduced quality of life. Contributing factors include chronic pain, stiffness, elevated IL-6 and TNF-α, depression, anxiety, and medication side effects. Conventional DMARDs, corticosteroids, and biologics indirectly improve sleep via inflammation control, with IL-6 inhibition showing potential sleep-specific benefits. Psychotropic agents may help in comorbid depression/anxiety but are best combined with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). Conclusions: Insomnia is a prevalent, multifactorial problem in RA that adversely affects disease activity, symptom burden, and functional outcomes. Integrating sleep evaluation into routine RA management and adopting interdisciplinary strategies that address both inflammation and sleep disturbance may enhance patient outcomes. High-quality longitudinal studies using objective sleep measures are needed to clarify causal relationships and optimize therapy.

The COVID-19 pandemic began in China in December 2019, from where it spread throughout the world and caused a serious threat to both physical and mental health. People were afraid due to COVID-19 cases rapidly increasing all over the world and the quick changes in how people lived. Previous studies have clearly linked the pandemic with signs of depression, stress, anxiety, and suicide thoughts, as well as with excessive internet use. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the available scientific findings regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and internet addiction in adolescents. Having insight into the scientific literature on COVID-19, mental health, and internet addiction, we have concluded that during the COVID-19 pandemic time spent on the internet increased due to reduced social activities, which consequently led to internet addiction and thus to psychological distress, increased loneliness, and depression in adolescents. Early intervention is essential to reduce internet addiction and preserve the mental health of adolescents, especially in conditions of increased social stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background:Cancer remains a major global health challenge, with treatment efficacy li-mited by drug resistance and adverse effects. Drug repurposing offers opportunities for novel anticancer strategies. This study evaluated the cytotoxic, antiproliferative, and pro-apoptotic effects of metformin and caffeine, alone and in combination, in human cancer cell lines, and their potentialinteraction mechanisms. Methods:Human cervical carcinoma (HeLa), lung adenocarcinoma (A549), and colorectal carcinoma (HT29) cell lines were treated with metformin (0.05–50 mM) and caffeine (0.5–5 mM), alone or combined, for 24 and 48 h. Cell viability and proliferation were assessed using Trypan Blue and sulforhodamine B (SRB) assays. Apoptosis was analyzed by Annexin V/propidium iodide flow cytometry, and p53 expression in HeLa cells was determined by ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test. Results:Metformin induced dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity in all tested cell lines, with the lowest IC₅₀ values observed in HeLa and A549 cells after 48 h (2.28 and 3.30 mM, respectively; p < 0.05). Caffeine showed moderate antiproliferative activity, with the strongest effects at 2.03 mM in HeLa and 2.01 mM in HT29 cells (p < 0.05). The combined treatment produced effects that varied depending on both the cell line and exposure time. At earlier time points, transient synergistic effects were observed in certain cell lines, particularly HeLa; however, these effects were not sustained over time. With prolonged exposure, the interaction shifted toward predominantly antagonistic effects, indicating a reduced overall efficacy of the combination compared to expected additive outcomes.Increased apoptosis and elevated p53 expression further support the activation of tumor-suppressive pathways. Conclusions:Metformin exhibits significant anticancer activity in vitro, supporting met-formin repurposing in oncology. However,the addition of caffeine does not uniformly enhance its efficacy and appears to exert context-dependent effects.Further in vivo studies are required to confirm its clinical relevance. Keywords:AMPK;Antitumor activity; Apoptosis; Caffeine; Cancer cell lines;Chou–Talalay method; Drug repurposing;Docking;Metfomin;Molecular docking; p53;