Gezim Hodolli

Small ruminant production in Kosovo is predominantly extensive, and biosecurity practices remain poorly characterized. The emergence of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in Europe (beginning in 2024) and the first confirmed case in Kosovo (July 2025) highlight the urgent need for baseline biosecurity data to inform disease control. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted on 63 small ruminant farms (53 meat-producing, 10 dairy-producing) across seven municipalities in Kosovo between September 2025 and February 2026. Biosecurity practices were assessed using the Biocheck.UGent™ questionnaire during direct on-farm visits. External (Ext) biosecurity scores (preventing pathogen introduction) were higher (p < 0.0001) than internal (Int) scores (limiting spread within farms). For external biosecurity, the highest scores were observed for purchase and reproduction (Ext A), intermediate scores existed for feed and water (Ext C) and visitors and farm workers (Ext D), and the lowest scores were found for transport and carcass removal (Ext B) and infrastructure (Ext E). For internal biosecurity, the highest scores were observed for lamb/kid management (Int H) and dairy management (Int I), followed by the management of adult animals (Int J); work organization (Int K) and reproduction management (Int G) formed an intermediate-low cluster, whereas disease management (Int F) scored the lowest. Benchmarking against the Biocheck.UGent™ worldwide database (predominantly intensive systems, thus not directly comparable) indicated that internal biosecurity and overall biosecurity levels were lower than the benchmark, while external biosecurity was comparable for some components. Given the convenience sample (36.4% response rate), findings are exploratory and are not directly generalizable. Larger herd size was positively correlated with external (ρ = 0.54, p < 0.0001), internal (ρ = 0.35, p = 0.005), and overall (ρ = 0.57, p < 0.0001) biosecurity scores. This first empirical biosecurity assessment of small ruminant farms in Kosovo reveals critical gaps in transport hygiene, disease management, and reproductive management pathways that enable PPR spread and perpetuate endemic zoonoses. The positive association between herd size and biosecurity may indicate structural barriers and/or knowledge gaps for small farms. Current biosecurity tools, designed for intensive systems, require adaptation for extensive production systems. These findings provide a baseline for targeted interventions, policy development, and validation of context-appropriate biosecurity instruments in Kosovo and similar extensive systems globally.

Background/Objectives: Cervical cancer is a prominent source of morbidity and mortality among women, particularly in low- and middle-income nations. Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL), a glycoprotein involved in cancer-related activities, has been proposed as a biomarker; however, its involvement in cervical cancer remains unknown. The study aim is to evaluate the prognostic significance of serum NGAL levels in cervical cancer patients in relation to International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, operability, and HPV subtype distribution before and after treatment. Methods: The study involved 130 women, 100 with histologically proven cervical cancer and 30 healthy controls. The serum NGAL levels were determined before and after treatment using an ELISA test. HPV genotyping was carried out using real-time PCR on 21 high- and low-risk subtypes. Results: NGAL levels increased marginally during therapy (from 134 to 144 ng/mL; p = 0.28), but the rise was significant in inoperable patients (p = 0.02) and increased with advanced FIGO stage, although this did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.07). HPV 16 was the most common subtype (26.0%), while women aged 51–60 had the highest overall HPV positive rate (72.7%). There was no significant association between NGAL levels and HPV subtypes (p = 0.17). Conclusion: NGAL does not appear to be an accurate short-term indicator of therapy response. However, increased levels in advanced-stage and inoperable instances indicate prognostic significance. NGAL most likely represents tumor-associated inflammation rather than HPV subtype. These findings support its possible inclusion in future biomarker panels, subject to validation in bigger investigations. Persistent HPV infection in midlife women highlights the significance of ongoing screening.

Socioeconomic growth is largely influenced by education, which promotes equality and creativity. Recent trends show a sharp drop in high school graduates’ enthusiasm in pursuing the natural sciences, particularly physics, despite past and present dedications to high-quality education. With an emphasis on physics, this study explores the choices and views of Kosovan high school students on their future education. An online survey was conducted among 3144 high school graduates across three cities in Kosovo. The poll looked at the students’ experiences with physics in elementary and secondary school, their future educational goals, and how satisfied they were with the physics instructors and lab settings. The results reveal a strong preference for studying any engineering sciences over physics, with only a small percentage considering physics as a viable field of study. The findings highlight significant dissatisfaction with the difficulty and monotony of physics courses from primary and secondary schools, inadequate laboratory conditions, and lack of engaging teaching methods. Several recommendations have been made to address these issues. By focusing on these improvements, educational institutions, and policymakers in Kosovo can better support students, enhance the overall quality of higher education, and align with global trends where interest in exact sciences is similar.

The accurate calibration of radiochromic films is critical for high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy dosimetry. Conventional workflows frequently rely on manually determined regions of interest (ROIs), which might increase operator variability. In this investigation, Gafchromic EBT3 films were irradiated under clinical settings at nominal doses of 0–10 Gy and evaluated using a MATLAB (R2024b)-based tool that allows for both manual and automated ROI selection. The calibration curves were modeled with a second-order polynomial and rational model, and performance was assessed using statistical measures. The study found that the rational model fits better than the polynomial model. Additionally, the automatic ROI approach outperformed the manual method in both models, resulting in higher calibration accuracy and reproducibility (R² = 0.999, RMSE = 0.118 Gy, MAE = 0.103 Gy vs. R² = 0.986, RMSE = 0.448 Gy, MAE = 0.388 Gy). Although manual ROI occasionally produced greater dose–response slopes at higher doses, it was more susceptible to operator bias and film non-uniformity. In contrast, automatic ROI reduced variability by consistently picking homogeneous sections, resulting in steady curve fitting across the entire dose range. Furthermore, a companion module transformed calibrated films into 2D false-color maps and 3D dosage surfaces, allowing for visual assessment of dose uniformity, detection of scanner-related aberrations, and quantitative verification for quality assurance. These findings demonstrate that automated ROI selection provides a more stable and reproducible foundation for film calibration in HDR brachytherapy, minimizing operator dependency while facilitating routine clinical quality assurance.

This work discusses the design of an inexpensive and easy-to-operate experimental apparatus for the creation and visualization of air vortices using natural convection. The experimental setup consists of an upright clear tube with four tangentially mounted air inlets. Three experimental cases were explored: forced convection from the use of a hair dryer, natural convection from the use of a candle, and passive flow using smoke without the application of an external heat source. The experimental results indicated that the candle setup produced successfully an observable and sustained air vortex by creating a thermal gradient forcing the buoyant upward flow. The vortex creation was complemented by tangential air flow from the inlets, leading to spiralling motion as predicted from theory and computer simulations. This system provides an inexpensive teaching tool for vortex dynamics, convention, and atmospheric fluid flow in the educational setting.

This study investigates the effect of seasonal conductor sag on electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure to near 400 kV double-bundle overhead transmission lines. The conductor sag study resulted in clearance values of 28.0 m for winter (−10 °C, sag ≈ 7.0 m) and 23.4 m for summer (+35 °C, sag ≈ 11.65 m). For both seasonal examples, the electric field strength and magnetic flux density were calculated at a pedestrian height of 1.5 m, and the image approach to account for ground effects. The winter setup resulted in maximum values of 1.35 kV/m (E) and 27.2 µT (B), while the summer configuration produced higher values of 1.96 kV/m and 38.5 µT, respectively. Autumn field measurements, representing intermediate seasonal circumstances, produced average values of 1.294 kV/m and 1.399 µT, with peaks of 8.39 kV/m and 6.85 µT for electric field and magnetic flux density, respectively. The electric field projections were nearly identical to measurements; however, the magnetic field predictions were significantly higher, most likely due to the model’s assumptions of balanced currents and ideal geometry. These findings suggest that seasonal conductor sag variation is a real and substantial factor in assessing EMF exposure, with the electric field being particularly sensitive to clearance changes. The findings emphasize the need to incorporate a large analysis into EMF compliance assessments, especially in cases where terrain relief between towers may further diminish clearance in mid-span regions.

Background: This study represents a thorough exploration of the radioactivity levels in soil and rock samples collected from Stubla Village, Kosovo. The main aim is to evaluate the potential hazards and risks associated with using these materials in construction, and this is a common practice among residents when building homes.Materials and Methods: Gamma spectrometry was employed to analyze 19 soil samples and seven rock samples, followed by the calculation of the primary radiological parameters.Results and Discussion: The activity concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs was determined in soil samples (95.84±67.5, 75.51±35.5, 12.87±23.5, and 738.87±186.7 Bq/kg, respectively) and natural rock samples (199.8±190.2, 147.0±14.3, 967.1±47.4 Bq/kg, and not detected, respectively). Almost all the calculated health radiological hazard factors exceeded the recommended limits by international professional organizations.Conclusion: The rocks from this specific region are unsuitable for construction work due to their high radioactivity levels. This emphasizes potential environmental and health risks. The findings underscore the importance of implementing alternative materials for construction. Additionally, further investigations into radioactivity risks in the area under study should be conducted, such as assessing radioactivity concentrations in drinking water, food, and indoor radon exposures, to ensure the safety and well-being of the community and the environment.

This study assessed the annual effective dose from drinking water across different age categories, considering various sources of water. The water samples were collected from different locations, with the samples categorized into public drinking water systems, private wells, and bottled water. In the drinking water samples, no radionuclides other than Ra-226, Th-232, K-40, and H-3 were detected. The average tritium concentration in drinking water was measured at 1.84 Bq L−1, significantly below the permissible safety standards. The study indicated that infants received the highest annual effective dose from drinking water, averaging 0.88 mSv year−1, compared to 0.11 mSv*year−1 for children and 0.08 mSv*year−1 for adults. Among the different water sources, well water from Stublla village showed significantly elevated levels at 0.49 mSv*year−1. The highest contribution to the annual effective dose from the ingestion of drinking water comes from Ra-226, Th-232, and K-40, with average values of 1.72, 0.42, and 0.161 mSv*year−1, respectively. Despite these variations, the average annual effective doses from drinking water for infants, children, and adults were 0.81, 0.098, and 0.076 mSv year−1, respectively. Based on drinking water sources, the Stublla region had the highest yearly effective dosage, with an average value of 0.49 mSv year−1.

Aim: The purpose of this research is to analyze the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) to define prognostic factors in patients with breast cancer and to analyze the NLR values among stages, grades, and fractions. Methods: The data retrieval period was from October 2018 to June 2020. The study included 56 patients who were part of the research. The mean age of patients was 53.42 years. Results: On average, NLR after radiotherapy was higher than before treatment. Moreover, the 5-year overall survival rate for breast cancer patients treated with radiotherapy was 81%. Conclusions: Based on the NLR results for patients with breast cancer, it is confirmed that the ratio of patients with poor prognosis compared to those with good prognosis is 3.3 to 1. Specifically, all stages of breast cancer showed an increase in NLR after treatment. The exception was stage III, which showed lower NLR values after treatment and, consequently, a better prognosis of the disease.