Novel Cu(II)-based metal-organic framework STAM-1 as a sulfur host for Li-S batteries

Due to the increasing demand for energy storage devices, the development of high-energy density batteries is very necessary. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have gained wide interest due to their particularly high-energy density. However, even this type of battery still needs to be improved. Novel Cu(II)-based metal-organic framework STAM-1 was synthesized and applied as a composite cathode material as a sulfur host in the lithium-sulfur battery with the aim of regulating the redox kinetics of sulfur cathodes. Prepared STAM-1 was characterized by infrared spectroscopy at ambient temperature and after in-situ heating, elemental analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and textural properties by nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption at - 196 and 0 °C, respectively. Results of the SEM showed that crystals of STAM-1 created a flake-like structure, the surface was uniform and porous enough for electrolyte and sulfur infiltration. Subsequently, STAM-1 was used as a sulfur carrier in the cathode construction of a Li-S battery. The charge/discharge measurements of the novel S/STAM-1/Super P/PVDF cathode demonstrated the initial discharge capacity of 452 mAh g-1 at 0.5 C and after 100 cycles of 430 mAh g-1, with Coulombic efficiency of 97% during the whole cycling procedure at 0.5 C. It was confirmed that novel Cu-based STAM-1 flakes could accelerate the conversion of sulfur species in the cathode material.

Family structure and the association with physical activity-Findings from 40 countries participating in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study

BACKGROUND

The family has been acknowledged as central to developing physical activity (PA) beliefs and behaviours. However, increased diversity in family structures has developed over the last decades. This study examines the association between family structure and PA among adolescents and cross-national variations in the associations.

METHODS

The data are from the 2013/14 Health Behaviours in School-Aged Children study, involving nationally representative samples of 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds (n = 211,798) from 40 countries. Multilevel Poisson regression analysis was used to examine the associations between family structure and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and vigorous physical activity (VPA) by age, gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and geographic region.

RESULTS

Living with one versus two parents was associated with a reduced likelihood of daily 60 min MVPA for boys (IRR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92, 0.99) and ≥ 4 times/week VPA (IRR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.91, 0.95). This impact on MVPA differed across individual-level SES (high SES; IRR = 0.92, (p <0.05), low SES; IRR = 1.04, (ns)), and was for VPA only significant for those with siblings (IRR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.91, 0.96). Cross-country variations in the association between living with one versus two parents were observed, most pronounced for VPA. These differences varied by region, primarily explained by country-level SES differences between regions. The likelihood of daily 60 min MVPA also increased with siblings in the main house (IRR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.14), and ≥ 4 times/week VPA decreased with grandparents in the main house (IRR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.89,0.94).

CONCLUSIONS

Family structure correlated with PA, but cross-country differences exist. The findings are relevant for the development of policies and programs to facilitate PA, especially in countries where living with one versus two parents was unfavourable. Additional country-specific research is needed to identify challenges for engaging in PA related to family structure.

Understanding genetic variability: exploring large-scale copy number variants through non-invasive prenatal testing in European populations

Large-scale copy number variants (CNVs) are structural alterations in the genome that involve the duplication or deletion of DNA segments, contributing to genetic diversity and playing a crucial role in the evolution and development of various diseases and disorders, as they can lead to the dosage imbalance of one or more genes. Massively parallel sequencing (MPS) has revolutionized the field of genetic analysis and contributed significantly to routine clinical diagnosis and screening. It offers a precise method for detecting CNVs with exceptional accuracy. In this context, a non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) based on the sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from pregnant women's plasma using a low-coverage whole genome MPS (WGS) approach represents a valuable source for population studies. Here, we analyzed genomic data of 12,732 pregnant women from the Slovak (9,230), Czech (1,583), and Hungarian (1,919) populations. We identified 5,062 CNVs ranging from 200 kbp and described their basic characteristics and differences between the subject populations. Our results suggest that re-analysis of sequencing data from routine WGS assays has the potential to obtain large-scale CNV population frequencies, which are not well known and may provide valuable information to support the classification and interpretation of this type of genetic variation. Furthermore, this could contribute to expanding knowledge about the central European genome without investing in additional laboratory work, as NIPTs are a relatively widely used screening method.

Triggering antibacterial activity of a common plant by biosorption of selected heavy metals

The presented study proposes an efficient utilization of a common Thymus serpyllum L. (wild thyme) plant as a highly potent biosorbent of Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions and the efficient interaction of the copper-laden plant with two opportunistic bacteria. Apart from biochars that are commonly used for adsorption, here we report the direct use of native plant, which is potentially interesting also for soil remediation. The highest adsorption capacity for Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions (qe = 12.66 and 53.13 mg g-1, respectively) was achieved after 10 and 30 min of adsorption, respectively. Moreover, the Cu-laden plant was shown to be an efficient antibacterial agent against the bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, the results being slightly better in the former case. Such an activity is enabled only via the interaction of the adsorbed ions effectively distributed within the biological matrix of the plant with bacterial cells. Thus, the sustainable resource can be used both for the treatment of wastewater and, after an effective embedment of metal ions, for the fight against microbes.

The role of cerebellum in learned vocal communication in adult songbirds

Injury, tumors, ischemia, and lesions in the cerebellum show the involvement of this region in human speech. The association of the cerebellum with learned birdsong has only been identified recently. Cerebellar dysfunction in young songbirds causes learning disabilities, but its role in adult songbirds has not been established. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN) in adult birdsong. We created bilateral excitotoxic lesions in the DCN of adult male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and recorded their songs for up to 4 months. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and immunohistochemistry, we validated the lesion efficacy. We found that the song duration significantly increased from 14 weeks post-op; the increase in duration was caused by a greater number of introductory notes as well as a greater number of syllables sung after the introductory notes. On the other hand, the motif duration decreased from 8 weeks after DCN lesions were induced, which was due to faster singing of syllables, not changes in inter-syllable interval length. DCN lesions also caused a decrease in the fundamental frequency of syllables. In summary, we showed that DCN lesions influence the temporal and acoustic features of birdsong. These results suggest that the cerebellum influences singing in adult songbirds.

The tellurite resistance gene cluster of pathogenic bacteria and its effect on oxidative stress response

Tellurite resistance gene clusters have been identified in numerous pathogenic bacteria, including clinical isolates of Escherichia coli. The rareness of tellurium in host organisms and the noncontaminated environment raises a question about the true functionality of tellurite resistance gene clusters in pathogenesis and their possible contribution to bacterial fitness. The study aims to point out the beneficial effects of the tellurite resistance gene cluster of pathogenic bacteria to survive in ROS-rich environments. Here, we analysed the bacterial response to oxidative stress conditions with and without tellurite resistance gene clusters, which are composed of terWY1XY2Y3 and terZABCDEF genes. By measuring the levels of protein carbonylation, lipid peroxidation, and expression changes of oxidative stress genes upon oxidative stress, we propose a tellurite resistance gene cluster contribution to the elimination of oxidative damage, potentially increasing fitness and resistance to reactive oxygen species during macrophage attack. We have shown a different beneficial effect of various truncated versions of the tellurite resistance gene cluster on cell survival. The terBCDEF genes increased the survival of E. coli strain MC4100 by 13.21%, terW and terZABCDEF by 10.09%, and terWY1XY2Y3 and terZABCDEF by 25.57%, respectively. The ability to survive tellurite treatment is the most significant at 44.8% in wild clinical strain KL53 compared to laboratory strain E. coli MC4100 due to a complete wild-type plasmid presence.

Design of AsLOV2 domain as a carrier of light-induced dissociable FMN photosensitizer

Flavin mononucleotide (FMN) is a highly efficient photosensitizer (PS) yielding singlet oxygen (1 O2 ). However, its 1 O2 production efficiency significantly decreases upon isoalloxazine ring encapsulation into the protein matrix in genetically encoded photosensitizers (GEPS). Reducing isoalloxazine ring interactions with surrounding amino acids by protein engineering may increase 1 O2 production efficiency GEPS, but at the same time weakened native FMN-protein interactions may cause undesirable FMN dissociation. Here, in contrast, we intentionally induce the FMN release by light-triggered sulfur oxidation of strategically placed cysteines (oxidation-prone amino acids) in the isoalloxazine-binding site due to significantly increased volume of the cysteinyl side residue(s). As a proof of concept, in three variants of the LOV2 domain of Avena sativa (AsLOV2), namely V416C, T418C, and V416C/T418C, the effective 1 O2 production strongly correlated with the efficiency of irradiation-induced FMN dissociation (wild type (WT) < V416C < T418C < V416C/T418C). This alternative approach enables us: (i) to overcome the low 1 O2 production efficiency of flavin-based GEPSs without affecting native isoalloxazine ring-protein interactions and (ii) to utilize AsLOV2, due to its inherent binding propensity to FMN, as a PS vehicle, which is released at a target by light irradiation.

α7 nicotinic receptors play a role in regulation of cardiac hemodynamics

The α7 nicotinic receptors (NR) have been confirmed in the heart but their role in cardiac functions has been contradictory. To address these contradictory findings, we analyzed cardiac functions in α7 NR knockout mice (α7-/-) in vivo and ex vivo in isolated hearts. A standard limb leads electrocardiogram was used, and the pressure curves were recorded in vivo, in Arteria carotis and in the left ventricle, or ex vivo, in the left ventricle of the spontaneously beating isolated hearts perfused following Langedorff's method. Experiments were performed under basic conditions, hypercholinergic conditions, and adrenergic stress. The relative expression levels of α and β NR subunits, muscarinic receptors, β1 adrenergic receptors, and acetylcholine life cycle markers were determined using RT-qPCR. Our results revealed a prolonged QT interval in α7-/- mice. All in vivo hemodynamic parameters were preserved under all studied conditions. The only difference in ex vivo heart rate between genotypes was the loss of bradycardia in prolonged incubation of isoproterenol-pretreated hearts with high doses of acetylcholine. In contrast, left ventricular systolic pressure was lower under basal conditions and showed a significantly higher increase during adrenergic stimulation. No changes in mRNA expression were observed. In conclusion, α7 NR has no major effect on heart rate, except when stressed hearts are exposed to a prolonged hypercholinergic state, suggesting a role in acetylcholine spillover control. In the absence of extracardiac regulatory mechanisms, left ventricular systolic impairment is revealed.

Small intestinal flukes of the genus Metagonimus (Digenea: Heterophyidae) in Europe and the Middle East: A review of parasites with zoonotic potential

The heterophyid trematode Metagonimus romanicus (Ciurea, 1915) (Digenea) is redescribed on the basis of type material from domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) in Romania, vouchers from experimentally infected cats (Felis catus) and adults recovered from golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) infected with metacercariae from scales of chub (Squalius cephalus) and common nase (Chondrostoma nasus) (Cypriniformes: Leuciscidae) in Hungary. This trematode, endemic to Europe and neighbouring regions (northwestern Türkiye), was previously misidentified as M. yokogawai (Katsurada, 1912), a zoonotic parasite of humans in East Asia. However, the two species differ considerably both genetically and morphologically, e.g., in the position of the ventral sucker, the presence of the prepharynx, the anterior extent of the vitelline follicles and the posterior extent of the uterus. Metagonimus ciureanus (Witenberg, 1929) (syn. Dexiogonimus ciureanus Witenberg, 1929), described from domestic cats and dogs in Israel, is a valid species distributed in the Middle East and Transcaucasia, which is also confirmed by molecular data. It differs from all Metagonimus species, including M. romanicus, in having symmetrical testes instead of the oblique testes of the other congeners. The zoonotic significance of M. romanicus and M. ciureanus is unclear, but appears to be low in Europe, mainly because raw or undercooked, whole fish with scales are generally not consumed. Accidental infection of fishermen by metacercariae in the scales when cleaning fish is more likely, but has never been reported. Remains of cyprinoids with scales infected with metacercariae of Metagonimus spp. can be an important natural source of infection for dogs, cats, and other carnivores, which can serve as a reservoir for these parasites.

Impact of media supplements FGF2, LIF and IGF1 on the genome activity of porcine embryos produced in vitro

In this article, we focused on the impact of precisely chemically modified FLI maturation medium enriched with fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and its potential to improve the efficiency of in vitro production of porcine embryos. We hypothesized that enhancing the composition of the maturation medium could result in an elevated production of embryos in vitro and can affect EGA. FLI medium resulted in a significantly higher rate of oocyte blastocyst maturation and formation compared to the control DMEM medium. In addition, immunocytochemical labelling confirmed the detection of UBF in 4-cell FLI parthenogenic embryos, suggesting similarities with natural embryo development. Through RNAseq analysis, upregulated genes present in 4-cell FLI embryos were found to play key roles in important biological processes such as cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and transcriptional regulation. Based on our findings, we demonstrated the positive influence of FLI medium in the evaluation of in vitro embryo production, EGA detection, transcriptomic and proteomic profile, which was confirmed by the positive activation of the embryonal genome in the 4-cell stage of parthenogenetically activated embryos.

Glycoprofiling of proteins as prostate cancer biomarkers: A multinational population study

The glycoprofiling of two proteins, the free form of the prostate-specific antigen (fPSA) and zinc-α-2-glycoprotein (ZA2G), was assessed to determine their suitability as prostate cancer (PCa) biomarkers. The glycoprofiling of proteins was performed by analysing changes in the glycan composition on fPSA and ZA2G using lectins (proteins that recognise glycans, i.e. complex carbohydrates). The specific glycoprofiling of the proteins was performed using magnetic beads (MBs) modified with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and antibodies that selectively enriched fPSA or ZA2G from human serum samples. Subsequently, the antibody-captured glycoproteins were incubated on lectin-coated ELISA plates. In addition, a novel glycoprotein standard (GPS) was used to normalise the assay. The glycoprofiling of fPSA and ZA2G was performed in human serum samples obtained from men undergoing a prostate biopsy after an elevated serum PSA, and prostate cancer patients with or without prior therapy. The results are presented in the form of an ROC (Receiver Operating Curve). A DCA (Decision Curve Analysis) to evaluate the clinical performance and net benefit of fPSA glycan-based biomarkers was also performed. While the glycoprofiling of ZA2G showed little promise as a potential PCa biomarker, the glycoprofiling of fPSA would appear to have significant clinical potential. Hence, the GIA (Glycobiopsy ImmunoAssay) test integrates the glycoprofiling of fPSA (i.e. two glycan forms of fPSA). The GIA test could be used for early diagnoses of PCa (AUC = 0.83; n = 559 samples) with a potential for use in therapy-monitoring (AUC = 0.90; n = 176 samples). Moreover, the analysis of a subset of serum samples (n = 215) revealed that the GIA test (AUC = 0.81) outperformed the PHI (Prostate Health Index) test (AUC = 0.69) in discriminating between men with prostate cancer and those with benign serum PSA elevation.

pH-Responsive Aminobenzocoumarins as Fluorescent Probes for Biological Acidity

Regulation of pH plays an essential role in orchestrating the delicate cellular machinery responsible for life as we know it. Its abnormal values are indicative of aberrant cellular behavior and associated with pathologies including cancer progression or solid tumors. Here, we report a series of bent and linear aminobenzocoumarins decorated with different substituents. We investigate their photophysical properties and demonstrate that the probes display strong pH-responsive fluorescence "turn on" behavior in highly acidic environments, with enhancement up to 300-fold. In combination with their low cytotoxicity, this behavior enabled their application in bioimaging of acidic lysosomes in live human cells. We believe that these molecules serve as attractive lead structures for future rational design of novel biocompatible fluorescent pH probes.

Gut diversity and the resistome as biomarkers of febrile neutropenia outcome in paediatric oncology patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

The gut microbiota of paediatric oncology patients undergoing a conditioning regimen before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is recently considered to play role in febrile neutropenia. Disruption of commensal microbiota and evolution of opportune pathogens community carrying a plethora of antibiotic-resistance genes play crucial role. However, the impact, predictive role and association of patient´s gut resistome in the course of the therapy is still to be elucidated. We analysed gut microbiota composition and resistome of 18 paediatric oncology patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, including 12 patients developing febrile neutropenia, hospitalized at The Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit of the National Institute of Children´s disease in Slovak Republic and healthy individuals (n = 14). Gut microbiome of stool samples obtained in 3 time points, before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n = 16), one week after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n = 16) and four weeks after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n = 14) was investigated using shotgun metagenome sequencing and bioinformatical analysis. We identified significant decrease in alpha-diversity and nine antibiotic-resistance genes msr(C), dfrG, erm(T), VanHAX, erm(B), aac(6)-aph(2), aph(3)-III, ant(6)-Ia and aac(6)-Ii, one week after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation associated with febrile neutropenia. Multidrug-resistant opportune pathogens of ESKAPE, Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli found in the gut carried the significant subset of patient's resistome. Over 50% of patients treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, piperacillin/tazobactam and amikacin carried antibiotic-resistance genes to applied treatment. The alpha diversity and the resistome of gut microbiota one week after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is relevant predictor of febrile neutropenia outcome after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Furthermore, the interindividual diversity of multi-drug resistant opportunistic pathogens with variable portfolios of antibiotic-resistance genes indicates necessity of preventive, personalized approach.

Comparison of pulsed and continuous electromagnetic field generated by WPT system on human dermal and neural cells

In recent decades, we have seen significant technical progress in the modern world, leading to the widespread use of telecommunications systems, electrical appliances, and wireless technologies. These devices generate electromagnetic radiation (EMR) and electromagnetic fields (EMF) most often in the extremely low frequency or radio-frequency range. Therefore, they were included in the group of environmental risk factors that affect the human body and health on a daily basis. In this study, we tested the effect of exposure EMF generated by a new prototype wireless charging system on four human cell lines (normal cell lines-HDFa, NHA; tumor cell lines-SH-SY5Y, T98G). We tested different operating parameters of the wireless power transfer (WPT) device (87-207 kHz, 1.01-1.05 kW, 1.3-1.7 mT) at different exposure times (pulsed 6 × 10 min; continuous 1 × 60 min). We observed the effect of EMF on cell morphology and cytoskeletal changes, cell viability and mitotic activity, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and oxidative stress. The results of our study did not show any negative effect of the generated EMF on either normal cells or tumor cell lines. However, in order to be able to estimate the risk, further population and epidemiological studies are needed, which would reveal the clinical consequences of EMF impact.

Chemical Aspects of Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals

Halide perovskite nanocrystals (HPNCs) are currently among the most intensely investigated group of materials. Structurally related to the bulk halide perovskites (HPs), HPNCs are nanostructures with distinct chemical, optical, and electronic properties and significant practical potential. One of the keys to the effective exploitation of the HPNCs in advanced technologies is the development of controllable, reproducible, and scalable methods for preparation of materials with desired compositions, phases, and shapes and low defect content. Another important condition is a quantitative understanding of factors affecting the chemical stability and the optical and electronic properties of HPNCs. Here we review important recent developments in these areas. Following a brief historical prospective, we provide an overview of known chemical methods for preparation of HPNCs and approaches used to control their composition, phase, size, and shape. We then review studies of the relationship between the chemical composition and optical properties of HPNCs, degradation mechanisms, and effects of charge injection. Finally, we provide a short summary and an outlook. The aim of this review is not to provide a comprehensive summary of all relevant literature but rather a selection of highlights, which, in the subjective view of the authors, provide the most significant recent observations and relevant analyses.

Evaluating plant lineage losses and gains in temperate forest understories: a phylogenetic perspective on climate change and nitrogen deposition

Global change has accelerated local species extinctions and colonizations, often resulting in losses and gains of evolutionary lineages with unique features. Do these losses and gains occur randomly across the phylogeny? We quantified: temporal changes in plant phylogenetic diversity (PD); and the phylogenetic relatedness (PR) of lost and gained species in 2672 semi-permanent vegetation plots in European temperate forest understories resurveyed over an average period of 40 yr. Controlling for differences in species richness, PD increased slightly over time and across plots. Moreover, lost species within plots exhibited a higher degree of PR than gained species. This implies that gained species originated from a more diverse set of evolutionary lineages than lost species. Certain lineages also lost and gained more species than expected by chance, with Ericaceae, Fabaceae, and Orchidaceae experiencing losses and Amaranthaceae, Cyperaceae, and Rosaceae showing gains. Species losses and gains displayed no significant phylogenetic signal in response to changes in macroclimatic conditions and nitrogen deposition. As anthropogenic global change intensifies, temperate forest understories experience losses and gains in specific phylogenetic branches and ecological strategies, while the overall mean PD remains relatively stable.

Artificial light at night suppresses the day-night cardiovascular variability: evidence from humans and rats

Artificial light at night (ALAN) affects most of the population. Through the retinohypothalamic tract, ALAN modulates the activity of the central circadian oscillator and, consequently, various physiological systems, including the cardiovascular one. We summarised the current knowledge about the effects of ALAN on the cardiovascular system in diurnal and nocturnal animals. Based on published data, ALAN reduces the day-night variability of the blood pressure and heart rate in diurnal and nocturnal animals by increasing the nocturnal values of cardiovascular variables in diurnal animals and decreasing them in nocturnal animals. The effects of ALAN on the cardiovascular system are mainly transmitted through the autonomic nervous system. ALAN is also considered a stress-inducing factor, as glucocorticoid and glucose level changes indicate. Moreover, in nocturnal rats, ALAN increases the pressure response to load. In addition, ALAN induces molecular changes in the heart and blood vessels. Changes in the cardiovascular system significantly depend on the duration of ALAN exposure. To some extent, alterations in physical activity can explain the changes observed in the cardiovascular system after ALAN exposure. Although ALAN acts differently on nocturnal and diurnal animals, we can conclude that both exhibit a weakened circadian coordination among physiological systems, which increases the risk of future cardiovascular complications and reduces the ability to anticipate stress.

Cleaved caspase-3 is present in the majority of glial cells in the intact rat spinal cord during postnatal life

Cell death is an essential process that occurs during the development of the central nervous system. Despite the availability of a wide range of commercially produced antibodies against various apoptotic markers, data regarding apoptosis in intact spinal cord during postnatal development and adulthood are mostly missing. We investigated apoptosis in rat spinal cord at different stages of ontogenesis (postnatal days 8, 29, and 90). For this purpose, we applied immunofluorescent detection of two widely used apoptotic markers, cleaved caspase-3 (cC3) and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (cPARP). Surprisingly, we found significant discrepancy between the number of cC3+ cells and PARP+ cells, with a ratio between 500:1 and 5000:1 in rat spinal cord at all postnatal time points. The majority of cC3+ cells were glial cells and did not exhibit an apoptotic phenotype. In contrast with in vivo results, in vitro analysis of primary cell cultures derived from neonatal rat spinal cord and treated with the apoptotic inductor staurosporine revealed a similar onset of occurrence of both cC3 and cPARP in cells subjected to apoptosis. Gene expression analysis of spinal cord revealed elevated expression of the Birc4 (XIAP), Birc2, and Birc5 (Survivin) genes, which are known potent inhibitors of apoptosis. Our data indicate that cC3 is not an exclusive marker of apoptosis, especially in glial cells, owing its possible presence in inhibited forms and/or its participation in other non-apoptotic roles. Therefore, cPARP appears to be a more appropriate marker to detect apoptosis.

Tuberculosis in Ukrainian War Refugees and Migrants in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: A Molecular Epidemiological Study

BACKGROUND

The war in Ukraine has led to significant migration to neighboring countries, raising public health concerns. Notable tuberculosis (TB) incidence rates in Ukraine emphasize the immediate requirement to prioritize approaches that interrupt the spread and prevent new infections.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective genomic surveillance study to assess migration's impact on TB epidemiology in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Ukrainian war refugees and migrants, collected from September 2021 to December 2022 were analyzed alongside 1574 isolates obtained from Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia.

RESULTS

Our study revealed alarming results, with historically the highest number of Ukrainian tuberculosis patients detected in the host countries. The increasing number of cases of multidrug-resistant TB, significantly linked with Beijing lineage 2.2.1 (p < 0.0001), also presents substantial obstacles to control endeavors. The genomic analysis identified the three highly related genomic clusters, indicating the recent TB transmission among migrant populations. The largest clusters comprised war refugees diagnosed in the Czech Republic, TB patients from various regions of Ukraine, and incarcerated individuals diagnosed with pulmonary TB specialized facility in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, pointing to a national transmission sequence that has persisted for over 14 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The data showed that most infections were likely the result of reactivation of latent disease or exposure to TB before migration rather than recent transmission occurring within the host country. However, close monitoring, appropriate treatment, careful surveillance, and social support are crucial in mitigating future risks, though there is currently no evidence of local transmission in EU countries.

In silico prediction of the metabolism of Blastocrithidia nonstop, a trypanosomatid with non-canonical genetic code

BACKGROUND

Almost all extant organisms use the same, so-called canonical, genetic code with departures from it being very rare. Even more exceptional are the instances when a eukaryote with non-canonical code can be easily cultivated and has its whole genome and transcriptome sequenced. This is the case of Blastocrithidia nonstop, a trypanosomatid flagellate that reassigned all three stop codons to encode amino acids.

RESULTS

We in silico predicted the metabolism of B. nonstop and compared it with that of the well-studied human parasites Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major. The mapped mitochondrial, glycosomal and cytosolic metabolism contains all typical features of these diverse and important parasites. We also provided experimental validation for some of the predicted observations, concerning, specifically presence of glycosomes, cellular respiration, and assembly of the respiratory complexes.

CONCLUSIONS

In an unusual comparison of metabolism between a parasitic protist with a massively altered genetic code and its close relatives that rely on a canonical code we showed that the dramatic differences on the level of nucleic acids do not seem to be reflected in the metabolisms. Moreover, although the genome of B. nonstop is extremely AT-rich, we could not find any alterations of its pyrimidine synthesis pathway when compared to other trypanosomatids. Hence, we conclude that the dramatic alteration of the genetic code of B. nonstop has no significant repercussions on the metabolism of this flagellate.

Barriers and enablers for sufficient moderate-to-vigorous physical activity: The perspective of adolescents

BACKGROUND

Interventions to improve physical activity (PA) among adolescents continue to be a public health priority. To promote PA more effectively, we need to identify the main factors contributing to (not) engagement in PA in the perspective of adolescents themselves. Thus, we explored the barriers and enablers for sufficient moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in adolescents from their point of view.

METHODS

We used qualitative data collected as part of the international Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study. We obtained data from 14-17 years old adolescents from the first year of Slovak high school. We conducted 11 online, semi-structured individual and group interviews with 24 participants in total (7 boys; mean age = 15.17, SD = 0.87) in Slovakia. We analysed the data using consensual qualitative research and thematic analysis.

RESULTS

In the statements of adolescents, four main themes were identified regarding factors contributing to (not) engagement in PA among adolescents. 'Myself as a source' represents the importance of adolescents' own efforts, knowledge, physical predispositions and PA experience. 'How PA can be done' represents school as an opportunity for PA, and PA teachers and sports coaches as specialists who can create an enabling environment for sports. 'Others as a source' represents the social circle that can set a positive sports example and can encourage adolescent's efforts in PA. 'Factors outside' represents other factors that can inspire adolescents, e.g. by giving them a comfortable space and time to exercise, or can be a barrier to PA.

CONCLUSION

The potential factors that include adolescents' perspectives can be more leveraged in designing supportive, inclusive, enjoyable, and skills-appropriate PA programmes.

Measuring semantic memory using associative and dissociative retrieval tasks

Recent theoretical advances highlighted the need for novel means of assessing semantic cognition. Here, we introduce the associative-dissociative retrieval task (ADT), positing a novel way to test inhibitory control over semantic memory retrieval by contrasting the efficacy of associative (automatic) and dissociative (controlled) retrieval on a standard set of verbal stimuli. All ADT measures achieved excellent reliability, homogeneity, and short-term temporal stability. Moreover, in-depth stimulus level analyses showed that the associative retrieval is easier for words evoking few but strong associates, yet such propensity hampers the inhibition. Finally, we provided critical support for the construct validity of the ADT measures, demonstrating reliable correlations with domain-specific measures of semantic memory functioning (semantic fluency and associative combination) but negligible correlations with domain-general capacities (processing speed and working memory). Together, we show that ADT provides simple yet potent and psychometrically sound measures of semantic memory retrieval and offers noteworthy advantages over the currently available assessment methods.

Triphenyltin isoselenocyanate: a novel nuclear retinoid X receptor ligand with antiproliferative and cytotoxic properties in cell lines derived from human breast cancer

Several commercially available triorganotin compounds were previously found to function as agonist ligands for nuclear retinoid X receptor (RXR) molecules. Triphenyltin isoselenocyanate (TPT-NCSe), a novel selenium atom containing a derivative of triorganotin origin, was found to represent a new cognate bioactive ligand for RXRs. TPT-NCSe displayed a concentration- and time-dependent decrease in the cell viability in both human breast carcinoma MCF-7 (estrogen receptor positive) and MDA‑MB‑231 (triple negative) cell lines. Reactive oxygen species levels generated in response to TPT-NCSe were significantly higher in both carcinoma cell lines treated with TPT-NCSe when compared to mock-treated samples. Treatment with 500 nM TPT-NCSe caused a decrease in SOD1 and increased SOD2 mRNA in MCF-7 cells. The levels of SOD2 mRNA were more increased following the treatment with TPT-NCSe along with 1 μM all-trans retinoic acid (AtRA) in MCF-7 cells. An increased superoxide dismutase SOD1 and SOD2 mRNA levels were also detected in combination treatment of 500 nM TPT-NCSe and 1 μM AtRA in TPT-NCSe-treated MDA-MB-231 cells. The data have also shown that TPT-NCSe induces apoptosis via a caspase cascade triggered by the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. TPT-NCSe modulates the expression levels of apoptosis‑related proteins, Annexin A5, Bcl‑2 and BAX family proteins, and finally, it enhances the expression levels of its cognate nuclear receptor subtypes RXRalpha and RXRbeta.

How to improve the system of care for adolescents with emotional and behavioural problems from the perspective of care providers: a concept mapping approach

BACKGROUND

Emotional and behavioural problems (EBP) are the most common mental health issues during adolescence, and their incidence has increased in recent years. The system of care for adolescents with EBP is known to have several problems, making the provision of care less than optimal, and attention needs to be given to potential improvements. We, therefore, aimed to examine what needs to be done to improve the system of care for adolescents with EBP and to assess the urgency and feasibility of the proposed measures from the perspective of care providers.

METHODS

We used Concept mapping, a participatory mixed-method research, based on qualitative data collection and quantitative data analysis. A total of 33 stakeholders from 17 institutions participated in our study, including psychologists, pedagogues for children with special needs, teachers, educational counsellors, social workers and child psychiatrists.

RESULTS

Respondents identified 43 ideas for improving of the system of care for adolescents with EBP grouped into 5 clusters related to increasing the competencies of care providers, changes at schools and school systems, support for existing services, transparency of the care system in institutions and public administration, and the adjustment of legislative conditions. The most urgent and feasible proposals were related to the support of awareness-raising activities on the topic of EBP, the creation of effective screening tools for the identification of EBP in adolescents, strengthening the role of parents in the process of care, comprehensive work with the family, creation of multidisciplinary support teams and intersectoral cooperation.

CONCLUSIONS

Measures which are more accessible and responsive to the pitfalls of the care system, together with those strengthening the role of families and schools, have greater potential for improvements which are in favour of adolescents with EBP. Care providers should be invited more often and much more involved in the discussion and the co-creation of measures to improve the system of care for adolescents with EBP.

MXene-based electrochemical devices applied for healthcare applications

The initial part of the review provides an extensive overview about MXenes as novel and exciting 2D nanomaterials describing their basic physico-chemical features, methods of their synthesis, and possible interfacial modifications and techniques, which could be applied to the characterization of MXenes. Unique physico-chemical parameters of MXenes make them attractive for many practical applications, which are shortly discussed. Use of MXenes for healthcare applications is a hot scientific discipline which is discussed in detail. The article focuses on determination of low molecular weight analytes (metabolites), high molecular weight analytes (DNA/RNA and proteins), or even cells, exosomes, and viruses detected using electrochemical sensors and biosensors. Separate chapters are provided to show the potential of MXene-based devices for determination of cancer biomarkers and as wearable sensors and biosensors for monitoring of a wide range of human activities.

Human alveolar echinococcosis in Slovakia: Epidemiology and genetic diversity of Echinococcus multilocularis, 2000-2023

Human alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a serious parasitic disease caused by larval stages of Echinococcus multilocularis. Between January 2000 and October 2023, 137 AE cases were confirmed in Slovakia. The average annual incidence increased from 0.031 per 100,000 inhabitants between 2000 and 2011, to an average of 0.187 since 2012, i.e. about six times. Among patients, 45.3% were men and 54.7% were women; the mean age at the time of diagnosis was 52.8 years. Most cases were diagnosed in the age groups 51-60 years and 61-70 years (33 cases each), and eight patients fell into the age category ≤ 20 years. To better recognize the gene diversity in clinical samples, metacestodes from 21 patients collected between 2013 and 2021 were subjected to DNA sequencing of four mitochondrial genes. Using concatenated sequences of cob (603 bp), nad2 (882 bp) and cox1 (789 bp) gene fragments, 14 isolates (66.7%) were assigned to the European E5 profile of E. multilocularis, two isolates (9.5%) to the E5a subtype, four isolates (19%) to the E4 profile, and one isolate (4.8%) to haplogroup E1/E2. The E5-type profiles and E4 profiles were distributed throughout the country, whereas the E1/E2 profile was found in the patient from western Slovakia. According to the data obtained and GenBank sequences, the E5-type dispersal is so far limited to central-eastern Europe and the variant seems to be indigenous to that region. The admixture with the haplotypes E4 and E1/E2 could have taken place from a historical endemic focus during the fox expansion in the last decades. By employing the nad1 fragment, a typical European haplotype was observed in all 21 resolved Slovak samples. The acceleration in the AE incidence in the last decade suggests the emergence of the disease and the need for further research on human and animal isolates.

Serum trace element levels and activity of enzymes associated with oxidative stress in endometriosis and endometrial cancer

Endometriosis and endometrial cancer are closely related to oxidative stress. However, the direct relationship between copper and zinc levels and oxidative stress in the extracellular and intracellular space remains unclear. The presented study is focused on the determination of serum Zn and Cu levels, glutathione concentration and enzyme activity in three groups: patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer (EC), patients diagnosed with endometriosis (EM), and a healthy control group. Spectrophotometric determination of trace elements revealed that levels of zinc and copper were lower in blood plasma of patients with endometriosis as compared with the other groups; however, there were no significant differences in the Cu/Zn ratio. Furthermore, significantly increased blood serum glutathione levels were detected in both EM and EC groups compared with the control group. While the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was similar across the studied groups, we observed differences in the activity of other enzymes associated with oxidative stress, including glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), between the control group and the EM and EC patients. Additionally, analysis of gene expression based on free circulating mRNA indicated significant differences in the expression of SOD isoenzymes between the patient groups and the control group; expression of GPx isoenzymes was also altered. Obtained results may have potential application in diagnostics as well as monitoring of endometriosis and endometrial cancer.

Effect of different modification by gold nanoparticles on the electrochemical performance of screen-printed sensors with boron-doped diamond electrode

Screen-printed sensors with chemically deposited boron-doped diamond electrodes (BDDE) were modified with different types of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) according to a new original procedure. Physically and electrochemically deposited AuNPs had various sizes and also nanoporous character. They also differ in shape and density of surface coverage. The developed sensors were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Their electrochemical properties were studied using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectrometry of selected outer sphere ([Ru(NH3)6]Cl3) and inner sphere (K3[Fe(CN)6], dopamine) redox markers. The application possibilities of such novel screen-printed sensors with BDDE modified by AuNPs were verified in the analysis of the neurotransmitter dopamine. The best analytical performance was achieved using printed sensors modified with the smallest AuNPs. The achieved limit of detection values in nanomolar concentrations (2.5 nmol L-1) are much lower than those of unmodified electrodes, which confirms the significant catalytic effects of gold nanoparticles on the surface of the working electrode. Sensors with the best electrochemical properties were successfully applied in the analysis of a model solution and spiked urine samples.

Operando Spatial and Temporal Tracking of Axial Stresses and Interfaces in Solid-state Batteries

Solid-state batteries have the potential to replace the current generation of liquid electrolyte batteries. However, the major limitation resulting from their solid-state architecture is the gradual loss of ionic conductivity due to the loss of physical contact between the individual battery components during charging/discharging. This is mainly due to mechanical stresses caused by volume changes in the cathode and anode during lithiation and delithiation. To date, limited research has been devoted to understanding the spatio-temporal distribution of stresses during battery operation. Here, operando scanning high-energy X-ray diffraction to quantify cross-sectional axial stresses with a spatial resolution of 10 µm is used. It is shown how a non-monotonous stress distribution evolves over time during the cycling of the solid-state battery. In addition, degradation of the solid-state electrolyte in the vicinity of the lithium anode is observed and tracked periodic changes in the unit cell volume in the cathode. The presented methodology of tracking the chemo-mechanically induced stresses and interface morphology in real time in correlation with other battery parameters is believed, can provide a valuable platform for the future optimization of solid-state batteries.

Catechin potentiates the antifungal effect of miconazole in Candida glabrata

The rising number of invasive fungal infections caused by drug-resistant Candida strains is one of the greatest challenges for the development of novel antifungal strategies. The scarcity of available antifungals has drawn attention to the potential of natural products as antifungals and in combinational therapies. One of these is catechins-polyphenolic compounds-flavanols, found in a variety of plants. In this work, we evaluated the changes in the susceptibility of Candida glabrata strain characterized at the laboratory level and clinical isolates using the combination of catechin and antifungal azoles. Catechin alone had no antifungal activity within the concentration range tested. Its use in combination with miconazole resulted in complete inhibition of growth in the sensitive C. glabrata isolate and a significant growth reduction in the azole resistant C. glabrata clinical isolate. Simultaneous use of catechin and miconazole leads to increased intracellular ROS generation. The enhanced susceptibility of C. glabrata clinical isolates to miconazole by catechin was accompanied with the intracellular accumulation of ROS and changes in the plasma membrane permeability, as measured using fluorescence anisotropy, affecting the function of plasma membrane proteins.

Only kosmotrope anions trigger fibrillization of the recombinant core spidroin eADF4(C16) from Araneus diadematus

Recombinant core spidroin eADF4(C16) has received increasing attention due to its ability to form micro- and nano-structured scaffolds, which are based on nanofibrils with great potential for biomedical and biotechnological applications. Phosphate anions have been demonstrated to trigger the eADF4(C16) self-assembly into cross-beta fibrils. In the present work, we systematically addressed the effect of nine sodium anions, namely SO4 2- , HPO4 2- (Pi), F- , Cl- , Br- , NO3 - , I- , SCN- , and ClO4 - from the Hofmeister series on the in vitro self-assembly kinetics of eADF4(C16). We show that besides the phosphate anions, only kosmotropic anions such as sulfate and fluoride can initiate the eADF4(C16) fibril formation. Global analysis of the self-assembly kinetics, utilizing the platform AmyloFit, showed the nucleation-based mechanism with a major role of secondary nucleation, surprisingly independent of the type of the kosmotropic anion. The rate constant of the fibril elongation in mixtures of phosphate anions with other studied anions correlated with their kosmotropic or chaotropic position in the Hofmeister series. Our findings suggest an important role of anion hydration in the eADF4(C16) fibrillization process.

Heterogeneous response to TGF-β1/3 isoforms in fibroblasts of different origins: implications for wound healing and tumorigenesis

Identification of therapeutic targets for treating fibrotic diseases and cancer remains challenging. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 on myofibroblast differentiation and extracellular matrix deposition in different types of fibroblasts, including normal/dermal, cancer-associated, and scar-derived fibroblasts. When comparing the phenotype and signaling pathways activation we observed extreme heterogeneity of studied markers across different fibroblast populations, even within those isolated from the same tissue. Specifically, the presence of myofibroblast and deposition of extracellular matrix were dependent on the origin of the fibroblasts and the type of treatment they received (TGF-β1 vs. TGF-β3). In parallel, we detected activation of canonical signaling (pSMAD2/3) across all studied fibroblasts, albeit to various extents. Treatment with TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 resulted in the activation of canonical and several non-canonical pathways, including AKT, ERK, and ROCK. Among studied cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts displayed the most heterogenic response to TGF-β1/3 treatments. In general, TGF-β1 demonstrated a more potent activation of signaling pathways compared to TGF-β3, whereas TGF-β3 exhibited rather an inhibitory effect in keloid- and hypertrophic scar-derived fibroblasts suggesting its clinical potential for scar treatment. In summary, our study has implications for comprehending the role of TGF-β signaling in fibroblast biology, fibrotic diseases, and cancer. Future research should focus on unraveling the mechanisms beyond differential fibroblast responses to TGF-β isomers considering inherent fibroblast heterogeneity.

Electrical stimulation of the cerebellum facilitates automatic but not controlled word retrieval

Recent research has indicated that the cerebellum is engaged in language functions, yet the role of the cerebellum in lexical-semantic memory is poorly understood. In a double-blind randomized controlled experiment, we therefore targeted the cerebellum by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to assess and compare the contribution of the cerebellar processing to automatic and controlled retrieval of words in healthy adults (n = 136). Anodal cerebellar tDCS facilitated retrieval of semantically related words in free-associative chains, which was not due to a non-specific acceleration of processing speed. The stimulation had no influence on controlled word retrieval that employed inhibition or switching. The effect of cathodal tDCS was opposite to the anodal stimulation, but statistically non-significant. Our data show that the cerebellum is engaged extracting associative information from the system of semantic representations, established and strengthened/automated by learning, and indicates a domain-general role of this structure in automation of behavior, cognition and language.

The treatment with trandolapril and losartan attenuates pressure and volume overload alternations of cardiac connexin-43 and extracellular matrix in Ren-2 transgenic rats

Heart failure (HF) is life-threatening disease due to electro-mechanical dysfunction associated with hemodynamic overload, while alterations of extracellular matrix (ECM) along with perturbed connexin-43 (Cx43) might be key factors involved. We aimed to explore a dual impact of pressure, and volume overload due to aorto-caval fistula (ACF) on Cx43 and ECM as well as effect of renin-angiotensin blockade. Hypertensive Ren-2 transgenic rats (TGR) and normotensive Hannover Sprague-Dawley rats (HSD) that underwent ACF were treated for 15-weeks with trandolapril or losartan. Blood serum and heart tissue samples of the right (RV) and left ventricles (LV) were used for analyses. ACF-HF increased RV, LV and lung mass in HSD and to lesser extent in TGR, while treatment attenuated it and normalized serum ANP, BNP-45 and TBARS. Cx43 protein and its ser368 variant along with PKCε were lower in TGR vs HSD and suppressed in both rat strains due to ACF but prevented more by trandolapril. Pro-hypertrophic PKCδ, collagen I and hydroxyproline were elevated in TGR and increased due to ACF in both rat strains. While SMAD2/3 and MMP2 levels were lower in TGR vs HSD and reduced due to ACF in both strains. Findings point out the strain-related differences in response to volume overload. Disorders of Cx43 and ECM signalling may contribute not only to HF but also to the formation of arrhythmogenic substrate. There is benefit of treatment with trandolapril and losartan indicating their pleiotropic anti-arrhythmic potential. It may provide novel input to therapy.

Quality inspection of specific electronic boards by deep neural networks

Reliability and lifetime of specific electronics boards depends on the quality of manufacturing process. Especially soldering splashes in some areas of PCB (printed circuit board) can cause change of selected electrical parameters. Nowadays, the manual inspection is massively replaced by specialized visual systems checking the presence of different defects. The research carried out in this paper can be considered as industrial (industry requested) application of machine learning in automated object detection. Object of interest-solder splash-is characterized by its small area and similar properties (texture, color) as its surroundings. The aim of our research was to apply state-of-the art algorithms based on deep neural networks for detection such objects in relatively complex electronic board. The research compared seven different object detection models based on you-look-only-once (YOLO) and faster region based convolutional neural network architectures. Results show that our custom trained YOLOv8n detection model with 1.9 million parameters can detect solder splashes with low detection speed 90 ms and 96.6% mean average precision. Based on these results, the use of deep neural networks can be useful for early detection of solder splashes and potentially lead to higher productivity and cost savings.

Seasonal assessment of selected trace elements in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) blood and their effects on the biochemistry and oxidative stress markers

Environmental pollution by anthropogenic activity is still a highly relevant global problem. Aquatic animals are a specifically endangered group of organisms due to their continuous direct contact with the contaminated environment. Concentrations of selected trace elements in the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) (n = 36) blood serum/clot were monitored. Possible effects of the elements on selected biochemical and oxidative markers were evaluated. The concentrations of trace elements (Al, Ba, Be, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, Tl, and Zn) were analysed in the fish blood serum and blood clot by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). A general scheme of decreasing concentrations of trace elements in the blood serum samples was: Zn ˃ Fe ˃ Sr ˃ Ba ˃ Ni ˃ Al ˃ Cu ˃ Be ˃ Co; < LOQ (below limit of quantification): Bi, Cd, Cr, Ga, Mn, Mo, Pb, Tl; and in the case of the blood clot, the scheme was as follows: Fe ˃ Zn ˃ Sr ˃ Al ˃ Ni ˃ Ba ˃ Cu ˃ Be ˃ Co ˃ Mn; < LOQ (below limit of quantification): Bi, Cd, Cr, Ga, Mo, Pb, Tl. Significant differences among the seasons were detected. The Spearman R correlation coefficients and linear or non-linear regression were used to evaluate direct relationships between trace elements and selected blood biomarkers. The correlation analysis between biochemical parameters (Na, K, P, Mg, AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, TAG, TP, urea, glucose) and trace elements (Al, Ba, Be, Cu, Fe, Ni, Sr, and Zn) concentrations confirmed statistically significant interactions in both seasons (summer and autumn). The regression analysis between oxidative stress markers (ROS, GPx, creatinine, uric acid, and bilirubin) and elements (Al, Ba, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Sr) content confirmed statistically significant interactions. The results point to numerous connections between the observed elements and the physiological parameters of freshwater fish.

Features extraction from multi-spectral remote sensing images based on multi-threshold binarization

In this paper, we propose a solution to resolve the limitation of deep CNN models in real-time applications. The proposed approach uses multi-threshold binarization over the whole multi-spectral remote sensing image to extract the vector of discriminative features for classification. We compare the classification accuracy and the training time of the proposed approach with ResNet and Ensemble CNN models. The proposed approach shows a significant advantage in accuracy for small datasets, while keeping very close recall score to both deep CNN models for larger datasets. On the other hand, regardless of the dataset size, the proposed multi-threshold binarization provides approximately 5 times lower training and inference time than both ResNet and Ensemble CNN models.

Absolutely closed semigroups

Let C be a class of topological semigroups. A semigroup X is called absolutely C -closed if for any homomorphism h : X → Y to a topological semigroup Y ∈ C , the image h[X] is closed in Y. Let T 1 S , T 2 S , and T z S be the classes of T 1 , Hausdorff, and Tychonoff zero-dimensional topological semigroups, respectively. We prove that a commutative semigroup X is absolutely T z S -closed if and only if X is absolutely T 2 S -closed if and only if X is chain-finite, bounded, group-finite and Clifford + finite. On the other hand, a commutative semigroup X is absolutely T 1 S -closed if and only if X is finite. Also, for a given absolutely C -closed semigroup X we detect absolutely C -closed subsemigroups in the center of X.

Competing length scales and 2D versus 3D dimensionality in relatively thick superconducting NbN films

Magneto-transport characteristics of 2D and 3D superconducting layers, in particular, temperature and angular dependences of the upper critical field Hc2, are usually considered to be fundamentally different. In the work, using non-local resistance measurements at temperatures near the normal-to-superconducting transition, we probed an effective dimensionality of nm-thick NbN films. It was found that in relatively thick NbN layers, the thicknesses of which varied from 50 to 100 nm, the temperature effect on Hc2 certainly pointed to the three-dimensionality of the samples, while the angular dependence of Hc2 revealed behavior typical for 2D samples. The seeming contradiction is explained by an intriguing interplay of three length scales in the dimensionally confined superconducting films: the thickness, the Ginzburg-Landau coherence length, and the magnetic-field penetration depth. Our results provide new insights into the physics of superconducting films with an extremely large ratio of the London penetration depth to the Ginzburg-Landau coherence length exhibiting simultaneously 3D isotropic superconducting properties and the 2D transport regime.

Tetracoordinate Co(II) complexes with semi-coordination as stable single-ion magnets for deposition on graphene

We present a theoretical and experimental study of two tetracoordinate Co(II)-based complexes with semi-coordination interactions, i.e., non-covalent interactions involving the central atom. We argue that such interactions enhance the thermal and structural stability of the compounds, making them appropriate for deposition on substrates, as demonstrated by their successful deposition on graphene. DC magnetometry and high-frequency electron spin resonance (HF-ESR) experiments revealed an axial magnetic anisotropy and weak intermolecular antiferromagnetic coupling in both compounds, supported by theoretical predictions from complete active space self-consistent field calculations complemented by N-electron valence state second-order perturbation theory (CASSCF-NEVPT2), and broken-symmetry density functional theory (BS-DFT). AC magnetometry demonstrated that the compounds are field-induced single-ion magnets (SIMs) at applied static magnetic fields, with slow relaxation of magnetization governed by a combination of quantum tunneling, Orbach, and direct relaxation mechanisms. The structural stability under ambient conditions and after deposition was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. Theoretical modeling by DFT of different configurations of these systems on graphene revealed n-type doping of graphene originating from electron transfer from the deposited molecules, confirmed by electrical transport measurements and Raman spectroscopy.

Preparation and properties of novel binary and ternary highly amorphous poly(vinyl alcohol)-based composites with hybrid nanofillers

Smart protective coatings and devices are currently of great interest. In particular, they can absorb or reflect harmful waves of electromagnetic interference (EMI). In this work, novel binary and ternary composites with highly amorphous poly(vinyl alcohol) (HAVOH) as a matrix and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and MXenes as nanofillers were prepared. HAVOH is a recently patented kind of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVOH) that was modified with diol monomers. MXenes are a new type of inorganic two-dimensional (2D) nanoparticle consisting of carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides. Three series of composites, HAVOH/SWCNTs, HAVOH/MXenes and HAVOH/SWCNTs/MXenes, were prepared using the solvent casting method. Samples were tested with various methods to study their structure, electrical properties, thermal behavior and EMI-shielding properties. HAVOH/3.0 wt.% SWCNTs/3.0 wt.% MXene specimens revealed a shielding effectiveness of 55 dB, which is 122 times better than that of the neat matrix. These results are promising for the fabrication of films with protective effects against EMI.

Traveling itinerary problem in a scheduled multimodal transportation network for a fixed sequence of cities

Developing an efficient and economical journey plan in multimodal transportation networks is of significant and fast-growing importance, but it is still an annoying experience for a traveler. This paper aims to find the journey plan at a combined cross-border and inter-regional level when visiting a sequence of cities while utilizing several transport modes to reduce travel costs and planning time. We study a traveling itinerary problem in a scheduled multimodal transportation network with constraints on both arcs and nodes as a new extension of the shortest path problem. We formulate a 0-1 integer linear programming model for the traveling itinerary problem and develop an exact algorithm that finds a combined cross-border and inter-regional low costs journey plan. We present case studies based on real-world transport data to illustrate the usefulness and computational efficiency of the proposed approaches. We compare the results with the previously proposed approach to demonstrate the benefits of multimodal journeys. Finally, we compare the results with the solution obtained by the general-purpose 0-1 integer linear programming solver to evaluate the computational time.

Characterisation of physicochemical parameters and antibacterial properties of New Caledonian honeys

Honey is an attractive natural product with various health benefits. A few honey-based commercial products have successfully been adopted in clinics to improve wound healing. However, screening of other potential sources of medical-grade honey, in particular, honeys from territories with high floral species diversity and high endemicity, is highly needed. The goal of this study was to characterise the physicochemical and antibacterial properties of New Caledonian honey samples (n = 33) and to elucidate the major mechanism of their antibacterial action. Inhibitory antibacterial activity of honeys against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was determined with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. Enzymatic activity of glucose oxidase and the content of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in honey samples were analysed. Furthermore, total protein content of honeys together with their electrophoretic protein profiles were also determined in the study. The antibacterial efficacy of 24% of the tested honey samples was slightly superior to that of manuka honey with unique manuka factor 15+. The antibacterial activity of catalase-treated honey sample solutions was significantly reduced, suggesting that H2O2 is a key antibacterial compound of diluted honeys. However, the kinetic profiles of H2O2 production in most potent honeys at a MIC value of 6% was not uniform. Under the experimental conditions, we found that a H2O2 concentration of 150 μM in diluted honeys is a critical concentration for inhibiting the growth of S. aureus. In contrast, 150 μM H2O2 in artificial honey solution was not able to inhibit bacterial growth, suggesting a role of phytochemicals in the antibacterial activity of natural honey. In addition, the continuous generation of H2O2 in diluted honey demonstrated an ability to counteract additional bacteria in re-inoculation experiments. In conclusion, the tested New Caledonian honey samples showed strong antibacterial activity, primarily based on H2O2 action, and therefore represent a suitable source for medical-grade honey.

The effect of zofenopril on the cardiovascular system of spontaneously hypertensive rats treated with the ACE2 inhibitor MLN-4760

BACKGROUND

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) plays a crucial role in the infection cycle of SARS-CoV-2 responsible for formation of COVID-19 pandemic. In the cardiovascular system, the virus enters the cells by binding to the transmembrane form of ACE2 causing detrimental effects especially in individuals with developed hypertension or heart disease. Zofenopril, a H2S-releasing angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), has been shown to be effective in the treatment of patients with essential hypertension; however, in conditions of ACE2 inhibition its potential beneficial effect has not been investigated yet. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the effect of zofenopril on the cardiovascular system of spontaneously hypertensive rats, an animal model of human essential hypertension and heart failure, under conditions of ACE2 inhibition induced by the administration of the specific inhibitor MLN-4760 (MLN).

RESULTS

Zofenopril reduced MLN-increased visceral fat to body weight ratio although no changes in systolic blood pressure were recorded. Zofenopril administration resulted in a favorable increase in left ventricle ejection fraction and improvement of diastolic function regardless of ACE2 inhibition, which was associated with increased H2S levels in plasma and heart tissue. Similarly, the acute hypotensive responses induced by acetylcholine, L-NAME (NOsynthase inhibitor) and captopril (ACEI) were comparable after zofenopril administration independently from ACE2 inhibition. Although simultaneous treatment with zofenopril and MLN led to increased thoracic aorta vasorelaxation, zofenopril increased the NO component equally regardless of MLN treatment, which was associated with increased NO-synthase activity in aorta and left ventricle. Moreover, unlike in control rats, the endogenous H2S participated in maintaining of aortic endothelial function in MLN-treated rats and the treatment with zofenopril had no impact on this effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Zofenopril treatment reduced MLN-induced adiposity and improved cardiac function regardless of ACE2 inhibition. Although the concomitant MLN and zofenopril treatment increased thoracic aorta vasorelaxation capacity, zofenopril increased the participation of H2S and NO in the maintenance of endothelial function independently from ACE2 inhibition. Our results confirmed that the beneficial effects of zofenopril were not affected by ACE2 inhibition, moreover, we assume that ACE2 inhibition itself can lead to the activation of cardiovascular compensatory mechanisms associated with Mas receptor, nitrous and sulfide signaling.

Chromosome analysis and the occurrence of B chromosomes in fish parasite Acanthocephalus anguillae (Palaeacanthocephala: Echinorhynchida)

The cytogenetics of Acanthocephala is a neglected area in the study of this group of endoparasites. Chromosome number and/or karyotypes are known for only 12 of the 1,270 described species, and molecular cytogenetic data are limited to rDNA mapping in two species. The standard karyological technique and mapping of 18S rRNA and H3 histone genes on the chromosomes of Acanthocephalus anguillae individuals from three populations, one of which originated from the unfavorable environmental conditions of the Zemplínska Šírava reservoir in eastern Slovakia, were applied for the first time. All specimens had 2n = 7/8 (male/female); n = 1m + 1m-sm + 1a + 1a (X). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed three loci of 18S rDNA on two autosomes and dispersion of H3 histone genes on all autosomes and the X chromosome. In addition to the standard A chromosome set, 34% of specimens from Zemplínska Šírava possessed a small acrocentric B chromosome, which was always found to be univalent, with no pairing observed between the B chromosome and the A complement. The B chromosome had a small amount of heterochromatin in the centromeric and telomeric regions of the chromosomal arms and showed two clusters of H3 genes. It is well known that an environment permanently polluted with chemicals leads to an increased incidence of chromosomal rearrangements. As a possible scenario for the B chromosome origin, we propose chromosomal breaks due to the mutagenic effect of pollutants in the aquatic environment. The results are discussed in comparison with previous chromosome data from Echinorhynchida species.

Chronic venous insufficiency and venous leg ulcers: Aetiology, on the pathophysiology-based treatment

The chronic venous disease covers a wide spectrum of venous disorders that are characterized by severely impaired blood return that primarily affects veins in the lower extremities. Morphological and functional abnormalities of the venous system led to chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), and present as leg heaviness/achiness, edema, telangiectasia, and varices. The term 'chronic venous insufficiency' (CVI) refers to a disease of greater severity. Venous dysfunction is associated with venous hypertension and is associated with venous reflux due to poorly functioning or incompetent venous valves, which ultimately reduces venous return, leading to a cascade of morphological, physiological, and histologic abnormalities such as blood pooling, hypoxia, inflammation, swelling, skin changes (lipodermatosclerosis), and in severe cases, venous leg ulcers (VLU). This review summarizes recent knowledge about the aetiology, risk factors, and pathophysiology of VLU and compared the possibilities of their treatment.

Effect of miR-34a on the expression of clock and clock-controlled genes in DLD1 and Lovo human cancer cells with different backgrounds with respect to p53 functionality and 17β-estradiol-mediated regulation

The small non-coding RNA miR-34a is a p53-regulated miRNA that acts as a tumour suppressor of colorectal cancer (CRC). Oncogenesis is also negatively influenced by deregulation of the circadian system in many types of tumours with various genetic backgrounds. As the clock gene per2 was recently recognized as one of the target genes of miR-34a, we focused on the miR-34a-mediated influence on the circadian oscillator in CRC cell lines DLD1 and LoVo, which differ in their p53 status. Previously, a sex-dependent association between the expression of per2 and that of miR-34a was demonstrated in CRC patients. Therefore, we also investigated the effect of 17β-estradiol (E2) on miR-34a oncostatic functions. miR-34a mimic caused a pronounced inhibition of per2 expression in both cell lines. Moreover, miR-34a mimic significantly inhibited bmal1 expression in LoVo and rev-erbα expression in DLD1 cells and induced clock gene expression in both cell lines. miR-34a mimic caused a pronounced decrease in sirt1 and cyclin D1 expression, which may be related to the inhibition of proliferation observed after mir-34a administration in DLD1 cells. E2 administration inhibited the migration and proliferation of DLD1 cells. E2 and miR-34a, when administered simultaneously, did not potentiate each other's effects. To conclude, miR-34a strongly influences the expression of components of the circadian oscillator without respect to p53 status and exerts its oncostatic effects via inhibition of sirt1 and cyclin D1 mRNA expression. E2 administration inhibits the growth of DLD1 cells; however, this effect seems to be independent of miR-34a-mediated action. With respect to the possible use of miR-34a in cancer treatment, clock genes can be considered as off-target genes, as changes in their expression induced by miR-34a treatment do not contribute to the oncostatic functions of miR-34a. Possible ambiguous oncogenic characteristics should be taken into consideration in future clinical studies focused on miR-34a.

Assessment of Automatic and Controlled Retrieval Using Verbal Fluency Tasks

Category and letter verbal fluency assessment is widely used in basic and clinical research. Yet, the nature of the processes measured by such means remains a matter of debate. To delineate automatic (free-associative) versus controlled (dissociative) retrieval processes involved in verbal fluency tasks, we carried out a psychometric study combining a novel lexical-semantic retrieval paradigm and structural equation modeling. We show that category fluency primarily engages a free-associative retrieval, whereas letter fluency exerts executive suppression of habitual semantic associates. Importantly, the models demonstrated that this dissociation is parametric rather than absolute, exhibiting a degree of unity as well as diversity among the retrieval measures. These findings and further exploratory analyses validate that category and letter fluency tasks reflect partially distinct forms of memory search and retrieval control, warranting different application in basic research and clinical assessment. Finally, we conclude that the novel associative-dissociative paradigm provides straightforward and useful behavioral measures for the assessment and differentiation of automatic versus controlled retrieval ability.

A review of Coelostegus prothales Carroll and Baird, 1972 from the Upper Carboniferous of the Czech Republic and the interrelationships of basal eureptiles

We redescribe the holotype and only known specimen of the early eureptile Coelostegus prothales from the Upper Carboniferous of the Czech Republic using photogrammetric scanning and a virtual 3D rendition of its skull. New information is available on several skull and lower jaw bones, including the postorbital, supratemporal, tabular, postparietal, angular, and prearticular. The new data also permit the correct identification of previously undetected or mis-identified elements (e.g., supratemporal; quadratojugal; angular). We provide an amended diagnosis of Coelostegus and a new reconstruction of the skull in dorsal and lateral views. To evaluate the affinities of Coelostegus, we code this taxon in two recently published taxon-character matrices. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses do not permit firm conclusions on the phylogenetic position of Coelostegus or, indeed, the status and extrinsic relationships of protorothyridid amniotes. Coelostegus emerges either as the sister taxon to the recently redefined Diapsida (Araeoscelidia; Varanopidae; Parareptilia; Neodiapsida), as one of the most basal protorothyridids, or as a derived stem-group amniote in various parsimony-based analyses, or as the basalmost protorothyridid in one Bayesian analysis, with protorothyridids forming a paraphyletic array relative to Diapsida. We review the cranial similarities and differences between Coelostegus and other protorothyridid genera and discuss the implications that various phylogenetic results have for our understanding of early amniote relationships.

Spontaneous degradation of methylene blue adsorbed on magnetic biochars

Methylene blue (MB) is one of the most widely studied organic molecules in the treatment of wastewater. Sorption, biodegradation, photodegradation, electrochemical oxidation, ozonation, and other advanced oxidative processes are frequently used to remove this dye from water solutions. The unexpected degradation of MB adsorbed on magnetic biochar from aqueous solution was observed. We found that the conditions of handling, such as drying temperature and storage period, substantially influenced the stability of the dye fixed on the (magnetic) carbon adsorbents. Twelve substances were identified by mass spectrometry as products of decomposition, mostly demethylated, oxidated, and hydroxylated substances. The decomposition of MB was further investigated using non-magnetic carbon biochars and aluminosilicate mineral zeolite. Our findings of the spontaneous decomposition of MB and the identification of the species of degradation offer a new approach to evaluate the mechanism of adsorption, the process of regeneration, and the toxicity of treated solutions.