Forest Habitats and Vegetation of Dragoman Municipality, Western Bulgaria

The study is focused on the investigation of the forest habitats and the vegetation of Dragoman municipality, located in western Bulgaria. Following the Braun-Blanquet approach, 212 relev´es were collected in 2019 and 1054 field points were verified, as well. As a result, eight forest habitat types included in Directive 92/43/EEC were identified. They cover 85.96 km2 or 26.5% of the total area and are located mainly in the northern, western and southern parts of the municipality. Pannonian-Balkanic turkey oak–sessile oak forests (91M0) build up the vastest areas, followed by *Pannonian woods with Quercus pubescens (91H0), covering 67.2% and 12.97% of the territory, respectively. 

Investigation of selected independent variables on extrusion of rice semolina with and without propeller

The influence of screws with and without propeller, as well as the independent variables of material moisture content, working screw speed, feeding screw speed and die temperature on the changes of some physical and mechanical properties during singles-screw extrusion of rice semolina was studied. The response surface methodology was used with an orthogonal central composite design. Optimum modes of operation which lead to the maximization of the mass flow rate and the sectional expansion index and the minimization of the specific mechanical energy were established. The obtained results show that the use of a propeller in single-screw extrusion leads to an increase in extruder mass flow rate, a decrease in the specific mechanical energy and an increase in the sectional expansion index.

First Survey of the Vascular and Cryptogam Flora on Bulgaria's Ancient Mounds

This work represents the first study of the floristic diversity on Bulgaria's ancient mounds. The objective of this research was to assess the importance of the mounds for the preservation of the native vascular and cryptogam flora. Our sampling design included 111 ancient mounds distributed throughout the country. We recorded a total of 1059 vascular plants, 58 bryophytes and 61 lichen taxa. Despite their small area, the mounds were shown to preserve nearly a quarter of the Bulgarian flora. The vegetation cover on the mounds included 61% perennials indicating a long-term persistence and stability. The majority (98%) of the established vascular plants were native species. Although the conservation significance of the vascular plant species were not common, we recorded 2 critically endangered, 9 endangered and 14 Balkan endemics during the present study. The lichen Arthopyrenia salicis was recorded for the first time in Bulgaria and a new locality of the rare bryophyte Ceratodon conicus was discovered. The established compositional difference between plots from the northern and southern slopes of the mounds (88.95%) is a testament to the high local habitat diversity. The prevalence of species characteristic for Festuco-Brometea suggests that the mounds preserve fragments of native grasslands and steppes. The variation in cover of agricultural and other human modified areas in the mounds' immediate surroundings did not substantially affect their species richness. We argue that the ancient mounds should be taken into consideration in future green space planning.

Early tolerability of Comirnaty vaccine in patients with chronic neurological diseases

Patients with chronic neurological diseases may have predisposing risk factors for severe COVID-19 and should be considered as priority candidates for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Nevertheless, the safety of RNA vaccine was evaluated in healthy volunteers or in patients with stable chronic medical conditions excluding patients with chronic neurological diseases. We report here the early tolerability of Comirnaty vaccine in 36 patients with chronic neurological diseases and demonstrate good early tolerability, better than found in healthy people in phase 3 trials.

Dimensions of invasiveness: Links between local abundance, geographic range size, and habitat breadth in Europe's alien and native floras

Understanding drivers of success for alien species can inform on potential future invasions. Recent conceptual advances highlight that species may achieve invasiveness via performance along at least three distinct dimensions: 1) local abundance, 2) geographic range size, and 3) habitat breadth in naturalized distributions. Associations among these dimensions and the factors that determine success in each have yet to be assessed at large geographic scales. Here, we combine data from over one million vegetation plots covering the extent of Europe and its habitat diversity with databases on species' distributions, traits, and historical origins to provide a comprehensive assessment of invasiveness dimensions for the European alien seed plant flora. Invasiveness dimensions are linked in alien distributions, leading to a continuum from overall poor invaders to super invaders-abundant, widespread aliens that invade diverse habitats. This pattern echoes relationships among analogous dimensions measured for native European species. Success along invasiveness dimensions was associated with details of alien species' introduction histories: earlier introduction dates were positively associated with all three dimensions, and consistent with theory-based expectations, species originating from other continents, particularly acquisitive growth strategists, were among the most successful invaders in Europe. Despite general correlations among invasiveness dimensions, we identified habitats and traits associated with atypical patterns of success in only one or two dimensions-for example, the role of disturbed habitats in facilitating widespread specialists. We conclude that considering invasiveness within a multidimensional framework can provide insights into invasion processes while also informing general understanding of the dynamics of species distributions.

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives.

The database of the PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) project

The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.

The PREDICTS database: a global database of how local terrestrial biodiversity responds to human impacts

Biodiversity continues to decline in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures such as habitat destruction, exploitation, pollution and introduction of alien species. Existing global databases of species’ threat status or population time series are dominated by charismatic species. The collation of datasets with broad taxonomic and biogeographic extents, and that support computation of a range of biodiversity indicators, is necessary to enable better understanding of historical declines and to project – and avert – future declines. We describe and assess a new database of more than 1.6 million samples from 78 countries representing over 28,000 species, collated from existing spatial comparisons of local-scale biodiversity exposed to different intensities and types of anthropogenic pressures, from terrestrial sites around the world. The database contains measurements taken in 208 (of 814) ecoregions, 13 (of 14) biomes, 25 (of 35) biodiversity hotspots and 16 (of 17) megadiverse countries. The database contains more than 1% of the total number of all species described, and more than 1% of the described species within many taxonomic groups – including flowering plants, gymnosperms, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, beetles, lepidopterans and hymenopterans. The dataset, which is still being added to, is therefore already considerably larger and more representative than those used by previous quantitative models of biodiversity trends and responses. The database is being assembled as part of the PREDICTS project (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems – http://www.predicts.org.uk). We make site-level summary data available alongside this article. The full database will be publicly available in 2015.

Spin-labeled rifamycin: biological activity

3-[(2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidine-4-ylimino)methyl]rifamycin (4) and spin-labeled rifamycin-3-[(2,2,6,6- tetramethyl-1-oxyl-piperidine-4-ylimino)methyl]rifamycin (1) were prepared. The structures of these compounds were determined by IR, UV, MS and 1H NMR of 4. The ESR-spectrum of 1 is a symmetric triplet signal, characteristic of nitroxyl radicals, g = 2.0025. An in vitro comparative study of the cytotoxicity and antitumor activity of 1, 4 and the initial 3-formyl-rifamycin was carried out in concentrations from 0.1 to 0.001 mM on cells before and after oxidative stress (preliminary irradiation 7Gy) on MH3924A-hepatoma rat cells, 293 transformed human fibroblasts, NBK transformed human fibroblasts and HT 1080 human fibrosarcoma. The compounds showed a cytostatic effect to 85%, with 1 being less toxic in the hepatoma cell line. In human melanoma cell lines 1 showed a higher toxicity than 4. All the derivatives (1 and 4) have in vitro antibacterial activity comparable with that of rifampicin.

[Neuropathy with non-alcoholic thiamine deficiency: two cases of bladder disorders]

INTRODUCTION

Neuropathy with non-alcoholic thiamine deficiency is reported in the literature, but bladder disorders are rarely detailed.

CASE REPORTS

We report two cases of bladder disorders in neuropathy with thiamine deficiency. One patient presented with a flaccid bladder and impaired sensation; the postvoid residual volume was raised. The other patient had reduced bladder capacity, with detrusor hyperreflexia and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. In both cases, the bladder disorders disappeared with thiamine supplementation.

CONCLUSION

Bladder symptoms may be heterogeneous in nonalcoholic neuropathy. The prognosis is good after vitamin supplementation.

Hématomes musculaires spontanés chez les patients hémiplégiques sous traitement anticoagulant

INTRODUCTION

Muscular hematomas are frequently reported as a complication of anticoagulation therapy.

METHODS

We report six cases of spontaneous muscular hematomas occurring in hemiplegic patients receiving anticoagulation therapy using heparin, low-molecular-weight heparin or fluindione. Anticoagulation therapy was given in prophylactic doses to two patients to prevent deep vein thrombosis and in therapeutic doses to four patients with deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism or cardiac arrhythmia. Two patients experienced episodes of bleeding when heparin and fluindione were temporarily associated.

RESULT

Contrary to previous reports, the more frequent site of bleeding was not the ilio-psoas muscle (only 2 patients); hematomas were also observed in hip adductors and gluteus muscles. The most striking finding was the constant location of the hematoma on the hemiplegic side.

CONCLUSION

Location on the hemiplegic side can lead to underestimating the frequency of neurologic compression by the hematoma; the diagnosis can nevertheless be established by electromyography. Local signs may not be present, but general signs of hypovolemia and anemia are more frequent. Ultrasound may be the first line investigation but in our experience, the results can be misleading and computed tomography (CT) or MRI are often required to confirm the diagnosis.