Circulatory diseases and the wide sex and ethnic life expectancy gaps in Bulgaria since 2010.

Objectives: Despite extensive public health initiatives, Bulgaria still has the lowest life expectancy at birth (LE) in the European Union. Sex and ethnic differences in LE and mortality are also exceptionally large. We aimed to identify what causes of death drive these wide disparities and thus provide clear targets for future public health interventions.

Custom anterior segment optical coherence tomography indices for detection of corneal ectasia.

Introduction: Corneal thinning and changes in the corneal thickness profile are major symptoms of corneal ectasia. The anterior seg-ment optical coherence tomography is currently widely used, and the development of additional indices may lead to improvements in the diagnostics of keratoconus.

Aim: To determine the diagnostic value of newly developed custom anterior segment OCT indices in diagnosing corneal ectasia.

Catmint ( L.) Phylogenetics and Metabolic Responses in Variable Growth Conditions.

(catmint; Lamiaceae) is a perennial medicinal plant with a wide geographic distribution in Europe and Asia. This study first characterized the taxonomic position of using DNA barcoding technology. Since medicinal plants are rich in secondary metabolites contributing to their adaptive immune response, we explored the metabolic adjustment operating under variable environments.

Force modulated conductance of artificial coiled-coil protein monolayers.

Studies of charge transport through proteins bridged between two electrodes have been the subject of intense research in recent years. However, the complex structure of proteins makes it difficult to elucidate transport mechanisms, and the use of simple peptide oligomers may be an over simplified model of the proteins. To bridge this structural gap, we present here studies of charge transport through artificial parallel coiled-coil proteins conducted in dry environment.

Surface electric charge of thylakoid membranes from genetically modified tobacco plants under freezing stress.

In the present study we characterize for the first time electrokinetic and light scattering properties of thylakoids from freezing-tolerant tobacco plants, transformed to accumulate osmoprotectants (proline: AtP5Cs, VacP5Cs; fructan: SacB; glycine betaine: codA). Tobacco plants of wild type (WT) and transformed variants were cultivated at 2°C (cold acclimated) and -2°C (freezing stressed). "Lower salt" thylakoids (I=0.

A rapid differentiation between oak honeydew honey and nectar and other honeydew honeys by NMR spectroscopy.

An NMR-based approach for rapid differentiation of oak honeydew honey from all other honey types (floral and other honeydew honeys) was proposed. It is based on the identification of the signals of the protons and the carbon of the methylene group of quercitol in the (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of honey. The presence of quercitol was supported by TOCSY spectroscopy.

De novo designed coiled-coil proteins with variable conformations as components of molecular electronic devices.

Conformational changes of proteins are widely used in nature for controlling cellular functions, including ligand binding, oligomerization, and catalysis. Despite the fact that different proteins and artificial peptides have been utilized as electron-transfer mediators in electronic devices, the unique propensity of proteins to switch between different conformations has not been used as a mechanism to control device properties and performance. Toward this aim, we have designed and prepared new dimeric coiled-coil proteins that adopt different conformations due to parallel or antiparallel relative orientations of their monomers.

Seasonal variations in the chemical composition of vine-grape leaf surface.

Surface leaf metabolites of two seedlings of a Bulgarian winemaking cultivar Storgozia I(1) were analyzed in two seasons - summer (July) and autumn (October). The resistance towards some fungal pathogens of one of the plants was estimated as superior to the resistance of the other one. Significant seasonal variations in the chemical constituents of the two seedlings were observed.

Raman scattering of Si matrix with randomly distributed nanoparticles of semiconducting silicides.

Samples, representing Si matrix with nanoformations of the semiconducting silicides beta-FeSi2 and Mg2Si are studied by Raman scattering. The unpolarized Raman spectra of the samples are interpreted in the framework of the appearance of interface-phonon polaritons. The theoretical dispersion relations of the interface-phonon polaritons in the system Si/silicide/Si are obtained from the Maxwell equations.

Expression profiles of respiratory components associated with mitochondrial biogenesis during germination and seedling growth under normal and restricted conditions in wheat.

Germination of plant embryo is a dynamic phase-changing process that is driven by a rapid increase in mitochondrial respiration. We studied the development of respiratory electron transport pathways and the profiles of their transcript and protein components during this critical period using wheat embryos. Oxygen consumption through both the cytochrome and alternative pathways increased rapidly upon imbibition.

Preliminary study on biomarkers for the fungal resistance in Vitis vinifera leaves.

We examined the leaf chemical composition of six seedlings obtained by self-pollination of the Bulgarian wine-making variety Storgozia as well as the cultivar Bouquet, which is the susceptible parent of Storgozia. The chemical composition was investigated in the framework of a program for identification of metabolites associated with disease resistance in grape-vine. Acetone, dichloromethane and butanol extracts, as well as volatiles obtained from fresh material were analyzed by GC/MS.

Alkaloid variability in Leucojum aestivum from wild populations.

Leucojum aestivum (summer snowflake) is a plant species used for the extraction of galanthamine, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Extracts from bulbs collected from 18 Bulgarian populations and from shoot-clumps obtained in vitro from 8 different populations showed variations in their alkaloid composition. Nineteen alkaloids were detected in the studied samples by GC-MS.

Perspective on OECD activities from a non-member country.

The OECD Blue Book, "Recombinant DNA: Safety Considerations" was published in 1986. The developed principles and concepts on the stepwise and case-by-case approach for risk assessment in the Blue Book have been used as a foundation for building national biosafety frameworks and international instruments for the regulation of the products of modern biotechnology. Twenty years after the Blue Book was published, OECD continues its activities on unique identifier systems, information-sharing, consensus documents for the biology of crops, trees and microorganisms with respect to harmonization of regulatory oversight and those of novel food and feed safety.

Multiple origins of cultivated grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. ssp. sativa) based on chloroplast DNA polymorphisms.

The domestication of the Eurasian grape (Vitis vinifera ssp. sativa) from its wild ancestor (Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris) has long been claimed to have occurred in Transcaucasia where its greatest genetic diversity is found and where very early archaeological evidence, including grape pips and artefacts of a 'wine culture', have been excavated.

Improved phytoaccumulation of cadmium by genetically modified tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.). Physiological and biochemical response of the transformants to cadmium toxicity.

The response of tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.)--non-transformed and transformed with a metallothionein gene MThis from Silene vulgaris L.--to increase cadmium supply in the nutrient solution was compared.

Chlorsulfuron resistant transgenic tobacco as a tool for broomrape control.

Broomrape (Orobanche ramosa L.) is the most important parasitic plant that infests tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.).

Microsatellite analysis of Rosa damascena Mill. accessions reveals genetic similarity between genotypes used for rose oil production and old Damask rose varieties.

Damask roses are grown in several European and Asiatic countries for rose oil production. Twenty-six oil-bearing Rosa damascena Mill. accessions and 13 garden Damask roses were assayed by molecular markers.

Intensity-dependent effects of microwave electromagnetic fields on acetylcholinesterase activity and protein conformation in frog skeletal muscles.

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of continuous microwaves (2.45 GHz) of different field intensity on acetylcholinesterase activity and protein conformation in muscle fractions from frog skeletal muscles.

Materials/methods: [corrected] Acetylcholinesterase activity in samples from muscle homogenate fractions exposed for 30 min to microwaves of low (10 mW/cm2) or high (20 mW/cm2) intensity at almost constant temperature (1.

Minor and major complications of arthroscopic synovectomy of the knee joint performed by rheumatologist.

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to analyze the type and incidence of major and minor complications resulting from arthroscopy with arthroscopic synovectomy of the knee joint performed by rheumatologist in different rheumatological diseases.

Methods: In a prospective study the incidence of complications in arthroscopic subtotal synovectomy with subsequent tidal flow lavage was analyzed in 201 rheumatic patients. The arthroscopic synovectomies were performed by one team of rheumatologists in the operation room of the University Clinic of Rheumatology in the town of Plovdiv for a period of 8-9 years.

Relevance between arthroscopic pathology and clinical characteristics in knee osteoarthritis.

Unlabelled: Arthroscopy can be used to identify accurately cartilage and synovial changes in knee osteoarthritis (OA). The objective of this study was to find the correlation between arthroscopically established knee chondropathy and synovitis and the corresponding algofunctional characteristics in OA.

Methods: 41 patients with OA in only one knee joint were investigated.

IAA production during germination of Orobanche spp. seeds.

Broomrapes (Orobanche spp.) are parasitic plants, whose growth and development fully depend on the nutritional connection established between the parasite and the roots of the respective host plant. Phytohormones are known to play a role in establishing the specific Orobanche-host plant interaction.

Impact of peach extrafloral nectar on key biological characteristics of Trichogramma minutum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae).

This study investigated the longevity, fecundity, and host feeding of a wild and a commercially reared strain of Trichogramma minutum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) when presented with peach extrafloral nectar. Both the wild and commercial T. minutum strains lived longer and parasitized more Grapholita molesta (Busck) eggs when provided peach extrafloral nectar and water than when provided only water.

Transgenic tobacco plants accumulating osmolytes show reduced oxidative damage under freezing stress.

We studied the reaction to the oxidative component of freezing in several tobacco lines, transformed with genes coding for enzymes involved in the synthesis of osmoprotectants (proline, fructan or glycine betaine) along with their wild type. The levels of some oxidative stress markers (leakage of electrolytes, hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde) as well as the activity of antioxidative enzymes catalase (EC 1.11.

Assessment of polysomaty, embryo formation and regeneration in liquid media for various species of diploid annual Medicago.

To avoid polyploidy in regenerants the source of explant material should be monosomatic. Therefore, the leaf and petiole tissue of five diploid Medicago species (Medicago ciliaris, Medicago murex, Medicago orbicularis, Medicago polymorpha and Medicago truncatula cv. Jemalong, and the ecotype R108-1) was assessed for polysomaty by flow cytometry.