A fundamental prerequisite for understanding and protecting biodiversity is the construction of a high-quality faunal database. The primary objective of this study was to address knowledge gaps in the biodiversity of the family Psychodidae in Estonia. Faunistic data on 45 species of moth flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) from Estonia are presented, including 30 new country-records.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to characterize the mechanical properties of native human ligamentum flavum (LF) and correlate them with histopathological changes. Mechanical property gradients across the cranial, medial, and caudal regions of LF were mapped and compared with histological sections. We also compared lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) samples with disc herniation (DH) samples as reference material to identify differences in mechanical properties and histopathological features.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHemolysis is a common cause of errors in laboratory tests as it affects blood parameters and leads to a positive or negative bias. This study aims to examine the relationship between the level of hemolysis (expressed as cell-free hemoglobin concentration, g/L) and the variability of metabolic and endocrine parameters and to determine the threshold level of hemolysis that causes an analytically and clinically significant bias for the twenty most frequently examined blood parameters in cows. Paired blood samples of 10 mL each were obtained from 30 cows.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPathogenic microbes contribute to several major global diseases that kill millions of people every year. Bloodstream infections caused by these microbes are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, which are among the most common causes of hospitalizations. The search for the "Holy Grail" in clinical diagnostic microbiology, a reliable, accurate, low cost, real-time, and easy-to-use diagnostic method, is one of the essential issues in clinical practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh levels of pathogenic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants lead to severe genetic diseases, and the accumulation of such mutants may also contribute to common disorders. Thus, selecting against these mutants is a major goal in mitochondrial medicine. Although mutant mtDNA can drift randomly, mounting evidence indicates that active forces play a role in the selection for and against mtDNA variants.
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