Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Functional Dyspepsia and their Overlap in Bulgaria: a Population-Based Study.

Aims: We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia (FD), and their overlap syndrome (OS) in the Bulgarian population and to assess the risk factors associated with these disorders.

Methods: We sent an internet-based survey to Bulgarian adults. The survey collected data on socio- demographic, behavioral and lifestyle characteristics, and diagnostic questions following the Rome IV criteria to assess IBS, FD and their overlap occurrence.

The evaluation of anthropogenic impact on the ecological stability of landscape.

The model area is the northern surrounding of the water reservoir Zemplinska Irava in the east of Slovakia. Selection of the examined territory and the time horizons was not random. The aim was to capture the intensity level of anthropogenic impact on the values of the coefficient of ecological stability after the construction of water reservoir, Zempifnska Irava.

Quercetin improves postischemic recovery of heart function in doxorubicin-treated rats and prevents doxorubicin-induced matrix metalloproteinase-2 activation and apoptosis induction.

Quercetin (QCT) is flavonoid that possesses various biological functions including anti-oxidative and radical-scavenging activities. Moreover, QCT exerts some preventive actions in treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of present study was to explore effects of prolonged administration of QCT on changes induced by repeated application of doxorubicin (DOX) in rat hearts.

Activity profiles of soccer players during the 2010 world cup.

The main objective of this study was to analyse the distance covered and the activity profile that players presented at the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Complementarily, the distance covered by each team within the same competition was analysed. For the purposes of this study 443 players were analysed, of which 35 were goalkeepers, 84 were external defenders, 77 were central defenders, 182 were midfielders, and 65 were forwards.

Chronic cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin involves activation of myocardial and circulating matrix metalloproteinases in rats.

Aim: To investigate the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the responses of rats to a prolonged doxorubicin (DOX) treatment.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were used. DOX was administered by intraperitoneal injections of seven doses (cumulative dose was 15 mg/kg).

Activation of Akt kinase accompanies increased cardiac resistance to ischemia/reperfusion in rats after short-term feeding with lard-based high-fat diet and increased sucrose intake.

High-fat or high-carbohydrate food consumption contributes to changes in myocardial tolerance to ischemia. However, with respect to experimental models, most studies used diets with very high doses of cholesterol, saturated fatty acids, or fructose. In our study, we fed rats a high-fat diet based on lard in combination with administration of a sweet beverage (30% sucrose solution) (high-fat sucrose diet [HFS]).

Influence of ischemia/reperfusion and modulation of PI3K/Akt kinase pathway on matrix metalloproteinase-2 in rat hearts.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are enzymes that play an important role in degradation and remodeling of extracellular matrix and MMP-2 has been also shown as a primary mediator of the acute mechanical dysfunction of the heart immediately after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). The aims of the study were to investigate the influence of I/R on MMP-2 and to study the effects of wortmannin on modulation of MMP-2 activities after cycle of short I/R procedures (ischemic preconditioning, IP). Wortmannin is a specific inhibitor of PI3K/Akt kinase pathway activation of which was found to play a role in infarct size limiting mechanisms in the rat heart.