Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein in Osteoarthritis and Obesity-Do New Considerations Emerge?

The diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) is based on radiological changes that are delayed, along with clinical symptoms. Early and very early diagnosis at the stage of molecular pathology may eventually offer an opportunity for early therapeutic intervention that may retard and prevent future damage. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a non-collagenous extracellular matrix protein that promotes the secretion and aggregation of collagen and contributes to the stability of the extracellular matrix.

Linear and Nonlinear Optics of Broad-Band Laser Pulses: Diffraction.

The typical spectrally limited laser pulse in the near-infrared region is narrow-band up to 40-50 fs. Its spectral width Δ is much smaller than the carrying wavenumber (Δ ≪ ) . For such kinds of pulses, on distances of a few diffraction lengths, the diffraction is of a Fresnel's type and their evolution can be described correctly in the frame of the well-known paraxial evolution equation.

Seed Oil-A Valuable Source of Lipid-Soluble Components with DNA Protective and Antiproliferative Activities.

The present study is focused on the chemical and lipid composition of seed oil of the European ornamental and invasive wood plant (Simaroubaceae). Total lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, ash, and moisture in the seeds were determined. A high yield of glyceride oil (30.

Spray-Dried Chitosan Hydrogel Particles as a Potential Delivery System for Benzydamine Hydrochloride.

Chitosan, being a biocompatible and mucoadhesive polysaccharide, is one of the most preferred hydrogel-forming materials for drug delivery. The objectives of the present study are to obtain spray-dried microparticles based on low-molecular-weight chitosan and study their potential application as cargo systems for the orally active drug benzydamine hydrochloride. Three types of particles are obtained: raw chitosan particles (at three different concentrations), cross-linked with sodium tripolyphosphate (NaTPP) particles (at three different chitosan:NaTPP ratios), and particles coated with mannitol (at three different chitosan:mannitol ratios), all of them in the size range between 1 and 10 µm.

ResDAC-Net: a novel pancreas segmentation model utilizing residual double asymmetric spatial kernels.

The pancreas not only is situated in a complex abdominal background but is also surrounded by other abdominal organs and adipose tissue, resulting in blurred organ boundaries. Accurate segmentation of pancreatic tissue is crucial for computer-aided diagnosis systems, as it can be used for surgical planning, navigation, and assessment of organs. In the light of this, the current paper proposes a novel Residual Double Asymmetric Convolution Network (ResDAC-Net) model.

The testicular form of angiotensin converting enzyme as a marker for human sperm quality assessment.

Spermatozoa are rapidly changing cellular structures that are highly dependent on their interaction with the environment. These interactions cause fundamental changes in the spermatozoa's cells and membrane.

Current status and prognosis of Raphidiopsis raciborskii distribution in Bulgaria as part of the southeastern region of Europe.

The cyanobacterial species Raphidiopsis raciborskii (Wołoszyńska) Aguilera et al. has a high invasiveness potential, which in less than a century leads to its cosmopolitan spread. In the temperate climate of Europe, R.

Chemical profile of Juniperus excelsa M. Bieb. essential oil within and between populations and its weed seed suppression effect.

The aims of this study were to (1) establish the intrapopulation and seasonal variation of Juniperus excelsа essential oil (EO); (2) compare the J. excelsa concrete and resinoid composition with its EO composition; and (3) investigate the potential herbicidal activity of J. excelsa EO against seeds of Papaver rhoeas L.

ASD-Net: a novel U-Net based asymmetric spatial-channel convolution network for precise kidney and kidney tumor image segmentation.

Early intervention in tumors can greatly improve human survival rates. With the development of deep learning technology, automatic image segmentation has taken a prominent role in the field of medical image analysis. Manually segmenting kidneys on CT images is a tedious task, and due to the diversity of these images and varying technical skills of professionals, segmentation results can be inconsistent.

Chemical profile, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Christ. Distributed in Bulgaria.

Christ. (Bosnian pine), a Tertiary relict and Balkan sub-endemic, has not been comprehensively studied for its essential oil (EO) profile and bioactivity of its different plant parts. This study aimed to determine the EO yield, composition and antimicrobial activity from different parts of at three different populations (mountains) in Bulgaria.

Chemical Composition, Lipid-Soluble Bioactive Compounds and Potential Health Benefits of the Moss Hedw.

Hedw. is the main species for Moss surveys (ICP Vegetation programme) in Southeastern Europe and is widely distributed in the region. In addition to their biomonitoring role, mosses are applied in some countries as a traditional medicine for the treatment of eczema, cuts, burns, eye diseases, etc.

The Serum ACE2, CTSL, AngII, and TNFα Levels after COVID-19 and mRNA Vaccines: The Molecular Basis.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus as well as the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines cause an increased production of proinflammatory cytokines.

Aim: We investigated the relationship between ACE2, CTSL, AngII, TNFα and the serum levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-33, IL-28A, CD40L, total IgM, IgG, IgA and absolute count of T- and B-lymphocytes in COVID-19 patients, vaccinees and healthy individuals.

Methods: We measured the serum levels ACE2, AngII, CTSL, TNFα and humoral biomarkers (CD40L, IL-28A, IL-10, IL-33) by the ELISA method.

Metabolome Profiling of L. and Boiss Reveals Their Potential as Sources of Plant-Based Pharmaceuticals.

species have been used since ancient times as food additives and curative treatments. Their phytochemical composition and various pharmacological activities were the focus of a number of scientific investigations but no comprehensive metabolome profiling to identify the numerous primary and secondary metabolites has been performed so far. This study aimed to generate a comprehensive picture of the total metabolite content of two species- and -to provide detailed information about the main primary and secondary metabolites.

Compatibility of cloud point extraction with gas chromatography: Matrix effects of Triton X-100 on GC-MS and GC-MS/MS analysis of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides.

Cloud point extraction is an environmentally benign and simple separation/concentration procedure that can be regarded as an alternative to classical liquid-liquid extraction. In the current work, it was studied the compatibility of cloud point extraction followed by back-extraction in low volume of organic solvent with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS and GC-MS/MS). Triton X-100 was preferred than Triton X-114 as a surfactant to produce the clouding phenomenon and hexane or isooctane was found to be appropriate organic solvents which can be used at the back-extraction step.

Blood parameters of adult marsh frogs Pelophylax ridibundus (Amphibia: Ranidae) in rice paddies subjected to intense agrochemical use.

We present the results of an in situ study of a set of blood parameters in adult marsh frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas 1771) from populations inhabiting the largest system of rice fields in Bulgaria, the Tsalapitsa rice fields (TRF), under chronic stress conditions. This study was conducted in spring 2022 to assess the health status of TRF frogs compared to that of frogs occupying a reference site (RS). Furthermore, this study also compared the results obtained for the TRF population with those obtained in a study conducted at the exact same location with P.

Synthetic approach to 2-alkyl-4-quinolones and 2-alkyl-4-quinolone-3-carboxamides based on common β-keto amide precursors.

β-Keto amides were used as convenient precursors to both 2-alkyl-4-quinolones and 2-alkyl-4-quinolone-3-carboxamides. The utility of this approach is demonstrated with the synthesis of fourteen novel and four known quinolone derivatives, including natural products of microbial origin such as HHQ and its C-congener. Two compounds with high activity against have been identified among the newly obtained quinolones, with MICs ≤ 3.

In Silico Design of a New Epitope-Based Vaccine against Grass Group 1 Allergens.

Allergic diseases are a global public health problem that affects up to 30% of the population in industrialized societies. More than 40% of allergic patients suffer from grass pollen allergy. Grass pollen allergens of group 1 and group 5 are the major allergens, since they induce allergic reactions in patients at high rates.

Spatial communication systems across languages reflect universal action constraints.

The extent to which languages share properties reflecting the non-linguistic constraints of the speakers who speak them is key to the debate regarding the relationship between language and cognition. A critical case is spatial communication, where it has been argued that semantic universals should exist, if anywhere. Here, using an experimental paradigm able to separate variation within a language from variation between languages, we tested the use of spatial demonstratives-the most fundamental and frequent spatial terms across languages.

Anticitrullinated antibodies recognize rheumatoid arthritis associated T-cell epitopes modified by bacterial L-asparaginase.

Citrullinated proteins and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It has been suggested that during inflammation or dysbiosis, bacteria could initiate production of ACPAs. Most patients with RA are seropositive for ACPAs, but these antibodies have overlapping reactivity to different posttranslational modifications (PTMs).

Phylogeographic Aspects of Bat Lyssaviruses in Europe: A Review.

During the last few decades, bat lyssaviruses have become the topic of intensive molecular and epidemiological investigations. Since ancient times, rhabdoviruses have caused fatal encephalitis in humans which has led to research into effective strategies for their eradication. Modelling of potential future cross-species virus transmissions forms a substantial component of the recent infection biology of rabies.

Consumption Behaviour towards Branded Functional Beverages among Gen Z in Post-COVID-19 Times: Exploring Antecedents and Mediators.

This study investigates the predictors and mediators of branded functional beverage consumption behaviour (CB) within the Gen Z demographic group in Bulgaria. An integrated model based on two widely known psychosocial theories was developed to examine the relationships between the consumers' personal values within the value-belief-norm theory and the components of the protection motivation theory (PMT). The conceptual framework included two more influencing factors whose impact had not been researched in depth in previous studies concerning CB-namely, the role of media (RM) and branded functional beverage health benefits (HB).

Antiviral Potential of Specially Selected Bulgarian Propolis Extracts: In Vitro Activity against Structurally Different Viruses.

Propolis is a natural mixture of resins, wax, and pollen from plant buds and flowers, enriched with enzymes and bee saliva. It also contains various essential oils, vitamins, mineral salts, trace elements, hormones, and ferments. It has been found that propolis possesses antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

NIH/3T3 Fibroblasts Selectively Activate T Cells Specific for Posttranslationally Modified Collagen Type II.

It has been shown that synovial fibroblasts (SF) play a key role in the initiation of inflammation and joint destruction, leading to arthritis progression. Fibroblasts may express major histocompatibility complex class II region (MHCII) molecules, and thus, they could be able to process and present antigens to immunocompetent cells. Here we examine whether different types of fibroblasts (synovial, dermal, and thymic murine fibroblasts, destructive LS48 fibroblasts, and noninvasive NIH/3T3 fibroblasts) may be involved in the initiation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis and can process and present type II collagen (COL2)-an autoantigen associated with RA.

Changes in the Subchondral Bone, Visfatin, and Cartilage Biomarkers after Pharmacological Treatment of Experimental Osteoarthritis with Metformin and Alendronate.

Subchondral bone that has intense communication with the articular cartilage might be a potential target for pharmacological treatment in the early stages of osteoarthritis (OA). Considering the emerging data about the role of adipokines in the pathogenesis of OA, the administration of drugs that influence their level is also intriguing. Metformin and alendronate were administered in mice with collagenase-induced OA (CIOA) as a monotherapy and in combination.