Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Films as a Potential Buccal Platform for Drug Delivery.

The goal of this research was to study the potential of polyelectrolyte multilayers as buccal dosage forms for drug delivery and to investigate how the properties of the drugs impact the overall performance of the delivery system. Multilayer films based on the polyelectrolyte interaction between casein and chitosan were developed using benzydamine, tolfenamic acid and betahistine as model drugs. The samples were characterized for surface pH, moisture content and moisture absorption, swelling behavior and mucoadhesion.

Casein Microgels as Benzydamine Hydrochloride Carriers for Prolonged Release.

This research aims to investigate the properties of nano- and micro-sized casein hydrogels crosslinked by sodium tripolyphosphate as drug delivery systems. Benzydamine hydrochloride was chosen as a model hydrophilic drug. The gels were synthesized by varying different parameters: casein concentration, casein/crosslinking ratio, and addition of ethanol as a co-solvent.

Chemical Composition of Arn. Unripe Seeds from Bulgaria.

The present paper aims to investigate the chemical composition of unripe black pine seeds obtained from Bulgaria. The lipid fraction was evaluated in unripe seeds, and the cellulose, total carbohydrates, glucose, fructose, and sucrose were evaluated in seedcakes. The major fatty acid identified in the seed oil was unsaturated linoleic acid (44.

Chemical Compounds, Antitumor and Antimicrobial Activities of Dry Ethanol Extracts from Laxm.

Laxm. is used in traditional medicine and has various established biological activities, however, the species is considered to be a potentially invasive alien tree species for Bulgarian flora. However, there is still much to be studied about the phytochemical and biological characteristics of the species.

Casein Micelles as Nanocarriers for Benzydamine Delivery.

The aim of the present work was to optimize the process parameters of the nano spray drying technique for the formulation of benzydamine-loaded casein nanoparticles and to investigate the effect of some process variables on the structural and morphological characteristics and release behavior. The obtained particles were characterized in terms of particle size and size distribution, surface morphology, production yield and encapsulation efficiency, drug-polymer compatibility, etc., using dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy.

Localization and Distribution of Testicular Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme (ACE) in Neck and Mid-Piece of Spermatozoa from Infertile Men in Relation to Sperm Motility.

Testicular angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) is known to play an essential role in the male reproduction and fertility. Data about tACE in cases of male infertility are quite scarce, and in this respect we aimed to study localization and distribution of tACE protein in the neck and mid-piece of spermatozoa from pathological samples in relation to sperm motility. The enzyme expression during capacitation and acrosome reaction was quantitatively assessed.

Biological Activity of Essential Oils of Four Juniper Species and Their Potential as Biopesticides.

The objective of this study was to assess the biological activity of essential oils (EOs) of four species obtained via two different distillation methods and their potential as biopesticides. The studied factors were juniper species ( L., L.

Serum Leptin and Resistin Levels in Knee Osteoarthritis-Clinical and Radiologic Links: Towards Precise Definition of Metabolic Type Knee Osteoarthritis.

Obesity is considered a major risk factor for the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Apart from the mechanical effect of obesity via increase in mechanical overload of weight-bearing joints, an association with hand OA has been observed. There has been increasing interest in the role of adipokines in the pathogenesis of OA in the recent years.

Disease-Modifying Potential of Metformin and Alendronate in an Experimental Mouse Model of Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease causing progressive damages of the cartilage and subchondral bone, synovial inflammation, and severe pain. Despite the complex pathomorphological changes that occur in OA, the approach to different forms of OA is standardized. The global results from pharmacological treatment are not satisfactory.

Identification of serum microRNA signatures associated with autism spectrum disorder as promising candidate biomarkers.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA molecules with a well-recognized role in gene expression mostly at the post-transcriptional level. Recently, dysregulation of miRNAs and miRNA-mRNA interactions has been associated with CNS diseases, including numerous psychiatric disorders. Dynamic changes in the expression profiles of circulating miRNA are nowadays regarded as promising non-invasive biomarkers that may facilitate the accurate and timely diagnosis of complex conditions.

Essential Oil Composition and Bioactivity of Two Juniper Species from Bulgaria and Slovakia.

M. Bieb and L. contain essential oil (EO), while also contains podophyllotoxin, which is used as a precursor for anti-cancer drugs.

Selective Anticancer Properties, Proapoptotic and Antibacterial Potential of Three Species.

The ferns L., L. and L.

ECG Heartbeat Classification Based on an Improved ResNet-18 Model.

Based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) approach, this article proposes an improved ResNet-18 model for heartbeat classification of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals through appropriate model training and parameter adjustment. Due to the unique residual structure of the model, the utilized CNN layered structure can be deepened in order to achieve better classification performance. The results of applying the proposed model to the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database demonstrate that the model achieves higher accuracy (96.

Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of the Balkan Endemic (Degen) Velen. (Lamiaceae).

The current study investigates the content of sugars, organic acids, phenolic acids and flavonoids, as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Balkan-endemic . Glucose was the most abundant sugar in the plant (2.77%), followed by fructose (1.

Receptor-mediated biological effects of extracts obtained from three species.

This study reports the effects of aqueous extracts obtained from three fern species of Bulgarian origin: L., L., and L.

Evaluation of Anxiety, Depression, and Biological Markers in Health Professionals with Burnout.

Introduction: Medical profession is a stress factor for the development of burnout, symptoms of anxiety and depression as a result of 24-hour work, delayed work-life balance gratification and challenges associated with patient care.

Aim: This study aimed to verify the rates of burnout, anxiety, and depression presented by health professionals working 24-hour shifts under emergency conditions. Saliva cortisol and glycated hemoglobin were also studied as stress-related biomarkers.

MSIS-МP-АЕS determination of As and Sb in complex matrices by magnetic nanoparticles-assisted hydride generation.

The advantages of the microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry (MP-AES) for hydride generation (HG) by means of modified Multi Mode Sample Introduction System (MSIS®) have been revealed for analysis of As and Sb in complex real samples. Two main outcomes have been achieved: (i) reliable analysis and higher tolerability to less diluted matrices and (ii) a multifold reduction in the methodological limits of detection (MLOD). For the first time in real samples analysis the HG is assisted by silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) (∼2 mg mL MnFeO@SiO) added to the hydrogenation reagent stream (1.

Authoritative subspecies diagnosis tool for European honey bees based on ancestry informative SNPs.

Background: With numerous endemic subspecies representing four of its five evolutionary lineages, Europe holds a large fraction of Apis mellifera genetic diversity. This diversity and the natural distribution range have been altered by anthropogenic factors. The conservation of this natural heritage relies on the availability of accurate tools for subspecies diagnosis.

Comparative study on the chemical composition of laurel ( L.) leaves from Greece and Georgia and the antibacterial activity of their essential oil.

Laurel ( L.) is a plant species from Lauraceae family, and is native to the Mediterranean region. The goal of this study was to compare chemical composition of laurel leaves and antibacterial activity of its essential oil (EO) from wild-grown trees in Greece and Georgia.

Metabolite Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Some Species of Genus Scutellaria Growing in Bulgaria.

Until now, the interest to plants from genus in Bulgaria has been focused mainly on the terpenes in them. The purpose of this study is to enrich the information on the composition of the Bulgarian species in terms of both polyphenolic content as well as primary metabolites such as mono-, oligosaccharides and organic acids. An aerial part of three species growing in four low mountain regions of Southern Bulgaria was used.

On Leader-Following Consensus in Multi-Agent Systems with Discrete Updates at Random Times.

This paper studies the leader-following consensus problem in continuous-time multi-agent networks with communications/updates occurring only at random times. The time between two consecutive controller updates is exponentially distributed. Some sufficient conditions are derived to design the control law that ensures the leader-following consensus is asymptotically reached (in the sense of the expected value of a stochastic process).

Does greenery experienced indoors and outdoors provide an escape and support mental health during the COVID-19 quarantine?

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly changed people's ability to recreate in public green spaces, which is likely to exacerbate the psychological impacts of the pandemic. In the current study, we seek to understand whether greenery can support mental health even with insufficient outdoor exposure in times of physical isolation from the outdoor environment.

Methods: Between 17 May and 10 June, 2020, we conducted an online survey among 323 students (21.

Comparative Study on the Phytochemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Grecian Juniper ( M. Bieb) Unripe and Ripe Galbuli.

Grecian juniper ( M. Bieb.) is an evergreen tree and a rare plant found in very few locations in southern Bulgaria.

Naturally present metal ions in plants could interfere with common antioxidant assays.

Most of the commonly applied assays used to assess antioxidant properties of plant extracts exploit the ability of some biologically active metabolites to participate in oxidation-reduction reactions with metal ions. On the other hand, most plants contain different chelated metal ions whose levels depend on the geographic origin, soil, and environmental pollutions. In this study the levels of redox-active metal ions in three plant sources were measured and extracts of these botanicals were treated with Chelex - an ion exchanger that is noteworthy for its ability to bind transition metal ions.

Normal Reference Ranges of Optical Coherence Tomography Parameters in Children.

Aim: To measure the macular thickness, macular volume and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in healthy Caucasian chil-dren using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) and analyze the correlation of these values with age, refraction, and biometric measurements.

Materials And Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 270 healthy children (150 female and 120 male) aged 6 to 17 years with no ocular abnormalities. All children underwent a detailed eye examination.