Efficiency of Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold in removing pollutants from urban environment (Plovdiv, Bulgaria).

The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of urban vegetation in removing pollutants from the environment using Pinus nigra J.F. Arnold as a model tree.

Evaluation of chemical composition, antioxidant potential and functional properties of carob ( L.) seeds.

The interest in carob pod as an ingredient of functional foods is constantly increasing due to its beneficial health effect and functional properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and antioxidant potential of carob seeds, as well as the functional properties of its isolated galactomannan fraction. The lipid, protein, carbohydrate and phenolic composition were analysed.

Psychometric properties of the Bulgarian version of Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture.

Objective: To explore the psychometrics of the Bulgarian version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (B-HSOPSC) and its suitability for use in Bulgaria.

Design: A national web-based cross-sectional survey of the safety patient culture.

Setting: The hospitals' staffs from 28 administrative areas in the country.

Chronic exposure to lead and cadmium pollution results in genomic instability in a model biomonitor species (Apodemus flavicollis Melchior, 1834).

Polymetal dust is a common industrial pollutant. While the use of remediation filters and equipment in lead smelters has reduced pollutant emission, surrounding areas remain contaminated due to the long-term transfer of heavy metals along the food chain. Here we assess the mutagenic potential of the lead-zinc smelter near Plovdiv (Bulgaria) situated in an area that has been contaminated with heavy metals for 60 years.

Chlorpyrifos levels within permitted limits induce nuclear abnormalities and DNA damage in the erythrocytes of the common carp.

The organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) is defined as a priority pollutant in surface freshwaters according to Directive 2013/39/EU of the European Parliament. The focus of this study was to assess the potential cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of permissible CPF levels on juvenile forms of the common carp. We found that low-level CPF exposure did not induce elevated levels of micronuclei, but significantly increased the frequency of total nuclear abnormalities (NAs) proportional to dose and time; notched, blebbed, lobed and eight-shaped nuclei, nuclear buds, nuclear bridges and binucleated cells were all detected.

Health-related quality of life in end-stage renal disease patients, using the Missoula-Vitas quality of life index: a multicenter study.

Background And Aims: Assessment of Health-related Quality of Life in chronic hemodialysis patients (CHD) is a predictive indicator of the outcome of the disease, including mortality and hospitalization. Regular surveys of the quality of life (QoL) in CHD patients have been conducted worldwide, using various, internationally validated and standardized tools, including the Missoula-VITAS Quality of Life Index scale (MVQOLI). The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Bulgarian version of the Missoula-VITAS Quality of Life Index-15 (B-MVQOLI-15) and QoL in CHD patients using this instrument.

Academic Staff Satisfaction with their Work: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Medical University.

Background: Employees' work satisfaction, combined with democratic management, are important predictors of future productivity in any organisation.

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate job satisfaction in academic staff as well as the associated working environment factors, using an original self-administered questionnaire.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an original standardised questionnaire.

Comparative Expression Analysis of Human Endogenous Retrovirus Elements in Peripheral Blood of Children with Specific Language Impairment.

Specific language impairment (SLI) is a psychiatric condition with a complex etiology and a substantial genetic basis that affects children's verbal communication abilities. In this study, we examined the expression of five different human endogenous retrovirus elements (HERVs) in a cohort of 25 children with SLI and 25 healthy children in the control group. Human endogenous retrovirus elements, a diverse group of repetitive DNA sequences, can potentially cause considerable genetic heterogeneity.

Comparative analysis of nutrient content and energy of eggs from different chicken genotypes.

Background: Eggs are important foods in the daily diet of humans and have great biological activity and a high digestibility. Egg yolk is a good source of biologically active substances such as fatty acids, phospholipids, sterols and tocopherols. The eggs of seven chicken genotypes were analyzed for their chemical composition, and a detailed study of the lipids in egg yolk was conducted.

Burnout Syndrome in Physicians-Psychological Assessment and Biomarker Research.

: Burnout is a syndrome typically occurring in work environments with continuous and chronic stress. Physicians are at increased risk for burnout, as a result of 24-hour work, delayed work-life balance gratification, and the challenges associated with patient care. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the psychological parameters of burnout symptoms in relation to biomarkers of stress among physicians with different medical specialties.

Investigation of Circulating Serum MicroRNA-328-3p and MicroRNA-3135a Expression as Promising Novel Biomarkers for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as promising diagnostic biomarkers for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but their usefulness for detecting ASD remains unclear. Nowadays, development of promising biomarkers for ASD remains a challenge. Recently, dysregulation of the miRNAs expression in postmortem brain tissue, serum and peripheral blood, have been associated with ASD.

Stability properties of neural networks with non-instantaneous impulses.

In this paper, we consider neural networks in the case when the neurons are subject to a certain impulsive state displacement at fixed moments and the duration of this displacement is not negligible small (these are known as non-instantaneous impulses). We examine some stability properties of the equilibrium of the model. Several sufficient conditions for uniform Lipschitz stability of the equilibrium of neural networks with time varying self-regulating parameters of all units and time varying functions of the connection between two neurons in the network are obtained.

Hydrodistillation Extraction Kinetics Regression Models for Essential Oil Yield and Composition in , , and .

The chemical profile and antioxidant capacity of , , and essential oil (EO) fractions as a function of time was the subject of this study. The hypothesis was that, capturing EO in sequential timeframes during hydrodistillation would generate fractions containing unique compositions and antioxidant capacity. In , the highest limonene (43%) was found in the 0⁻5 min oil fraction, with safrole (37%) being highest in the 10⁻20 and 20⁻40 min fractions, and elemol (34%) being highest in the 160⁻240 min fraction.

Synthesis of functionalised β-keto amides by aminoacylation/domino fragmentation of β-enamino amides.

Ethylenediamine-derived β-enamino amides are used as equivalents of amide enolate synthons in -acylation reactions with -protected amino acids. Domino fragmentation of the obtained intermediates leads to functionalised β-keto amides, bearing a protected amino group in their side chain.

Clinical Assessment of Endodontically Treated Teeth, Restored with or without Radicular Posts.

Background: The reduced fracture resistance in endodontically treated teeth requires the use of radicular posts, with their advantages and disadvantages.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical performance of teeth restored with or without radicular posts at 6 and 12 months.

Materials And Methods: The study included 22 patients who received endodontic therapy on premolars with a loss of one or two proximal walls.

Immobilized microbial biosorbents for heavy metals removal.

Intensive industrial and urban growth has led to the release of increasing amounts of environmental pollutants. Contamination by metals, in particular, deserves special attention due to their toxicity and potential to bioaccumulate via the food chain. Conventional techniques for the removal of toxic metals, radionuclides and precious metals from wastewater all have a number of drawbacks, such as incomplete metal extraction, high cost and risk of generating hazardous by-products.

Content of phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, alophycocyanin and phycoerythrocyanin in some cyanobacterial strains: Applications.

Cyanobacteria are unique prokaryotes, which are capable to perform oxygenic photosynthesis. Within these organisms, phycobilisomes (PBS) act as an antenna of the photosynthetic pigment apparatus. Phycobilisomes contain several phycobiliproteins (PBP): phycoerythrin (PE), phycocyanin (PC), allophycocyanin (APC) and phycoerythrocyanin (PEC).

Novel insights into transcriptional dysregulation in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Although CRC has been comprehensively characterized at the molecular level, the tumor heterogeneity hinders the identification of reliable diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Molecular stratification of CRC is based on prevalent gene mutations and transcription profiles but its significance for clinical practice remains obscure.

Pathobiochemical Mechanisms Relating Iron Homeostasis with Parameters of Inflammatory Activity and Autoimmune Disorders in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Aim: To find the correlations between the parameters of iron homeostasis, inflammatory activity and autoimmune disorders in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Materials And Methods: The present study included 114 patients with RA and 42 healthy controls. We determined the parameters of iron homeostasis: serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), the parameters of inflammatory activity: C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and prohepcidin, and the parameters of autoimmune disorders: rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (antiCCP) antibodies and DAS 28.

Light-dependent processes on the cathode enhance the electrical outputs of sediment microbial fuel cells.

In this study, we explored in details the influence of the light irradiation on the SMFCs electrical outputs. The experiments at both natural and artificial illumination firmly show that during the photoperiods the current grows up. The intensity of the current increase depends on the duration of the photoperiod as well as on the wavelength of the monochromatic light source applied.

Health status of Pelophylax ridibundus (Amphibia: Ranidae) in a rice paddy ecosystem in Southern Bulgaria and its importance in assessing environmental state: haematological parameters.

Pollution effects on haematological parameters in Pelophylax ridibundus individuals were investigated; animals were collected from two sites in Southern Bulgaria: the Tsalapitsa rice fields (RF) and the Vacha river (reference site, RS). Blood analysis showed significant differences between the haematological parameters of RBC, WBC, Hb, packed cell volume (PCV) and frogs' leucogram from RF and those from RS. These findings provide information on long-term background pollution of the habitat (RF) under investigation.

Effect of Extracts of Bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) on Amyloglucosidase and α-Glucosidase Activity.

Background: Vaccinium myrtillus L. is a species belonging to the genus Vaccinium of the family Ericaceae. Bilberries have drawn attention due to the multiple benefits for the human health, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-neurodegenerative, and cardioprotective effects.

Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Water Extractable Polysaccharides from Leaves of Plantago major L.

Background: Plantago major L. leaves have been used for centuries by the traditional medicine in the treatment of infectious disorders of the respiratory, urinary and digestive tracts. Researchers have reported that hot water extracts of Plantago major possess a broad-spectrum of anticancer, antioxidant and antiviral activities, as well as activities which modulate cell-mediated immunity.

Changes of erythrocyte-metric parameters in Pelophylax ridibundus (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae) inhabiting water bodies with different types of anthropogenic pollution in Southern Bulgaria.

The article presents the basic erythrocyte-metric parameters: cell length (EL) and width (EW), EL/EW, erythrocyte size (ES), nucleus length (NL) and width (NW), NL/NW, nucleus size (NS) and nucleocytoplasmic ratio (NS/ES) in the wild populations of marsh frogs Pelophylax ridibundus from five water bodies in Southern Bulgaria (two rivers and three reservoirs) with different degrees and types of anthropogenic pollution (less disrupted water basins, domestic sewage pollution and heavy metal pollution). The changes in erythrocyte-metric parameters depend on concentrations and types of toxicant and, to a lesser extent, on the type of water basin. We found that when P.