Evolution of competitive ability and the response to nutrient availability: a resurrection study with the calcareous grassland herb, Leontodon hispidus.

Rapid environmental changes across Europe include warmer and increasingly variable temperatures, changes in soil nutrient availability, and pollinator decline. These abiotic and biotic changes can affect natural plant populations and force them to optimize resource use against competitors. To date, the evolution of competitive ability in the context of changes in nutrient availability remains understudied.

End-Point Affinity Estimation of Galectin Ligands by Classical and Semiempirical Quantum Mechanical Potentials.

The use of quantum mechanical potentials in protein-ligand affinity prediction is becoming increasingly feasible with growing computational power. To move forward, validation of such potentials on real-world challenges is necessary. To this end, we have collated an extensive set of over a thousand galectin inhibitors with known affinities and docked them into galectin-3.

Validity and normative scores of finger flexor strength and endurance tests estimated from a large sample of female and male climbers.

Recent reviews have highlighted conflicting findings regarding the validity of finger flexor strength and endurance tests in sport climbers, often due to small sample sizes and low ecological validity of the tests used. To address these gaps, 185 male and 122 female climbers underwent maximal finger flexor strength, intermittent and continuous finger flexor endurance, and the finger hang tests in a sport-specific setting to determine the predictive and concurrent validity of these tests. The finger hang test showed the strongest relationship to climbing ability for both sexes ( ≈ 0.

Sc-doped GeTe thin films prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering.

Radio frequency magnetron co-sputtering method employing GeTe and Sc targets was exploited for the deposition of Sc doped GeTe thin films. Different characterization techniques (scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, sheet resistance temperature-dependent measurements, variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, and laser ablation time-of-flight mass spectrometry) were used to evaluate the properties of as-deposited (amorphous) and annealed (crystalline) Ge-Te-Sc thin films. Prepared amorphous thin films have GeTe, GeTeSc, GeTeSc, GeTeSc and GeTeSc chemical composition.

Perennial disaster patterns in Central Europe since 2000 and implications for hospital preparedness planning - a cross-sectional analysis.

The goal of this analysis is to describe seasonal disaster patterns in Central Europe in order to raise awareness and improve hospital disaster planning and resilience, particularly during peak events. Hospitals are essential pillars of a country's critical infrastructure, vital for sustaining healthcare services and supporting public well-being-a key issue of national security. Disaster planning for hospitals is crucial to ensure their functionality under special circumstances.

Demonstration of active neutron interrogation of special nuclear materials using a high-intensity short-pulse-laser-driven neutron source.

Detecting shielded special nuclear material, such as nuclear explosives, is a difficult challenge pursued by non-proliferation, anti-terrorism, and nuclear security programs worldwide. Interrogation with intense fast-neutron pulses is a promising method to characterize concealed nuclear material rapidly but is limited by suitable source availability and proven instrumentation. In this study we have pioneered a demonstration of such an interrogation method using a high-intensity, short-pulse, laser-driven neutron source that offers potential benefits compared to conventional neutron sources.

Economic preferences and cognitive abilities among teenagers in Spain.

This dataset originates from TeensLab, a consortium of Spanish Universities dedicated to behavioral research involving Spanish teenagers. The dataset contains data from 33 distinct educational institutions across Spain, accounting for a total of 5,890 students aged 10 to 23 (M = 14.10, SD = 1.

Disruption of extracellular matrix and perineuronal nets modulates extracellular space volume and geometry.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a network of macromolecules which has two forms - perineuronal nets (PNNs) and a diffuse ECM (dECM) - both influence brain development, synapse formation, neuroplasticity, CNS injury and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. ECM remodeling can influence extrasynaptic transmission, mediated by diffusion of neuroactive substances in the extracellular space (ECS). In this study we analyzed how disrupted PNNs and dECM influence brain diffusibility.

EDENT1FI Master Protocol for screening of presymptomatic early-stage type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents.

Introduction: The identification of type 1 diabetes at an early presymptomatic stage has clinical benefits. These include a reduced risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at the clinical manifestation of the disease and a significant reduction in clinical symptoms. The European action for the Diagnosis of Early Non-clinical Type 1 diabetes For disease Interception (EDENT1FI) represents a pioneering effort to advance early detection of type 1 diabetes through public health screening.

Cardiorespiratory Dynamics in the Brain: Review on the Significance of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Correlates in functional MRI signal.

Cardiorespiratory signals have long been treated as "noise" in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research, with the goal of minimizing their impact to isolate neural activity. However, there is a growing recognition that these signals, once seen as confounding variables, provide valuable insights into brain function and overall health. This shift reflects the dynamic interaction between the cardiovascular, respiratory, and neural systems, which together support brain activity.

Bacterial contamination in public transport during COVID-19 pandemic: Characterization of an unusual Staphylococcus aureus isolate tolerant to vancomycin.

Public transport represents a potential site for the transmission of resistant pathogens due to the rapid movement of large numbers of people. This study aimed to investigate the bacterial contamination of frequently touched surfaces in the public transport system operating in the proximity of the biggest Czech hospital during the coronavirus pandemic despite extensive cleaning and disinfection efforts. In June and September 2020, samples from the metro trains, ground transport and stationary objects were collected, enriched and cultured.

Gadolinium oxide nanoparticles as a multimodal contrast enhancement agent for pre-clinical proton imaging.

Orthotopic tumor models in pre-clinical translational research are becoming increasingly popular, raising the demands on accurate tumor localization prior to irradiation. This task remains challenging both in X-ray and proton computed tomography (xCT and pCT, respectively), due to the limited contrast of tumor tissue compared to the surrounding tissue. We investigate the feasibility of gadolinium oxide nanoparticles as multimodal contrast enhancement agent for both imaging modalities.

EN ISO 15189 revision: EFLM Committee Accreditation and ISO/CEN standards (C: A/ISO) analysis and general remarks on the changes.

The EN ISO 15189:2022 standard, titled "Medical laboratories - Requirements for quality and competence," is a significant update to the regulations for medical laboratories. The revised standard was published on December 6, 2022, replacing both EN ISO 15189:2012 and EN ISO 22870:2016. Key objectives of the revision include: 1.

Disentangling Sources of Momentum Fluctuations in Xe+Xe and Pb+Pb Collisions with the ATLAS Detector.

High-energy nuclear collisions create a quark-gluon plasma, whose initial condition and subsequent expansion vary from event to event, impacting the distribution of the eventwise average transverse momentum [P([p_{T}])]. Disentangling the contributions from fluctuations in the nuclear overlap size (geometrical component) and other sources at a fixed size (intrinsic component) remains a challenge. This problem is addressed by measuring the mean, variance, and skewness of P([p_{T}]) in ^{208}Pb+^{208}Pb and ^{129}Xe+^{129}Xe collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.

Seizures elicited by transcorneal 6 Hz stimulation in developing rats.

Seizures elicited by corneal 6-Hz stimulation are widely acknowledged as a model of temporal lobe seizures. Despite the intensive research in rodents, no studies hint at this model in developing animals. We focused on seven age groups of both male and female rats.

Whole genome sequences of nine Taylorella equigenitalis strains isolated in the Czech Republic between 1982-2021: Molecular dating suggests a common ancestor at the time of Roman Empire.

Taylorella equigenitalis is the causative agent of sexually transmitted contagious equine metritis. Infections manifest as cervicitis, vaginitis and endometritis and cause temporary infertility and miscarriages of mares. While previous studies have analyzed this organism for various parameters, the evolutionary dynamics of this pathogen, including the emergence of antibiotic resistance, remains unresolved.

PM6-ML: The Synergy of Semiempirical Quantum Chemistry and Machine Learning Transformed into a Practical Computational Method.

Machine learning (ML) methods offer a promising route to the construction of universal molecular potentials with high accuracy and low computational cost. It is becoming evident that integrating physical principles into these models, or utilizing them in a Δ-ML scheme, significantly enhances their robustness and transferability. This paper introduces PM6-ML, a Δ-ML method that synergizes the semiempirical quantum-mechanical (SQM) method PM6 with a state-of-the-art ML potential applied as a universal correction.

First-line immune-based combinations or sunitinib in favorable-risk metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a real-world retrospective comparison from the ARON-1 study.

Introduction: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common types of urogenital cancer. The introduction of immune-based combinations, including dual immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) or ICI plus tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), has radically changed the treatment landscape for metastatic RCC, showing varying efficacy across different prognostic groups based on the International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) criteria.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective multicenter study, part of the ARON-1 project, aimed to evaluate the outcomes of favorable-risk metastatic RCC patients treated with immune-based combinations or sunitinib.

Coagulation in familial hypercholesterolemic patients: effect of current hypolipidemic treatment and anticoagulants.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a relatively rare genetic disease associated with high serum cholesterol levels but also with abnormalities in blood coagulation. Novel pharmacotherapeutic approaches in FH including proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 antibodies (PCSK9Ab) are very efficient in decreasing cholesterol levels but their impact on coagulation in FH is not yet established. Therefore, we hypothesized that these novel antidyslipidemic drugs can positively impact blood coagulation due to their more potent effect on cholesterol.

Detection of H3F3A K27M or BRAF V600E in liquid biopsies of brain tumor patients as diagnostic and monitoring biomarker: impact of tumor localization and sampling method.

Gliomas are the most common brain tumor type in children and adolescents. To date, diagnosis and therapy monitoring for these tumors rely on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathological as well as molecular analyses of tumor tissue. Recently, liquid biopsies (LB) have emerged as promising tool for diagnosis and longitudinal tumor assessment potentially allowing for a more precise therapeutic management.

Cationic -Tricarbollide μ-10,11-H-10,11-H-7-MeN--7,8,9-CBH and Its Halogenated Derivatives: The Slow Iodination Process Occurring through Cationic Iodonium Tricarbollides.

A series of -tricarbollides based on 10,11-X-7-MeN--7,8,9-CBH (X = H, Cl, Br, I) and their protonated, i.e. cationic, counterparts, which have an extra H-bridge over the B10-B11 vector in the open pentagonal belt, were prepared.

A critical review of microplastics characterisation in aquatic environments: recent trends in the last 10 years.

Anthropogenic activities have introduced various contaminants into freshwater and marine ecosystems. Microplastics (MPs) are persistent and ubiquitous contaminants threatening natural ecosystems and impairing organisms at different biological levels of organization. Their durability and degradation rate pose a great concern in the scientific community, and thus, several techniques have been used to detect MPs effectively.

Platinum single atoms on titania aid dye photodegradation whereas platinum nanoparticles do not.

The photocatalytic degradation of unwanted organic species has been investigated for decades using modified and non-modified titania nanostructures. In the present study, we investigate the co-catalytic effect of single atoms (SAs) of Pt and Pt nanoparticles on titania substrates on the degradation of the two typical photodegradation model pollutants: Acid Orange 7 (AO7) and Rhodamine B (RhB). For this, we use highly defined sputter deposited anatase layers and load them with Pt SAs at different loading densities or alternatively with Pt nanoparticles.

Sleep quality and the integrity of ascending reticular activating system - A multimodal MRI study.

Sleep is crucial for maintaining brain homeostasis and individuals with insufficient sleep are prone to more pronounced brain atrophy as compared to sufficiently sleeping peers. Moreover, sleep quality deteriorates with ageing and ageing is also associated with cerebral structural and functional changes, pointing to their mutual bidirectional interrelationship. This study aimed at determining whether sleep quality and age, separately, affect brain integrity and subsequently, whether sleep significantly modulates the effect of age on brain structural and functional integrity.

Electrical storm in a patient with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease treated with radiofrequency ablation and subsequent serious complication of implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation: a case report.

Background: Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most common inherited neuromuscular disorder. Rarely, it can be associated with heart failure and various arrhythmic disturbances. This case illustrates the challenges of making decisions to prevent sudden cardiac death in a patient with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.