The discovery of a new nonbile acid modulator of Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5: An integrated computational approach.

The Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5), also known as GPBAR1 (G protein-coupled bile acid receptor), is a membrane-type bile acid receptor that regulates blood glucose levels and energy expenditure. These essential functions make TGR5 a promising target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and metabolic disorders. Currently, most research on developing TGR5 agonists focuses on modifying the structure of bile acids, which are the endogenous ligands of TGR5.

Overweight, obesity, and cardiovascular disease in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: the EAS FH Studies Collaboration registry.

Background And Aims: Overweight and obesity are modifiable risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in the general population, but their prevalence in individuals with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) and whether they confer additional risk of ASCVD independent of LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) remains unclear.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 35 540 patients with HeFH across 50 countries, in the EAS FH Studies Collaboration registry. Prevalence of World Health Organization-defined body mass index categories was investigated in adults (n = 29 265) and children/adolescents (n = 6275); and their association with prevalent ASCVD.

Asymptomatic carriage and molecular characterization of Staphylococcus aureus in pre-clinical and clinical medical students.

Medical students are exposed to the hospital environment and patients during their studies, increasing the risk of exposure to virulent and antibiotic-resistant isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus among medical students who have varying levels of exposure to the hospital environment to provide valuable insights into the risk of colonization and transmission. Nasal swabs and fingerprints were obtained and cultured on a selective medium for staphylococci.

Novel technique to produce porous thermochromic VO nanoparticle films using gas aggregation source.

Vanadium dioxide (VO) is a phase transition material that undergoes semiconductor-to-metal transition at the temperature of about 68 °C. This extraordinary feature triggered intensive research focused on the controlled synthesis of VO. In this study, we introduce and investigate an original linker- and solvent-free strategy enabling the production of highly porous VO nanoparticle-based films.

Stakeholder and patient experience with virtual reality in burn treatment - a study of the Cold River application in a clinical setting.

The use of virtual reality (VR) in medicine is rapidly expanding, particularly in areas like pain management, surgical training, and mental health therapy. This study examines the implementation and effects of the Cold River VR application, a fully immersive tool designed to help manage pain and anxiety during dressing changes for burn trauma patients in a Czech hospital. The Cold River application immerses patients in a peaceful, interactive virtual environment, utilizing eye-tracking technology to engage them without the need for physical controllers, which could interfere with wound care.

Biarsenical-based fluorescent labeling of metallothioneins as a method for ultrasensitive quantification of poly-Cys targets.

Background: Mammalian metallothioneins (MTs) play a crucial role in maintaining Zn(II) and Cu(I) homeostasis, as well as regulating the cellular redox potential. They are involved in cancer resistance to cisplatin-related drugs and the sequestration of toxic metal ions. To investigate their participation in specific physiological and pathological processes, it is imperative to develop an analytical method for measuring changes in protein concentration both in vitro and in vivo.

Advances in the design and application of contactless conductivity detectors for separation, flow-through, microfluidic and sensing techniques: A review.

The review focuses on the design of detection cells, the use of microcontrollers for processing and evaluation of the detection signal, and the development of multi-detection systems for electromigration, liquid chromatography, flow-through and microfluidic techniques. A separate section is the introduction of modern 3D printing techniques and the use of new printing materials for the design of multidetection systems. In addition to traditional utilisation in separation techniques, new versions of contactless conductivity detectors are finding applications in FIA, SIA, portable and paper based analytical systems or as independent sensors.

Comprehensive cost-of-illness analysis of pressure ulcer treatment: A real-world study at a Czech university hospital.

Pressure ulcers (PUs) impose a significant economic burden on healthcare systems, affecting patient quality of life and leading to substantial treatment costs. This study presents a cost-of-illness analysis of PU treatment in hospitalized patients in the Czech Republic, based on real-world clinical data. The analysis was conducted using a comprehensive methodology at a Czech university hospital, involving 304 hospitalizations.

Genetic diversity and intercontinental dispersal of temperate and subarctic populations of Dibothriocephalus dendriticus (Cestoda; Diphyllobothriidea), a causative agent of dibothriocephalosis.

The diphyllobothriid tapeworm Dibothriocephalus dendriticus, one of the causative agents of the fish-borne zoonosis dibothriocephalosis, is mainly distributed in the Arctic/subarctic and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, North America, and Asia), but also in the southern cone region of South America (Patagonia). The genetic structure and gene flow among 589 individuals of D. dendriticus, representing 20 populations, were studied using the mitochondrial cox1 gene as the first choice marker and 10 polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci as a dominant molecular tool.

The pharmaceutical quality of freeze-dried tablets containing therapeutic bacteriophages against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.

The preparation of a solid dosage form containing bacteriophages, which meets pharmaceutical requirements and ensures long-term stability of the phage effect, is significant for implementing phage therapy in practice. A commonly used method for processing phages into a solid form is freeze-drying into a (so-called) freeze-dried cake; however, to date there have been no studies examining the pharmacopeial parameters of freeze-dried tablets with bacteriophages. In this study, we describe the preparation and properties of freeze-dried tablets containing a cocktail of purified pseudomonal bacteriophage DSM 33593 from the genus Pbunavirus and staphylococcal bacteriophage DSM 33473 from the genus Kayvirus (10 PFU/tablet) as the active ingredient.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for patients undergoing radical cystectomy: Surgeons' perspectives and recommendations ten years after its implementation.

Background And Objectives: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines for Radical Cystectomy (RC) were published over ten years ago. Aim of this systematic review is to update ERAS recommendations for patients undergoing RC and to give an expert opinion on the relevance of each single ERAS item.

Methods: A systematic review was performed to identify the impact of each single ERAS item on RC outcomes.

Effects of tire wear particles on freshwater bacterial-fungal community dynamics and subsequent elemental cycles using microcosms.

Ecological impacts of tire wear particles (TWPs) on microbial communities and biogeochemical cycles in freshwater remain largely unknown. Here, we conducted a microcosm experiment to investigate interactions between the overlying water and sediment without and with TWPs addition in a rural vs. urban lake system.

Amplification-Free Attomolar Detection of Short Nucleic Acids with Upconversion Luminescence: Eliminating Nonspecific Binding by Hybridization Complex Transfer.

The anti-Stokes emission of photon upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) facilitates their use as labels for ultrasensitive detection in biological samples as infrared excitation does not induce autofluorescence at visible wavelengths. The detection of extremely low-abundance analytes, however, remains challenging as it is impossible to completely avoid nonspecific binding of label conjugates. To overcome this limitation, we developed a novel hybridization complex transfer technique using UCNP labels to detect short nucleic acids directly without target amplification.

Widespread anticoagulant resistance in house mice (Mus musculus musculus) linked to the Tyr139Phe mutation in the Czech Republic.

Despite the widespread use of anticoagulant rodenticides in baits for controlling commensal rodent pests, their application is problematic due to secondary intoxication and increasing resistance. In contrast to studies on Western European house mice (Mus musculus domesticus), few resistance studies have focused on Eastern European house mice (M. musculus musculus), which have a western distribution boundary in the Czech Republic.

From 2D kaolinite to 3D amorphous cement.

Kaolinite is a single 2D layer of kaolin or metakaolin (MK), common clays that can be characterized as layered 3D materials. We show that because of its chemical composition, kaolinite can be converted into an amorphous 3D material by chemical means. This dimensional transformation is possible due to the large surface to volume ratio and chemical reactivity of kaolinite.

Optimized molecule detection in localization microscopy with selected false positive probability.

Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) allows imaging beyond the diffraction limit. Detection of molecules is a crucial initial step in SMLM. False positive detections, which are not quantitatively controlled in current methods, are a source of artifacts that affect the entire SMLM analysis pipeline.

The North American Repository for Archaeological Isotopes.

Here, we present the North American Repository for Archaeological Isotopes (NARIA), the largest open-access compilation of previously reported isotopic measurements (n = 28,374) from bioarchaeological samples in North America (i.e., Canada, Greenland, Mexico, and the United States of America) covering a time-frame of more than 12,000 years.

The Dermatologic Oral Examination: Navigating the Oral Dermatoses Map.

Traditionally, dermatological education emphasizes hair, skin and nails in its curriculum. There is a practice gap with regard to knowledge of normal oral mucosa variants, performance of the oral examination, and competence in diagnosing and treating oral mucosal disorders. The oral mucosa falls within the purview of dermatology.

Parental impact on adherence of young children to 24-h movement behaviour guidelines: the Czech FAMIly Physical Activity, Sedentary behaviour and Sleep study.

Human movement behaviour typically unfolds in 24-h cycles, with children being additionally influenced by their parents. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the adherence of 3-10-year-old children to the World Health Organization's (WHO) 24-h movement behaviour guidelines in relation to the behaviours of their mothers/fathers. Data from the Czech cross-sectional FAMIly Physical Activity, Sedentary behaviour and Sleep study included 381 families (with at least one child aged 3-10 years) from urban and rural areas across all three regions of Czechia.

Isolation, cytotoxicity evaluation, and molecular docking of 3,4,3'-tri--methylflavellagic acid from (DC.) Guill. & Perr. root.

Cancer kills about 10 million people every year. Medicinal plants remain a major source in the global search for anticancer drugs. In this study, 3,4,3'-tri--methylflavellagic acid (MFA) was isolated from the methanol root extract of .

Growth Differentiation Factor-15 Is Associated With Congestion-Related Anorexia and Weight Loss in Advanced Heart Failure.

Background: Growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15 is a pleiotropic cytokine that is associated with appetite-suppressing effects and weight loss in patients with malignancy.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationships between GDF-15 levels, anorexia, cachexia, and clinical outcomes in patients with advanced heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Methods: In this observational, retrospective analysis, a total of 344 patients with advanced HFrEF (age 58 ± 10 years, 85% male, 67% NYHA functional class III), underwent clinical and echocardiographic examination, body composition evaluation by skinfolds and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, circulating metabolite assessment, Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, and right heart catheterization.

Novel archaeal ribosome dimerization factor facilitating unique 30S-30S dimerization.

Protein synthesis (translation) consumes a substantial proportion of cellular resources, prompting specialized mechanisms to reduce translation under adverse conditions. Ribosome inactivation often involves ribosome-interacting proteins. In both bacteria and eukaryotes, various ribosome-interacting proteins facilitate ribosome dimerization or hibernation, and/or prevent ribosomal subunits from associating, enabling the organisms to adapt to stress.