Wild Boar Attacks on Hunting Dogs in Czechia: The Length of the Hunting Season Matters.

Hunting dogs are exposed to the risk of injury in driven hunts, an often-used method for managing growing wild boar numbers. This study investigated the impact of increased hunting pressure-both across the hunting season and within individual hunting events-on the risk of wild boar attacks on hunting dogs, i.e.

An Updated Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of First-Line Triplet vs. Doublet Therapies for Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer.

: The addition of androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), with or without docetaxel (Doc), is currently recommended for metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Recently, the ARANOTE trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of Darolutamide + ADT in this setting. We aimed to update a network meta-analysis (NMA) of these combination therapies.

Axillary Overtreatment in Patients with Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in the Current Era of Targeted Axillary Dissection.

Background: In the current era of targeted axillary dissection (TAD), there are still cases where axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is indicated, but histopathological examination confirms the regression of nodal metastases (ypN0). In this situation, ALND may represent undesirable overtreatment.

Methods: A retrospective study at the Comprehensive Cancer Centre was conducted based on a prospectively maintained database.

Beneficial Effect of Fenofibrate in Combination with Silymarin on Parameters of Hereditary Hypertriglyceridemia-Induced Disorders in an Animal Model of Metabolic Syndrome.

Hypertriglyceridemia has serious health risks such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, nephropathy, and others. Fenofibrate is an effective hypolipidemic drug, but its benefits for ameliorating disorders associated with hypertriglyceridemia failed to be proven in clinical trials. To search for possible causes of this situation and possibilities of their favorable influence, we tested the effect of FF monotherapy and the combination of fenofibrate with silymarin on metabolic disorders in a unique model of hereditary hypertriglyceridemic rats (HHTg).

Persistent Health and Cognitive Impairments up to Four Years Post-COVID-19 in Young Students: The Impact of Virus Variants and Vaccination Timing.

The long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection are becoming increasingly evident in recent studies. This repeated cross-sectional study aimed to explore the long-term health and cognitive effects of COVID-19, focusing on how virus variants, vaccination, illness severity, and time since infection impact post-COVID-19 outcomes. We examined three cohorts of university students ( = 584) and used non-parametric methods to assess correlations of various health and cognitive variables with SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19 severity, vaccination status, time since infection, time since vaccination, and virus variants.

Intraspecific Morphometric Variation in a New Species of Thélohan 1892 (Cnidaria) from the South Atlantic Ocean: An Ecomorphological Study Using Geometric Morphometrics.

A new species of (Ceratomyxidae, Myxosporea) was found infecting the gall bladder of the Argentine croaker Berg 1895 (Sciaenidae, Perciformes) from the Argentine sea. Using an integrative taxonomic approach that combines morphological, bioecological, and molecular analyses, we provide evidence that clearly differentiates this species from known taxa and formally describe as a new species. This study is the first to apply landmark-based geometric morphometrics (GM) in myxozoan research, providing a detailed analysis of conspecific morphometric variation of ceratomyxid myxospores, examining their natural variation within and among different ceratomyxids infecting the gall bladder of .

The Germination and Growth of Two Strains of in Selected Hot Dishes After Cooking.

The aim of this study was to assess the germination and growth of two strains of following the artificial inoculation of six selected hot dishes with spores which were then stored at temperatures of 40, 50, and 60 °C for 0.5, 1.0, 2.

Perspectives and Limitations of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Corneal Injuries and Retinal Diseases.

The eye represents a highly specialized organ, with its main function being to convert light signals into electrical impulses. Any damage or disease of the eye induces a local inflammatory reaction that could be harmful for the specialized ocular cells. Therefore, the eye developed several immunoregulatory mechanisms which protect the ocular structures against deleterious immune reactions.

Structural and Dynamical Response of Lipid Bilayers to Solvation of an Amphiphilic Anesthetic.

The structural response of 1,2-dimyristoyl-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC)/water bilayers to addition and subsequent solvation of a small amphiphilic molecule - an anesthetic benzyl alcohol - was studied by means of solid-state NMR (H NMR, P NMR) spectroscopy and low-angle X-ray diffraction. The sites of binding of this solute molecule within the bilayer were determined - the solute was shown to partition between several sites in the bilayer and the equilibrium was shown to be dynamic and dependent on the level of hydration and temperature. At the same time, it was shown that solubilization of benzyl alcohol reached a solubility limit and was terminated when the ordering profile of DMPC hydrocarbon chains adopted finite limiting values throughout the whole chain.

Smart oxygen monitoring in hospitals: a pilot study during COVID-19.

During 2020-2021, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant vulnerabilities in hospital safety, with oxygen-related fires and explosions occurring at twice the usual rate. This highlighted insufficient preparedness for increased oxygen therapy demands and the associated risks of oxygen-enriched atmospheres. This study aimed to develop and test a smart monitoring system to detect increased oxygen concentrations in hospital environments, mitigating the risk of fires.

Natural repeated backcrosses lead to triploidy and tetraploidy in parthenogenetic butterfly lizards (Leiolepis: Agamidae).

Obligatory parthenogenesis in vertebrates is restricted to squamate reptiles and evolved through hybridisation. Parthenogens can hybridise with sexual species, resulting in individuals with increased ploidy levels. We describe two successive hybridisations of the parthenogenetic butterfly lizards (genus Leiolepis) in Vietnam with a parental sexual species.

Evidence of genetic determination of annual movement strategies in medium-sized raptors.

Most species of migrating birds use a combination of innate vector-based orientation programs and social information to facilitate accurate navigation during their life. A number of various interspecies hybridisations have been reported in birds. The traits of parents are expressed in hybrids in typical ways which are either intermediate, combined or heterotic.

Stable laser-acceleration of high-flux proton beams with plasma collimation.

Laser-plasma acceleration of protons offers a compact, ultra-fast alternative to conventional acceleration techniques, and is being widely pursued for potential applications in medicine, industry and fundamental science. Creating a stable, collimated beam of protons at high repetition rates presents a key challenge. Here, we demonstrate the generation of multi-MeV proton beams from a fast-replenishing ambient-temperature liquid sheet.

SLC25A38 is required for mitochondrial pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) accumulation.

Many essential proteins require pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, the active form of vitamin B6, as a cofactor for their activity. These include enzymes important for amino acid metabolism, one-carbon metabolism, polyamine synthesis, erythropoiesis, and neurotransmitter metabolism. A third of all mammalian pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzymes are localized in the mitochondria; however, the molecular machinery involved in the regulation of mitochondrial pyridoxal 5'-phosphate levels in mammals remains unknown.

Randomised feasibility study of an intestinal adsorbent in acute diarrhoea in The Gambia.

Background: Diarrhoea remains a leading cause of death in children. An intestinal adsorbent may reduce diarrhoea duration and severity.

Methods: Randomised controlled feasibility trial with two phases: phase 1 (0-4 hours and double-blind) and phase 2 (up to 5 days and open-label).

Cytotoxic Stilbenoids, Hetero- and Homodimers of Homoisoflavonoids from .

An activity-guided isolation study on the EtOH extract prepared from the bulbs of yielded four new phenolic compounds, including a new stilbenoid (), a new homoisoflavonoid derivative (), a new homoisoflavonoid dimer (), and an unprecedented homoisoflavone-stilbene heterodimer (), together with six known (-) analogs. Their chemical structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and theoretical NMR and ECD calculations. Compounds and are unique in their scaffolds.

Use of alternatives to animal testing for Environmental Safety Assessment (ESA): Report from the 2023 EPAA partners' forum.

Environmental Safety Assessments (ESA) are mandatory for several regulatory purposes and are an important component of stewardship/sustainability initiatives. Fish testing is used for assessing chemical toxicity and bioaccumulation potential; amphibians are included in some jurisdictions and their use is increasing to assess endocrine disruption. Alternative methods are becoming more available, covering the principles of the 3Rs (i.

The role of non-respiratory arousals in residual daytime sleepiness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea treated with positive airway pressure: An analysis of the European Sleep Apnea Database registry.

Study Objectives: To assess the impact of the non-respiratory arousal burden at baseline polysomnography (PSG) on residual daytime sleepiness in positive airway pressure (PAP)-treated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods: We included OSA patients from the European Sleep Apnea Database registry with available arousal data who had at least 2 treatment follow-up visits. The primary outcome was the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score under PAP.

The role of the somatosensory cortex in self-paced movement impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Objective: The aim of this work was to study the differences at the whole-brain level between self-paced and cued movement processing in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: High density electroencephalogram (HD-EEG) was recorded during the performance of self-paced movements (Bereitschaftspotential - BP) and visually cued movements (VMT) in PD patients (n = 38) and in a group of healthy controls (HC, n = 23). Oscillatory changes in the alpha, beta, and gamma frequencies were evaluated and correlated to the clinical scales- MDS-UPDRS and Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOGQ).

Protease activity of NIa-Pro determines systemic pathogenicity of clover yellow vein virus.

Clover yellow vein virus (ClYVV), a potyvirus that infects various dicotyledonous plants, poses a significant threat to the cultivation of legumes. Although potyviral NIa-Pro was extensively studied in viral infection cycle and host antiviral responses, the contribution of NIa-Pro protease activity to virus systemic symptoms has not yet been reported. In this study, we developed infectious clones of a ClYVV isolated from Pisum sativum.

Prevalence of FGFR2b Protein Overexpression in Advanced Gastric Cancers During Prescreening for the Phase III FORTITUDE-101 Trial.

Purpose: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 isoform IIIb (FGFR2b) protein overexpression is an emerging biomarker in gastric cancer and gastroesophageal junction cancer (GC). We assessed FGFR2b protein overexpression prevalence in nearly 3,800 tumor samples as part of the prescreening process for a global phase III study in patients with newly diagnosed advanced or metastatic GC.

Methods: As of June 28, 2024, 3,782 tumor samples from prescreened patients from 37 countries for the phase III FORTITUDE-101 trial (ClinicalTrials.

The translation initiation factor eIF3M2 upregulates HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN 70 to maintain pollen tube membrane integrity during heat shock.

Pollen germination and pollen tube (PT) growth are extremely sensitive to high temperatures. During heat stress (HS), global translation shuts down and favors the maintenance of the essential cellular proteome for cell viability and protection against protein misfolding. Here, we demonstrate that under normal conditions, the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) eukaryotic translation initiation factor subunit eif3m1/eif3m2 double mutant exhibits poor pollen germination, loss of PT integrity and an increased rate of aborted seeds.

Functional traits mediate the effect of land use on drivers of community stability within and across trophic levels.

Understanding how land use affects temporal stability is crucial to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Yet, the mechanistic links between land-use intensity and stability-driving mechanisms remain unclear, with functional traits likely playing a key role. Using 13 years of data from 300 sites in Germany, we tested whether and how trait-based community features mediate the effect of land-use intensity on acknowledged stability drivers (compensatory dynamics, portfolio effect, and dominant species variability), within and across plant and arthropod communities.

ApoNecV: A macro for cell death type differentiation.

The evaluation of large experimental datasets is a fundamental aspect of research in every scientific field. Streamlining this process can improve the reliability of results while making data analysis more efficient and faster to execute. In biomedical research it is often very important to determine the type of cell death after various treatments.

Half a Century of Temperate Non-Forest Vegetation Changes: No Net Loss in Species Richness, but Considerable Shifts in Taxonomic and Functional Composition.

In recent decades, global change and local anthropogenic pressures have severely affected natural ecosystems and their biodiversity. Although disentangling the effects of these factors is difficult, they are reflected in changes in the functional composition of plant communities. We present a comprehensive, large-scale analysis of long-term changes in plant communities of various non-forest habitat types in the Czech Republic based on 1154 vegetation-plot time series from 53 resurvey studies comprising 3909 vegetation-plot records.