Hemiparasitic plants facilitate ecological restoration of encroached European grasslands.

Species-rich grasslands of temperate Europe are threatened by the spread and increasing dominance of the rhizomatous grass Calamagrostis epigejos. Native hemiparasitic Rhinanthus species have been proposed as biocontrol to suppress C. epigejos, but experimental evidence is limited.

A new insight on the genus Pteridium (Dennstaedtiaceae) in Europe based on a revision in the flora of Slovakia.

Background: The genus Pteridium Gled. ex Scop. was thought to be monotypic with the cosmopolitan species P.

The Relation of On-Ice and Off-Ice Performance at Two Different Performance Levels in Youth Ice-Hockey Players.

Ice hockey requires two levels of specific agility, involving different abilities, where the level of agility and their constraints might vary by the performance level. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the relationship level between on-ice and off-ice change of directional speed (COD) of youth hockey players at two performance levels. The study was conducted during the hockey season, including U16 elite players (n = 40) and U16 sub-elite players (n = 23).

Environmental heterogeneity structures root-associated fungal communities in Daphne arbuscula (Thymelaeaceae), a shrub adapted to extreme rocky habitats.

Rocky habitats, globally distributed ecosystems, harbour diverse biota, including numerous endemic and endangered species. Vascular plants thriving in these environments face challenging abiotic conditions, requiring diverse morphological and physiological adaptations. Their engagement with the surrounding microbiomes is, however, equally vital for their adaptation, fitness, and long-term survival.

Unravelling some factors affecting sexual reproduction in rock-specialist shrub: Insight from an endemic Daphne arbuscula (Thymelaeaceae).

The role of endemic species in global biodiversity is pivotal, and understanding their biology and ecology is imperative for their fitness and long-term survival, particularly in the face of ongoing climatic oscillations. Our primary goal was to investigate the sexual reproduction level of the endangered Western Carpathian endemic Daphne arbuscula (Thymelaeaceae), which inhabits extreme rocky habitats, and to comprehend the influence of specific factors on its reproductive success. We conducted the research across four populations, varying in size and environmental conditions.

Spatial analysis of leachate penetration at Lemna dumpsite, Calabar: Implications for sustainable waste management in Cross River State.

This study rigorously investigated the spatial analysis of leachate penetration at Lemna dumpsite, located in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Purposeful soil sampling, performed at specific intervals (5 m, 25 m, and 50 m) along the Electrical Resistivity profile line within the dumpsite, was augmented by water sample collection from five boreholes near Lemna dumpsite. Utilizing Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Vertical Electric Sounding (VES) survey techniques, resistivity data were systematically gathered to comprehensively analyze the Leachate Penetration in the Lemna dumpsite.

Incidence and evolutionary relevance of autotriploid cytotypes in a relict member of the genus (Thymelaeaceae).

Odd ploidy-level cytotypes in sexually reproducing species are considered a dead end due to absent or reduced fertility. If sterility is only partial, however, their contribution to the population gene pool can be augmented by longevity and clonal growth. To test this, we investigated the cytotype origin and spatial pattern, and pollen viability in three relict shrub species of the genus (Thymelaeaceae Juss.

Post-pandemic lessons for EU energy and climate policy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine: Introduction to a special issue on EU green recovery in the post-Covid-19 period.

The key policy priority for governments around the world during the 2020-2021 period was the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, this was swiftly replaced by an even graver urgent need to respond to Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine in February 2022. This special issue aims to study the post-pandemic response and how related policy choices influence decarbonisation and energy transition efforts in the EU.

The Psychological Science Accelerator's COVID-19 rapid-response dataset.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Psychological Science Accelerator coordinated three large-scale psychological studies to examine the effects of loss-gain framing, cognitive reappraisals, and autonomy framing manipulations on behavioral intentions and affective measures. The data collected (April to October 2020) included specific measures for each experimental study, a general questionnaire examining health prevention behaviors and COVID-19 experience, geographical and cultural context characterization, and demographic information for each participant. Each participant started the study with the same general questions and then was randomized to complete either one longer experiment or two shorter experiments.

A Czech version of the Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS): standardization and psychometric properties.

Background: The Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale (OASIS) is a transdiagnostic measure that assesses severity and impairment associated with anxiety disorders. However, its psychometric properties were primarily examined in English-speaking or western countries. Therefore, this study aims to examine its psychometric parameters in the Czech Republic.

Training with a Heavy Puck Elicits a Higher Increase of Shooting Speed Than Unloaded Training in Midget Ice Hockey Players.

A method of load variability is a common way of developing specific skills in various sports, however, not explored considering the use of different ice-hockey pucks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare shooting speed, shooting accuracy, and handgrip strength changes after training with variable training loads (lighter 60g pucks and heavier 260g pucks) in the wrist shot and snapshot. Sixteen male ice hockey players (13.

What drives wolf preference towards wild ungulates? Insights from a multi-prey system in the Slovak Carpathians.

The wolf is a generalist-opportunistic predator that displays diverse and remarkably adaptable feeding strategies across its range with local adaptations to certain prey species depending on their availability and vulnerability. The multi-prey system of the Slovak Carpathians supports important portion of the European wolf population; however, it has been markedly understudied. We evaluated winter diet composition and prey selection of Slovak wolves based on 321 scat samples collected between September-April within four different study areas during 2015-2017.

The Dust Separation Efficiency of Filter Bags Used in the Wood-Based Panels Furniture Factory.

The relationship between the conditions of the use of filter bags made of non-woven fabric and the separation efficiency of wood dust generated in a furniture factory was experimentally determined in the conditions of pulse-jet filtration using a pilot-scale baghouse as waste during the processing of wood composites. The experiments were carried out, and we describe the results of the experiment as consisting in assembling one type of filter bag in two dust extraction installations operating under different operating conditions in the same furniture factory. The filter bags working in the assumed time intervals were then tested for their separation efficiency using a stand for testing filtration processes on a pilot scale.

The Importance of Environmental Food Quality Labels for Regional Producers: A Slovak Case Study.

Regional products are considered an important element of European cultural identity, contributing to the development and sustainability of rural areas. The article presents the research of regional labels from the territory of the Slovak Republic. Our research was aimed at determining the views of producers towards the regional product labeling scheme.

Medical Pluralism in East and West Europe: A Comparison of People Visiting Healthcare Practitioners Specializing in Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Background: Interest in various forms of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) (e.g., naturopathy, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, osteopathy, and chiropractic) is continuing to grow throughout Europe.

Factors influencing performance in municipal solid waste management - A case study of Czech municipalities.

The study presents research focused on factors influencing performance in municipal solid waste management (MSWM) at the level of individual municipalities in the Czech Republic. Czech municipalities possess a specific municipal structure that is characteristic of high fragmentation, in which municipalities spatially resemble conglomerates. In spite of their typically small size, they cling to their own independence and are thus willing to assume full responsibilities in MSWM.

Effect of Sorbent Additives to Copper-Contaminated Soils on Seed Germination and Early Growth of Grass Seedlings.

Heavy metal and metalloid-contaminated soil is a serious barrier to colonization for many plant species. The problem of the elimination of toxic waste accumulated in technogenous soils in many highly transformed regions is extremely important. Hence, another attempt was made to analyze the effect of the addition of sorbents (BCH-biochar, B-bentonite, ChM-chicken manure, OS-organo-zeolitic substrate) to contaminated copper soil on the germination and early growth of Eurasian common grass species (, , and ), which could potentially be used in recultivation.

Study of Potentially Toxic Elements Uptake into Organs of Quercus spp. from Copper Deposits in Slovakia, Italy and Portugal.

The article is focused on the application of Energy dispersive micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy as a specific method to determine the contents of potentially toxic elements and its spread in plant tissues. As a model species, Quercus spp. were selected.

Fast and Sensitive Screening of Oxandrolone and Its Major Metabolite 17-Epi-Oxandrolone in Human Urine by UHPLC-MS/MS with On-Line SPE Sample Pretreatment.

Oxandrolone, a synthetic testosterone analog, is used for the treatment of several diseases associated with weight loss. Unfortunately, oxandrolone is abused by many athletes and bodybuilders due to its strong anabolic effect. We have developed and validated a highly sensitive and rapid on-line SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of oxandrolone and simultaneous identification of its major metabolite 17-epi-oxandrolone in urine matrices.

Effects of Natural Sorbents on the Germination and Early Growth of Grasses on Soils Contaminated by Potentially Toxic Elements.

The reclamation of abandoned mining heaps rich in potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is critical for the environment. We carried out a laboratory experiment studying the effects of the addition of four natural sorbents (biochar, bentonite, chicken manure and organo-zeolitic substrate) to soils contaminated with PTEs, predominantly Cu, As and Sb, on the germination and growth of the autochthonous grasses and . The experiment used Petri dish tests with water extracts of contaminated soil and soil neutralised with the four sorbents.

The Wedding with a Stolen Goddess: The Ethnography of a Cult in Rural Tamil Nadu.

The paper provides a critical overview of the perspective that stratifies society in India into a series of different classes, resulting in the mobility of particular castes or social groups. For this purpose, the study presents ethnographic material concerning the foundation and development of a non-Brahman temple in the Tamil low-caste settlement of Line Kollai, which is in a neighbourhood close to the city of Krishnagiri. The presented ethnographic material shows how a religious folk cult has been established on the grounds of actualized and modified motives in the vernacular environment.

The role of organo-zeolitic material in supporting phytoremediation of a copper mining waste dump.

The effect of applying organo-zeolitic (OZ) amendment in supporting phytoremediation of a copper mine waste dump, using a substrate obtained from Ľubietová, Central Slovakia, was studied. Three plant growth substrates were prepared: (i) the untreated substrate sample from the contaminated site (D-O), (ii) the contaminated sample treated with OZ material, with 82% D-O and 18% OZ (DO + OZ), (iii) the soil from a reference site (R). The largest amount of dry biomass was obtained from the DO + OZ sample.

Development of an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of anabolic steroids currently available on the black market in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Over the past decade, the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) by recreational bodybuilders and regular gym members has been increasing exponentially. However, there is a lack of knowledge on AAS products sold in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The aim of this study was to assess the quantity of active substances in AAS products obtained from AAS users in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.