Primary ventriculitis caused by Streptococcus intermedius - a rare case and challenge with uncertain clinical outcome. Case report.

Aims: To present a case of primary ventriculitis in a 53-year-old patient caused by Streptococcus intermedius, emphasizing the rarity of the condition and the challenges in achieving clinical improvement despite targeted therapy.

Methods: The patient underwent clinical evaluation, including CT and MRI imaging, as well as CSF analysis. Empirical antibiotic therapy was initiated with cefotaxime and metronidazole, followed by targeted therapy based on CSF culture results.

The influence of surface properties on the cooperative behavior of powdered milks.

This study comprehensively analyzes various powdered milk samples to elucidate their structural, surface, and mechanical properties. Through detailed examination, diverse characteristics among the samples were observed, shedding light on their behavior under different conditions. Notably, findings reveal intriguing insights into surface energy profiles, Harkins spreading coefficient, powder rheological properties, and sound absorption efficiency of the powdered milk samples.

Bilberry Expansion in the Changing Subalpine Belt.

Bilberry ( L.) expansion in subalpine and alpine ecosystems is increasing due to climate change and reduced land management. This review examines bilberry traits, environmental responses, and ecosystem impacts.

Interaction of Binuclear Copper Complexes with Liver Drug-Metabolizing Cytochromes P450.

Two copper(II) mixed ligand complexes with dicarboxylate bridges were prepared and studied, namely [Cu(μ-fu)(pmdien)(HO)](ClO) (complex No. 5) and [Cu(μ-dtdp)(pmdien)(HO)](ClO) (complex No. 6), where Hfu = fumaric acid, pmdien = pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, and Hdtdp = 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid.

Polyethylene Glycol/Pullulan-Based Carrier for Silymarin Delivery and Its Potential in Biomedical Applications.

Restoring the structures and functions of tissues along with organs in human bodies is a topic gathering attention nowadays. These issues are widely discussed in the context of regenerative medicine. Excipients/delivery systems play a key role in this topic, guaranteeing a positive impact on the effectiveness of the drugs or therapeutic substances supplied.

Barley as a production platform for oral vaccines in sustainable fish aquaculture.

Vaccination is the most effective measure to prevent disease outbreaks in fish aquaculture, with oral vaccine administration emerging as the most practical approach. However, oral vaccines face a notable limitation due to insufficient stimulation of the complex gut-associated lymphoid tissue caused by factors such as vaccine degradation, poor absorption, and recognition by the immune cells. An innovative solution to these limitations lies in the plant-based production of recombinant vaccines.

Detection of Guanine Quadruplexes by Raman Optical Activity and Quantum-Chemical Interpretation of the Spectra.

Quadruplexes formed by guanine derivatives or guanine-rich nucleic acids are involved in metabolism and genetic storage of many living organisms, they are used in DNA nanotechnologies or as biosensors. Since many quadruplex geometries are possible the determination of their structures in aqueous solutions is difficult. Raman optical activity (ROA) can make it easier: For guanosine monophosphate (GMP), we observed a distinct change of the spectra upon its condensation and quadruplex formation.

High yield seedless synthesis of mini gold nanorods: partial silver decoupling allows effective nanorod elongation with tunable surface plasmon resonance beyond 1000 nm and CTAB-free functional coating for THPC conjugation.

Gold nanorods with small dimensions demonstrate better cellular uptake and absorption efficiency. The ability to synthesize gold nanorods while maintaining a tunable high aspect ratio is challenging as it requires careful control of reaction conditions, often employing additional steps such as pH modification or the use of polymeric additives. We demonstrate a seedless approach for the synthesis of mini (width < 10 nm) gold nanorods with tunable longitudinal surface plasmon resonance from ∼700 nm to >1000 nm and aspect ratios ranging from ∼3 to ∼7 without the use of any polymeric additives or pH modification.

Bimetallic Single-Atom Catalysts for Water Splitting.

Green hydrogen from water splitting has emerged as a critical energy vector with the potential to spearhead the global transition to a fossil fuel-independent society. The field of catalysis has been revolutionized by single-atom catalysts (SACs), which exhibit unique and intricate interactions between atomically dispersed metal atoms and their supports. Recently, bimetallic SACs (bimSACs) have garnered significant attention for leveraging the synergistic functions of two metal ions coordinated on appropriately designed supports.

Single Atom Engineered Antibiotics Overcome Bacterial Resistance.

The outbreak of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or "superbugs", poses a global public health hazard due to their resilience against the most effective last-line antibiotics. Identifying potent antibacterial agents capable of evading bacterial resistance mechanisms represents the ultimate defense strategy. This study shows that -the otherwise essential micronutrient- manganese turns into a broad-spectrum potent antibiotic when coordinated with a carboxylated nitrogen-doped graphene.

The impact of maturation level, not chronological age, on attentional control: implications for sports injury prevention in female adolescents.

Background: Non-contact injuries are highly prevalent among young athletes and occur particularly in situations that require fast decision making and divided attention. Administering relevant neurocognitive tests could help identify deficiencies in these cognitive abilities and thus potentially mitigate injury risk. However, processes such as selective attention and response inhibition might depend to some extent on the athlete's maturation stage.

Colony life history of the tropical arboreal ant, De Andrade, 1999.

Unlabelled: Arboreal ants are ecologically important in tropical forests, but there are few studies using DNA markers to examine their population and colony structure. Colonies of the arboreal turtle ant create trail networks through the canopy of the tropical forest, in dense vegetation where it is difficult to determine how long a nest is used and how neighboring colonies partition space. We monitored 53 nest sites for up to six years and, using seven microsatellite markers, genotyped samples of workers collected at or near 41 nests over 1-4 years.

Internet gaming disorder and risky behaviours among Czech adolescents: A nationally representative study.

Background And Aims: The aim of the present study was to estimate the complex association between Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), substance use, and other risky behaviours in Czech adolescents whilst providing prevalence estimates of IGD and psychometric information regarding the Czech Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short-Form (IGDS9-SF).

Methods: A representative sample of 3,950 Czech adolescents was recruited through stratified random sampling in the school setting.

Results: Disordered gamers showed frequent use of specific substances such as pharmaceuticals, methylenedioxymethamphetamine, and lysergic acid diethylamide.

A qualitative study of healthy ageing and co-production.

Europe's ageing population increases the demand for housing solutions targeting older citizens' needs and preferences. Establishing age-friendly communities fostering social participation is essential for healthy ageing and various housing options with shared facilities prioritizing social contact have emerged. While involving older people in public service delivery is emphasized, studies on co-production with older people in building age-friendly communities remain limited.

Dietary monoterpenoids and human health: Unlocking the potential for therapeutic use.

Natural products are widely used in different aspects of our lives - from household cleaners and food production, via cosmetics and aromatherapy, to both alternative and traditional medicine. In our research group, we have recently described several monoterpenoids with potential in the antiviral and anticancer therapy by allosteric targeting of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Prior to any practical application, biological effects on human organism must be taken in concern.

Targeting the CLK2/SRSF9 splicing axis in prostate cancer leads to decreased ARV7 expression.

In advanced prostate cancer (PC), in particular after acquisition of resistance to androgen receptor (AR) signaling inhibitors (ARSI), upregulation of AR splice variants compromises endocrine therapy efficiency. Androgen receptor splice variant-7 (ARV7) is clinically the most relevant and has a distinct 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) compared to the AR full-length variant, suggesting a unique post-transcriptional regulation. Here, we set out to evaluate the applicability of the ARV7 3'UTR as a therapy target.

Anticancer dinuclear Ir(III) complex activates Nrf2 and interferes with NAD(H) in cancer cells.

Dinuclear complex [Ir(μ-L1)(η-Cp*)Cl](PF) (1) exhibits low micromolar cytotoxic activity in vitro in various human cancer cells (GI = 1.7-3.0 μM) and outperformed its mononuclear analogue [Ir(η-Cp*)Cl(L2)]PF (2; GI > 40.

Tools, techniques, methods, and processes for the detection and mitigation of fraudulent or erroneous data in evidence synthesis: a scoping review protocol.

Objective: This scoping review aims to identify, catalogue, and characterize previously reported tools, techniques, methods, and processes that have been recommended or used by evidence synthesizers to detect fraudulent or erroneous data and mitigate its impact.

Introduction: Decision-making for policy and practice should always be underpinned by the best available evidence-typically peer-reviewed scientific literature. Evidence synthesis literature should be collated and organized using the appropriate evidence synthesis methodology, best exemplified by the role systematic reviews play in evidence-based health care.

Assessing disease progression and treatment response in progressive multiple sclerosis.

Progressive multiple sclerosis poses a considerable challenge in the evaluation of disease progression and treatment response owing to its multifaceted pathophysiology. Traditional clinical measures such as the Expanded Disability Status Scale are limited in capturing the full scope of disease and treatment effects. Advanced imaging techniques, including MRI and PET scans, have emerged as valuable tools for the assessment of neurodegenerative processes, including the respective role of adaptive and innate immunity, detailed insights into brain and spinal cord atrophy, lesion dynamics and grey matter damage.

Exploring the benefits and challenges of AI-driven large language models in gastroenterology: Think out of the box.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved significantly over the past decades, from its early concepts in the 1950s to the present era of deep learning and natural language processing. Advanced large language models (LLMs), such as Chatbot Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) is trained to generate human-like text responses. This technology has the potential to revolutionize various aspects of gastroenterology, including diagnosis, treatment, education, and decision-making support.

How to return? experiences of patients in working age after first Ischaemic stroke: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of patient´s perspective at 12 - 24 months post-stroke.

Background: Limited evidence of young adult patient-reported outcomes and experiences after ischaemic stroke has been conducted.

Aim: To investigate the meaning of the lived experiences of stroke patients in working age 12-24 months after their first IS.

Material And Methods: The exploratory qualitative study used an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) design.

Where is the heat threat in a city? Different perspectives on people-oriented and remote sensing methods: The case of Prague.

Extreme heat in urban areas has a severe impact on urban populations worldwide. In light of the threats posed by climate change, it is clear that more holistic and people-oriented approaches to reducing heat stress in urban areas are needed. From this perspective we aim to identify and compare thermal hotspots and places with favourable thermal conditions, based on three different methods - thermal walk, participatory-based cognitive mapping, and remote sensing in a Central European city.

External Focus of Attention Reduces Cartilage Load During Drop Landings.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of attentional focus instructions on acute changes in the transverse relaxation time (T2) of the femorotibial cartilage and in cartilage volume during repeated drop-jump landings. Ten healthy females (M = 20.4 ± 0.

What to Choose for Estimating Leaf Water Status-Spectral Reflectance or In vivo Chlorophyll Fluorescence?

In the context of global climate change and the increasing need to study plant response to drought, there is a demand for easily, rapidly, and remotely measurable parameters that sensitively reflect leaf water status. Parameters with this potential include those derived from leaf spectral reflectance (R) and chlorophyll fluorescence. As each of these methods probes completely different leaf characteristics, their sensitivity to water loss may differ in different plant species and/or under different circumstances, making it difficult to choose the most appropriate method for estimating water status in a given situation.