Thermodynamic Study of the Sustainable Hydrometallurgical Treatment of Copper Converter Flue Dust Based on Pb, Zn, and Sn Oxides.

The presented article deals with the thermodynamic study of copper converter flue dust (CCFD) treatment by hydrometallurgical process. The investigated sample of CCFD contains 38.31 wt.

Occurrence of Stress and Burnout Among Nurses Employed in a Psychiatric Hospital and a Somatic Hospital-A Comparative Analysis (Nursing Workload KEGA č. 011KU-4/2024).

Work-related stress has been linked to various negative outcomes among healthcare professionals. For nurses, stress can arise from numerous sources, including their interactions with patients. It is often perceived that nurses working in psychiatric hospitals experience greater stress and occupational burnout compared to nurses working in somatic hospitals.

Structures of Oligomeric States of Tau Protein, Amyloid-β, α-Synuclein and Prion Protein Implicated in Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease and Prionopathies.

In this review, we focus on the biophysical and structural aspects of the oligomeric states of physiologically intrinsically disordered proteins and peptides tau, amyloid-β and α-synuclein and partly disordered prion protein and their isolations from animal models and human brains. These protein states may be the most toxic agents in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. It was shown that oligomers are important players in the aggregation cascade of these proteins.

In Vitro Susceptibility of Clinical and Carrier Strains of to STAFAL Phage Preparation.

The treatment of infections caused by is currently complicated by the increasing number of strains resistant to antimicrobial agents. One promising way to solve this problem is phage therapy. Due to the lack of data on the effectiveness and safety of phage preparations, STAFAL is the only registered phage preparation for the treatment of infectious diseases in the Slovak Republic and the entire European Union.

Association of Sympathovagal Imbalance with Increased Inflammation and Impaired Adaptive Immunity in Bladder Cancer Patients.

Stress responses can impact bladder cancer (BC) outcomes via immune-inflammatory pathway modulation. This study explores heart rate variability (HRV) associations with serum immune-inflammatory biomarkers, blood count inflammatory markers, and psychosocial self-report measures in patients versus healthy controls. The TREM-1 and TREM-2 expressions on peripheral blood monocytes were analysed via flow cytometry; serum inflammatory biomarkers by ELISA; HRV (5-min ECG) pre-tumour resection; blood counts by haematology analyser; and psychosocial factors by validated questionnaires.

Comparative Study of Water and Milk Kefir Grains as Biopolymeric Adsorbents for Copper(II) and Arsenic(V) Removal from Aqueous Solutions.

This study investigates the biosorption capabilities of kefir grains, a polysaccharide-based byproduct of the fermentation process, for removing copper(II) and arsenic(V) from contaminated water. Unlike traditional heavy-metal removal methods, which are typically expensive and involve environmentally harmful chemicals, biopolymeric materials such as kefir grains provide a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for adsorbing hazardous inorganic pollutants from aqueous solutions. Our experimental results revealed significant differences in the sorption capacities of two types of kefir grains.

Automated Systems with Fluorescence Detection for Metal Determination: A Review.

Industrialization has led to environmental pollution with various hazardous chemicals including pollution with metals. In this regard, the development of highly efficient analytical methods for their determination has received considerable attention to ensure public safety. Currently, scientists are paying more and more attention to the automation of analytical methods, since it permits fast, accurate, and sensitive analysis with minimal exposure of analysts to hazardous substances.

Pseudo-Jahn-Teller Effect in Natural Compounds and Its Possible Role in Straintronics I: Hypericin and Its Analogs.

The distortions and instability of high-symmetry configurations of polyatomic systems in nondegenerate states are usually ascribed to the pseudo-Jahn-Teller effect (PJTE). The geometries of hypericin, isohypericin, and fringelite D were optimized within various symmetry groups. Group-theoretical treatment and (TD-)DFT calculations were used to identify the corresponding electronic states during the symmetry descent.

Keto Analogues in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease with or Without Kidney Transplantation.

Keto analogues in combination with a (very) low-protein diet significantly reduces the progression to end-stage kidney disease. The question of their benefit and safety for kidney transplant recipients remains. This study aimed to show the renoprotective effect and safety of the use of this method in patients with chronic kidney disease and a kidney transplantation.

Counteractive Effects of Copper Nanoparticles and Betacellulin on Ovarian Cells.

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) are known to affect many ovarian cell functions. CuNPs, prepared using a chemical reduction method, were fully characterized by different means (TEM, DLS, XRD, Z potential, XPS, and AES). The resulting colloidal suspension contained needle-like CuNPs aggregates made of a core of metallic copper and an oxidized surface of CuO and CuO.

Modeling the Distribution of the Rare and Red-Listed Halophytic Moss Species Under Various Climate Change Scenarios in Serbia.

is a rare moss species of the salty grasslands in Serbia. It is threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction and loss, although it reproduces sexually. In this study, we tested different models predicting its distribution under several climate scenarios over the next 8 decades.

Enhancing Antimicrobial Efficacy of Sandalwood Essential Oil Against for Food Preservation.

The growing emphasis on food safety and healthier lifestyles, driven by industrial expansion and scientific priorities, has highlighted the necessity of managing harmful microorganisms to guarantee food quality. A significant challenge in this domain is the control of pathogens that are capable of forming biofilms, entering a sessile state that enhances their resistance to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Essential oils, renowned for their antibacterial properties, present a promising natural alternative for food preservation.

Evaluation of Quality of Nitrite-Free Fermented Roe Deer () Sausage with Addition of Ascorbic Acid and Reduced NaCl.

This study aimed to investigate the possibility of producing fermented roe deer sausages using acid whey without the addition of sodium nitrite. Additionally, ascorbic acid was added to improve the oxidative stability of the product, and sodium chloride (NaCl) was partially replaced by potassium chloride (KCl) (7:3). The sausages were analyzed after fermentation (on day 30) and during post-production aging (i.

The Influence of Maceration on the Biodiversity of Yeasts in the Early Winemaking Stages of White Wine from the Slovak Tokay Wine Region.

This study investigates the effect of maceration and different winemaking techniques on the species diversity of yeasts in white wines from the Slovak Tokay wine region, known for its traditional white wine production. Lipovina grape variety samples were divided into three groups: control (C), macerated (M) and macerated with the addition of a yeast culture (MY). During the entire fermentation process, quantitative and qualitative microbiological analyses of the raw material and must samples were carried out, which resulted in the identification of 60 yeast isolates via the API 20 C AUX biochemical test and MALDI-TOF MS.

Hybrid Deep Learning and Machine Learning for Detecting Hepatocyte Ballooning in Liver Ultrasound Images.

Background: Hepatocyte ballooning (HB) is a significant histological characteristic linked to the advancement of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Although clinicians now consider liver biopsy the most reliable method for identifying HB, its invasive nature and related dangers highlight the need for the development of non-invasive diagnostic options.

Objective: This study aims to develop a novel methodology that combines deep learning and machine learning techniques to accurately identify and measure hepatobiliary abnormalities in liver ultrasound images.

Identification of Pre-Heart Failure in Early Stages: The Role of Six Stages of Heart Failure.

Despite increased availability of effective drug therapy for treatment of heart failure (HF), the morbidity and mortality in chronic heart failure (CHF) are unacceptably high. Therefore, there is an urgent need to ascertain new imaging techniques to identify early sub-clinical forms of cardiac dysfunctions, to guide early relevant treatment. It seems that all the behavioral risk factors-such as tobacco, alcoholism, Western-type diet, sedentary behavior and obesity, emotional disorders, and sleep disorder are associated with early cardiac dysfunction, which may be identified by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE).

Resilience of primary healthcare facilities: Experiences from 16 European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-methods study conducted by EURIPA.

Background: The role of primary healthcare (PHC) during a pandemic varies across European countries. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has altered the working practices of family medicine doctors and impacted the resilience of healthcare systems.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine European healthcare system responses to the pandemic, focusing on rural and urban differences.

Changes in Serum Protein Profile in Laying Hens Housed in a Cage-Free System.

The objective of this study was to characterize the distribution of serum proteins in laying hens reared under cage-free open farm conditions and to evaluate the changes in the concentrations of serum protein fractions throughout the 1-year laying period. Ten Dekalb White white-egg-laying hens were blood sampled from the wing vein at 17, 22, 29, 38, 50, 60, and 70 weeks of age. Egg laying was observed at 18 weeks of age.

Dealing With the Complexity of Effective Population Size in Conservation Practice.

Effective population size () is one of the most important parameters in evolutionary biology, as it is linked to the long-term survival capability of species. Therefore, greatly interests conservation geneticists, but it is also very relevant to policymakers, managers, and conservation practitioners. Molecular methods to estimate rely on various assumptions, including no immigration, panmixia, random sampling, absence of spatial genetic structure, and/or mutation-drift equilibrium.

Pneumoperitoneum after placement of the temporary pacing wires: transverse colon injury at the base of a diverticulum.

We present the successful management of a patient presenting with pneumo-peritoneum early after surgery due to transvere colon injury after placement of the temporary pacing wires. The patient was asymptomatic, underwent computed tomography, the temporary pacing wires were removed and he was managed conservatively.

Late Bedtime from the Perspective of Adolescents: A Qualitative Study.

Purpose: Later sleep timing is a key determinant of reduced sleep duration and quality in adolescents and is associated with negative mental and physical outcomes. However, little is known about adolescents' views on late bedtime. The study's purpose is to explore adolescents' perspectives on why they go to sleep late during school nights and what would help them to go to bed earlier.

Effect of Gentamicin-Loaded Calcium Phosphate Coating and Polymeric Coating on the Degradation Properties of Biodegradable Iron-Based Biomaterials.

In the past decades, iron has been one of the intensively studied biodegradable metals due to its suitable mechanical properties, but it suffers from slow degradation in a physiological environment and low bioactivity. In this work, the beneficial properties of ceramic and polymer coatings were merged to enhance the corrosion properties and biological compatibility of Fe-based biomaterials. A new bilayer coating for Fe-based biomaterials that speeds up degradation while offering controlled, localized drug release to prevent infections was prepared.

Wound healing: insights into autoimmunity, ageing, and cancer ecosystems through inflammation and IL-6 modulation.

Wound healing represents a complex and evolutionarily conserved process across vertebrates, encompassing a series of life-rescuing events. The healing process runs in three main phases: inflammation, proliferation, and maturation/remodelling. While acute inflammation is indispensable for cleansing the wound, removing infection, and eliminating dead tissue characterised by the prevalence of neutrophils, the proliferation phase is characterised by transition into the inflammatory cell profile, shifting towards the prevalence of macrophages.