The Toxic Legacy of Nickel Production and Its Impact on Environmental Health: A Case Study.

Nickel is a chemical element that occurs naturally in soil, water, air, plants, and therefore also in food and other living organisms. However, anthropogenic activities related to the production and processing of nickel can cause its increased concentration in the environment, which is a risk to wildlife and thus to human health. Nickel and its compounds are currently considered immunotoxic and carcinogenic agents that cause a number of health problems.

Microbial and Sensory Quality Changes in Broiler Chicken Breast Meat During Refrigerated Storage.

The aim of the study was to assess the bacterial flora of broiler chicken breast meat using the MALDI method, as well as its sensory evaluation while stored refrigerated at a stable temperature (0.5 °C+/-0.5 °C).

Problem of Existence of Joint Distribution on Quantum Logic.

This paper deals with the topics of modeling joint distributions on a generalized probability space. An algebraic structure known as quantum logic is taken as the basic model. There is a brief summary of some earlier published findings concerning a function -map, which is a mathematical tool suitable for constructing virtual joint probabilities of even non-compatible propositions.

Efficacy of Antimicrobial Dry Fog in Improving the Environmental Microbial Burden in an Inpatient Ward.

In healthcare environments with high microbial loads, effective infection control measures are critical for reducing airborne and surface contamination. One of the novel modalities in the achievement of these goals is the use of antimicrobial mists, such as droplets, in the form of dry fog. Although the usage of dry fog in the disinfection of contained healthcare microenvironments is well known, the effect of such a system in terms of a meaningful reduction in the microbial burden in an open inpatient ward is unclear.

Assessment of L. and Lipophosphonoxin (DR-6180) Combination for Wound Repair: Bridging the Gap Between Phytomedicine and Organic Chemistry.

L. (AE) has a rich tradition of use in wound healing improvement across various cultures worldwide. In previous studies, we revealed that L.

Acclimation of Hairless Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat to Ambient Temperature Attenuates Hypertension-Induced Pro-Arrhythmic Downregulation of Cx43 in the Left Heart Ventricle of Males.

Objectives: Due to poor treatment adherence and lifestyle-based interventions, chronic hypertension is a dominant risk factor predisposing individuals to heart failure and malignant arrhythmias. We investigated the impact of the postnatal acclimation of hairless SHR to ambient temperature that is, for them, below thermoneutrality, on the electrical coupling protein connexin-43 (Cx43) and pro-fibrotic markers in both heart ventricles of male and female hairless SHR rats compared to the wild SHR.

Methods: Some 6-month-acclimated male and female hairless SHR as well as age- and sex-matched wild SHR were included and compared with the non-hypertensive Wistar strain.

Insights into the Relationship Between the Gut Microbiome and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Solid Tumors.

Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors represents a revolutionary approach to the treatment of solid tumors, including malignant melanoma, lung cancer, and gastrointestinal malignancies. Anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/PDL-1 therapies provide prolonged survival for cancer patients, but their efficacy and safety are highly variable. This review focuses on the crucial role of the gut microbiome in modulating the efficacy and toxicity of immune checkpoint blockade.

Could Milkability Parameters Serve as a Reliable Tool to Predict the Morphology of Teat Structures and Their Milking-Induced Changes?

The study aimed to explore if milkability parameters could reliably predict the dimensions of teat structures and their milking-induced changes. Ultrasonography repeatedly measured the teat structures of 48 Holstein cows from mid to late lactation. We found that milking-induced changes in each structure are affected by different milkability parameters.

Inhibitory Effect of Human Anti-CA I Autoantibodies and Development of Monoclonal Antibody mAb 2B8 Targeting Carbonic Anhydrase I.

Spontaneous tumor regression is a recognized phenomenon across various cancer types. Recent research emphasizes the alterations in autoantibodies against carbonic anhydrase I (CA I) (anti-CA I) levels as potential prognostic markers for various malignancies. Particularly, autoantibodies targeting CA I and II appear to induce cellular damage by inhibiting their respective protein's catalytic functions.

Lateral costal artery as a culprit for the steal phenomenon after coronary artery bypass grafting: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) has been widely accepted as the standard for revascularizing the left anterior descending artery during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. However, in 10-20% of cases, the LITA may lead to unsecured side branches to the chest wall, particularly the lateral costal artery (LCA), potentially resulting in postoperative chest angina.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 58-year-old patient who experienced persistent angina eight months after having undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) due to the steal phenomenon caused by a thick lateral costal artery (LCA).

Achievements, priorities and strategies in pediatric nephrology in Europe: need for unifying approaches or acceptance of differences?

Background: There is a lack of information on the current healthcare systems for children with kidney diseases across Europe. The aim of this study was to explore the different national approaches to the organization and delivery of pediatric nephrology services within Europe.

Methods: In 2020, the European society for Paediatric Nephrology (ESPN) conducted a cross-sectional survey to identify the existing pediatric nephrology healthcare systems in 48 European countries covering a population of more than 200 million children.

Modelling growth of two monocytogenes strains, persistent and non-persistent: Effect of temperature.

Better growth is a phenotypic trait that can contribute to persistence of in food processing environments. To test the hypothesis objectively, persistent and non-persistent strains were selected and grown in different media to gain reliable quantitative growth characteristics. In this study, the effect of temperature in the range from 6 °C to 43 °C on the planktonic growth of genotypically and phenotypically different strains LM9611-19 (LM-P, persistent) and LM120/5 (LM-S, sporadic - potentially non-persistent) in Tryptone Soy Broth (TSB) and in semi-synthetic cheese medium (SCM) was investigated.

Automated approach for fetal and maternal health management using light gradient boosting model with SHAP explainable AI.

Fetal health holds paramount importance in prenatal care and obstetrics, as it directly impacts the wellbeing of mother and fetus. Monitoring fetal health through pregnancy is crucial for identifying and addressing potential risks and complications that may arise. Early detection of abnormalities and deviations in fetal health can facilitate timely interventions to mitigate risks and improve outcomes for the mother and fetus.

Case-only analysis of routine surveillance data: detection of increased vaccine breakthrough infections with SARS-CoV-2 variants in Europe.

With the ongoing emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, there is a need for standard approaches to characterize the risk of vaccine breakthrough. We aimed to estimate the association between variant and vaccination status in case-only surveillance data. Included cases were symptomatic adult laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases, with onset between January 2021 and April 2022, reported by five European countries (Estonia, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, and Slovakia) to The European Surveillance System.

Protein Misfolding and Aggregation of Pathological Igg Light Chains in Oncohematological Dyscrasias: From Molecular Pathways to Clinical Implications.

Neoplastic transformation of B cells of the post-germinative center can lead to oncohematological dyscrasias, which often results in an abnormal production of monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains. The non-physiological production of large amounts of IgG light chains leads to the formation of extracellular deposits called 'aggregomas' and rare conditions such as light chain crystal deposition disease. Kidney manifestations and heavy-chain deposition disease can also occur in plasma cell dyscrasias, emphasizing the role of IgG misfolding and aggregation.

Validity and normative scores of finger flexor strength and endurance tests estimated from a large sample of female and male climbers.

Recent reviews have highlighted conflicting findings regarding the validity of finger flexor strength and endurance tests in sport climbers, often due to small sample sizes and low ecological validity of the tests used. To address these gaps, 185 male and 122 female climbers underwent maximal finger flexor strength, intermittent and continuous finger flexor endurance, and the finger hang tests in a sport-specific setting to determine the predictive and concurrent validity of these tests. The finger hang test showed the strongest relationship to climbing ability for both sexes ( ≈ 0.

Spatiotemporal analysis of land surface temperature and land cover changes in Prešov city using downscaling approach and machine learning algorithms.

In recent decades, global climate change and rapid urbanization have aggravated the urban heat island (UHI) effect, affecting the well-being of urban citizens. Although this significant phenomenon is more pronounced in larger metropolitan areas due to extensive impervious surfaces, small- and medium-sized cities also experience UHI effects, yet research on UHI in these cities is rare, emphasizing the importance of land surface temperature (LST) as a key parameter for studying UHI dynamics. Therefore, this paper focuses on the evaluation of LST and land cover (LC) changes in the city of Prešov, Slovakia, a typical medium-sized European city that has recently undergone significant LC changes.

Salvia pratensis L. extracts as potential eco-friendly herbicides for sustainable agricultural applications.

The aim of this study is based on the searching of "new" potential environmentally friendly plant based products with herbicidal activity. The purpose of the study is also to find the source which is easy to harvest in high amount within the local environment. Salvia pratensis L.

Disruption of extracellular matrix and perineuronal nets modulates extracellular space volume and geometry.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a network of macromolecules which has two forms - perineuronal nets (PNNs) and a diffuse ECM (dECM) - both influence brain development, synapse formation, neuroplasticity, CNS injury and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. ECM remodeling can influence extrasynaptic transmission, mediated by diffusion of neuroactive substances in the extracellular space (ECS). In this study we analyzed how disrupted PNNs and dECM influence brain diffusibility.

Human Footprint and Forest Disturbance Reduce Space Use of Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) Across Europe.

Three-quarters of the planet's land surface has been altered by humans, with consequences for animal ecology, movements and related ecosystem functioning. Species often occupy wide geographical ranges with contrasting human disturbance and environmental conditions, yet, limited data availability across species' ranges has constrained our understanding of how human pressure and resource availability jointly shape intraspecific variation of animal space use. Leveraging a unique dataset of 758 annual GPS movement trajectories from 375 brown bears (Ursus arctos) across the species' range in Europe, we investigated the effects of human pressure (i.

Helminth diversity in brine shrimps () from Ukraine.

Brine shrimps ( spp.) are aquatic crustaceans known as important intermediate hosts for a wide range of helminth species. From 2011 to 2021, 4,347 individuals of brine shrimp were collected for this study, investigating the diversity and infection rates of helminth species in spp.

Care providers' view of the barriers in providing care for adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems.

Objectives: Emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) during adolescence are a major public health issue due to its high prevalence and long-lasting consequences. The knowledge of the barriers in providing psychosocial care can be a starting point for subsequent efficiency improvement. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess which barriers do care providers experience while providing psychosocial care for adolescents with EBP.