2,801 results match your criteria: "University of Belgrade Faculty of Biology; pandjus@bio.bg.ac.rs.[Affiliation]"

Analysis of total RNA as a potential biomarker of developmental neurotoxicity in silico.

Health Informatics J

October 2024

Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.

Article Synopsis
  • - The manuscript studies the effects of chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate pesticide, on RNA levels in the brains of mice across four different genetic types to understand its potential contribution to neurodegenerative disorders.
  • - Utilizing the GSE58103 dataset and various statistical tools in R, the researchers analyze 60 samples from fetal brain tissues to identify differentially expressed genes, focusing specifically on microRNA485 as a key biomarker related to pesticide toxicity.
  • - The findings indicate that microRNA485 shows a significant difference in expression between the knockout genotype and wild-type groups, suggesting its potential role in identifying developmental neurotoxicity caused by chlorpyrifos exposure.
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The liver, a crucial organ for metabolic processes, has a generally uniform histological structure across amphibian taxa. However, ontogenetic changes, particularly those related to biphasic life cycle and metamorphosis, are less documented. Here, we explored and described the liver histology of an emerging model organism, the Balkan crested newt (Triturus ivanbureschi) at three ontogenetic stages: larval, juvenile (just after metamorphosis) and adult.

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Although the nutritional and health benefits of Rumex species are well known, little is known about the chemical composition and pharmacological activities of Rumex balcanicus Rech. fil. (Polygonaceae), an endemic plant of the Balkan Peninsula.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Recent efforts to stop smoking haven't been put into action yet, and it’s important to see what could happen if smoking rates stay the same or improve.
  • * Researchers used models to predict health outcomes by 2050 based on different scenarios of smoking rates, showing that cutting smoking could greatly improve health and life expectancy.
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Enzyme ChE, cholinergic therapy and molecular docking: Significant considerations and future perspectives.

Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol

October 2024

Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.

Article Synopsis
  • - The enzyme Che plays a vital role in both cholinergic and non-cholinergic functions across various species, being present in fertilized/unfertilized eggs and sperm.
  • - It acts as a signaling receptor involved in key biological processes like hematopoiesis and bone development, extending its function beyond just neurotransmission.
  • - Variations (polymorphisms) in Che genes are linked to diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, highlighting the potential of Che inhibitors as new treatment targets in biomedical research.
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Plateau depolarizations in spontaneously active neurons detected by calcium or voltage imaging.

Sci Rep

October 2024

School of Medicine, Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, University of Connecticut Health, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT, 06030, USA.

In calcium imaging studies, Ca transients are commonly interpreted as neuronal action potentials (APs). However, our findings demonstrate that robust optical Ca transients primarily stem from complex "AP-Plateaus", while simple APs lacking underlying depolarization envelopes produce much weaker photonic signatures. Under challenging in vivo conditions, these "AP-Plateaus" are likely to surpass noise levels, thus dominating the Ca recordings.

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The dataset presents a 43 year-long reanalysis of pollen seasons for three major allergenic genera of trees in Europe: alder (Alnus), birch (Betula), and olive (Olea). Driven by the meteorological reanalysis ERA5, the atmospheric composition model SILAM predicted the flowering period and calculated the Europe-wide dispersion pattern of pollen for the years 1980-2022. The model applied an extended 4-dimensional variational data assimilation of in-situ observations of aerobiological networks in 34 European countries to reproduce the inter-annual variability and trends of pollen production and distribution.

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The GENESIS database and tools: A decade of discovery in Mendelian genomics.

Exp Neurol

December 2024

Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics and John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Human genetics research has made a lot of progress in finding out what causes diseases over the last ten years, thanks to sharing data and working together.
  • The GENESIS platform helps scientists who may not know a lot about bioinformatics to analyze genetics data and discover new disease genes.
  • With over 20,000 datasets from rare disease patients, GENESIS has contributed to discovering more than 100 new genes and helped solve many cases for patients with rare diseases.
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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers used advanced techniques to identify various Candida species from 300 samples and categorized them based on their ability to produce biofilms, finding that a significant percentage displayed low sensitivity to common antifungal drugs like fluconazole and nystatin.
  • * The findings suggest that new antifungal agents or combinations with natural products could be promising alternatives for treating RVVC, given the challenges posed by existing medications.
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Phloretin inhibits the growth of Arabidopsis shoots by inducing chloroplast damage and programmed cell death.

J Plant Physiol

December 2024

Institute for Biological Research 'Siniša Stanković' - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address:

Phloretin is a key secondary metabolite produced by apple trees. Known for its strong antioxidant properties, this dihydrochalcone has been extensively studied in animals but less so in plants. Recently, we identified phloretin as a phytotoxic allelochemical that inhibits growth in the model plant Arabidopsis by disrupting auxin metabolism and distribution in the roots.

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Spinal osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition of the spine, significantly impairs quality of life, causing pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. Treatment primarily aims to improve functionality and quality of life. This study investigated the effects of lower back surgery (e.

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Article Synopsis
  • Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a genetic disorder that leads to high levels of phenylalanine, causing cognitive issues if untreated, but the exact brain effects of this condition are still unclear.
  • This study used a new model of NT2-derived neurons treated with varying concentrations of phenylalanine to investigate gene expression changes linked to PKU-related brain impairment.
  • The research found that specific genes were altered in response to phenylalanine, affecting neuronal processes like dendrite and axon development, ultimately highlighting the neurotoxic effects of high phenylalanine levels.
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Extraction, Characterization, and In Vitro Biological Activity of Polyphenols from Discarded Young Fig Fruits Based on Deep Eutectic Solvents.

Antioxidants (Basel)

September 2024

Sichuan Key Laboratory of Fruit and Vegetable Postharvest Physiology, College of Food Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an 625014, China.

(1) Background: Discarded young fig fruits (DYFFs) result in a waste of resources, such as sparse fruits and residual fruits, and there has been no research on the relationship between phenolic compounds and biological activity in DYFFs (2) Methods: Different deep eutectic solvents (DESs) and 80% ethanol were used to prepare DYFF extracts, and polyphenol extraction efficiency and bioactivities in the DYFFs extracts were compared. (3) Results: More than 1700 phytochemicals were identified in DYFFs, and thirteen of these typical phenolic compounds were analyzed quantitatively; chlorogenic acid, rutin, luteolin 8-C-glucoside, and epicatechin are the main polyphenols in DYFFs, especially chlorogenic acid with 2720-7980 mg/kg. Ferulic acid, caffeic acid, epicatechin, (+)-catechin, luteolin 8-C-glucoside, rutin, hesperetin, and chlorogenic acid showed different degrees of correlation with in vitro antioxidant activity.

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Genomic surveillance as a scalable framework for precision phage therapy against antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

Cell

October 2024

Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Institute of Biochemistry, National Laboratory of Biotechnology, HUN-REN Biological Research Centre, Temesvári Krt. 62, 6726 Szeged, Hungary; HCEMM-BRC Translational Microbiology Research Group, Budapesti út 9, 6728 Szeged, Hungary. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Phage therapy is a new way to fight germs that are super tough against antibiotics, especially in hospitals.
  • Scientists are figuring out how to create special mixes of viruses called phages that can target specific strains of a dangerous germ called Acinetobacter baumannii.
  • By studying where these germs are found in the world, researchers can prepare special phage treatments for different regions, which has been shown to work well in tests and with animals.
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This study aimed to determine concentrations of 29 elements in the gills and liver as well as biomarker response in gills, liver, and blood of European chub from Pek River (exposed to long-term mining activities), and to compare these findings with individuals from Ibar River (influenced by emission of treated municipal wastewater) and Kruščica reservoir (source of drinking water) using inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The metal pollution index (MPI) was also calculated. Supporting analyses for the detection of the municipal wastewater presence at investigated localities included analyses of microbiological indicators (total coliforms and Escherichia coli) of faecal pollution.

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Health benefits and risks of fermented foods-the PIMENTO initiative.

Front Nutr

September 2024

Research Division Microbial Food Systems, Agroscope, Berne, Switzerland.

Article Synopsis
  • * Seven of the reviews will look into clinical and biological effects of FF on various health indicators across organ systems, while the other nine will explore broader topics like bioactive compounds, safety, and personalized nutrition related to FF.
  • * Each review will consist of a systematic analysis of human studies, insights into the mechanisms behind observed health outcomes, and characterization of the FF being studied, culminating in a strategic roadmap for future research in the field.
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Alhagi persarum (AP), Alhagi persarum flowers (APF), Ephedra equisetina (EE) and Glycyrrhiza glabra root (GGR) have been utilized in Central Asian folk medicine for centuries. In the present study, antioxidant, enzyme inhibition, antimicrobial and cytotoxic effects the aqueous extracts of these plants were studied. In addition, 23 compounds were identified in the extracts using UHPLC-DAD-QqQ-MS/MS analysis.

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Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a highly contagious and often fatal disease affecting wild and domesticated carnivores. The virus is a single-stranded RNA virus from the genus Morbillivirus and the family Paramyxoviridae. While domestic dogs are the most common hosts, the virus poses a significant threat to endangered wildlife due to its broad host range.

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Ontogeny, not prey availability, underlies allopatric venom variability in insular and mainland populations of Vipera ammodytes.

J Proteomics

January 2025

CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal.

Article Synopsis
  • The study examines venom variation in two allopatric populations of the snake Vipera ammodytes, one on an island with a diet largely consisting of ectotherms and the other on the mainland with a more diverse diet.
  • Ten toxin families were identified, revealing that juvenile snakes have a different venom profile dominated by specific toxins, while adults have a more balanced venom composition.
  • Despite differences in prey availability, the venom composition between the two populations was similar, suggesting limited evolutionary pressure on island vipers due to geographic isolation, while significant differences were noted when compared to more distant populations, indicating ecological and evolutionary factors in venom variability.
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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers studied strokes from 1990 to 2021 to understand how many people get them and how they are affected around the world.
  • In 2021, strokes caused about 7.3 million deaths and were a major cause of health problems, especially in specific regions like Southeast Asia and Oceania.
  • There are differences in stroke risks based on where people live and their age, and some areas actually saw more strokes happening since 2015.
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Minimally invasive access cavities have been proposed in the last decade to reduce tooth tissue loss during endodontic treatment and mitigate compromised fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth. Fracture resistance of molars with different types of access cavity design may be affected by restorative materials and aging. Insufficient literature data exist on the effect of cavity design and type of restorative materials on restorative aspects such as material adaptation or photo-polymerization in restricted access cavities.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the field of biomedical research and treatment, leveraging machine learning (ML) and advanced algorithms to analyze extensive health and medical data more efficiently. In headache disorders, particularly migraine, AI has shown promising potential in various applications, such as understanding disease mechanisms and predicting patient responses to therapies. Implementing next-generation AI in headache research and treatment could transform the field by providing precision treatments and augmenting clinical practice, thereby improving patient and public health outcomes and reducing clinician workload.

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JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202507000-00027/figure1/v/2024-09-09T124005Z/r/image-tiff An imbalance in adenosine-mediated signaling, particularly the increased A2AR-mediated signaling, plays a role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Existing therapeutic approaches fail to alter disease progression, demonstrating the need for novel approaches in PD.

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Cutibacterium acnes as an overseen autoimmunity trigger: Unearthing heat-shock driven molecular mimicry.

Microbes Infect

September 2024

Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry "Ivan Djaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Cutibacterium acnes, a bacteria found on human skin, can play both harmless and harmful roles, but its long-term effects on inflammation and autoimmunity are not well understood.
  • A comprehensive analysis was conducted to see if this bacterium could trigger autoimmune responses in humans by examining its proteins and their similarities to human proteins.
  • The study found that C. acnes may be linked to autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis due to its ability to mimic certain immune responses, marking a significant discovery in understanding its potential impact on human health.
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