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A suppression of the cortical beta rhythm is a ubiquitous neural correlate of action observation. However, it remains unclear to which extent low-level action detection and higher-order recognition of actions' kinematics and goals contribute to beta suppression. Here, 24 participants, equipped with EEG, watched videos of kinematically natural goal-intact (Normal), kinematically unnatural goal-intact (How), and kinematically natural goal-violating (What) actions. We investigated the beta suppression at the time of action onset and at the time of action recognition. Across conditions, the beta rhythm was suppressed at action onset above both hemispheres, and no further change in the already suppressed beta rhythm was observed at the time of action recognition. Furthermore, beta suppression did not differ between Normal, How, and What videos. In conclusion, beta suppression is an ubiquitous characteristic of action observation but does not seem to be sensitive to the higher-order characteristics of observed action.

In 2020, five eurytomid species were found for first time on bark beetles in Pinus sylvestris plantations in Ihtimanska Sredna Gora Mountains in Bulgaria: Eurytoma afra Boheman, 1836, Eurytoma arctica Thomson, 1875, Eurytoma morio Boheman, 1836, Eurytoma sp.1 and Eurytoma sp.2. One of them, E. arctica is a new species for the Bulgarian fauna. The parasitoids were reared from stem and branch samples infested by Ips acuminatus, Pityogenes bistridentatus, Pityophthorus pityographus, Tomicus piniperda and T. minor. All host-parasitoid associations are new for Bulgaria. In parasitoid complex, the most abundant species was E. morio (75.9%), followed by E. arctica (13.8%), Eurytoma sp. (6.9%) and E. afra (3.4%). The parasitism of the hosts varied between 2.6% (E. afra on I. acuminatus, P. bistridentatus and P. pityographus) and 33.3% (E. morio on I. acuminatus).

Abstract Background Many hospitalised patients require rehabilitation during recovery from acute illness. We use routine data from Electronic Health Records (EHR) to report the quantity and intensity of rehabilitation required to achieve hospital discharge, comparing patients with and without COVID-19. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of consecutive adults in whom COVID-19 testing was undertaken between March 2020 and August 2021 across three acute hospitals in Scotland. We defined rehabilitation contacts (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics and speech and language therapy) from timestamped EHR data and determined contact time from a linked workforce planning dataset. Our aim was to clarify rehabilitation required to achieve hospital discharge and so we excluded patients who died during their admission, and those who did not require rehabilitation (fewer than two specialist contacts). The primary outcome was total rehabilitation time. Secondary outcomes included the number of contacts, admission to first contact, and rehabilitation minutes per day. A multivariate regression analysis for identifying patient characteristics associated with rehabilitation time included age, sex, comorbidities, and socioeconomic status. Results We included 11,591 consecutive unique patient admissions (76 [63,85] years old, 56% female), of which 651 (6%) were with COVID-19, and 10,940 (94%) were admissions with negative testing. There were 128,646 rehabilitation contacts. Patients with COVID-19 received more than double the rehabilitation time compared to those without (365 [165, 772] vs 170 [95, 350] mins, p

The endophytic fungus Biscogniauxia mediterranea, a causal agent of charcoal canker disease, was established for the first time on red oak (Quercus rubra) in Bulgaria. Symptomatic trees were found in 2023-2024 in the field protective forest belts planted in the State Hunting Enterprise Balchik (Sokolovo and Trigortsi villages) and State Forest Enterprise Dobrich (Kozloduytsi Village) in northeastern Bulgaria. Water stress during the last growing seasons seems to reduce red oak trees’ resistance and predispose them to be infected with the pathogen B. mediterranea. The disease has caused dieback of infected trees and increased their vulnerability to attacks by xylophagous insect pests.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder, often complicated by comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndromes, and mental health issues. These comorbidities significantly impact the progression of OA and the effectiveness of its management, posing challenges for comprehensive patient care. Objectives: This review examines the relationship between OA and its common comorbidities, focusing on cardiovascular diseases, metabolic conditions, and mood disorders. We also explore the impact of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments in these patients, emphasizing the importance of integrated care strategies. Methods: Data from multiple studies were analyzed to assess the association between OA and comorbid conditions. The studies examined mortality risk, cardiovascular incidents, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, and mood disorders, while considering the effects of various OA treatment modalities, particularly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Results: Cardiovascular comorbidities, including coronary heart disease, are significantly linked to OA, with functional limitations such as impaired mobility being major contributors to increased cardiovascular risks and mortality. NSAIDs, commonly prescribed for OA, present substantial cardiovascular and renal risks, complicating their use in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions. Metabolic comorbidities, particularly obesity and diabetes, are highly prevalent in OA patients and are associated with reduced quality of life and exacerbation of OA symptoms. Furthermore, mood disorders like depression and anxiety are common among OA patients, leading to a vicious cycle of pain and psychological distress that worsens functional outcomes. Conclusions: OA is closely related to various comorbidities, necessitating a holistic, multimodal approach to treatment. Beyond pharmacologic interventions, lifestyle changes, psychosocial support, and careful management of comorbid conditions are essential for improving outcomes in OA patients.

Chokeberry pomace, rich in polyphenolic compounds, holds potential to be a valuable feed additive for enhancing the antioxidative capacity and overall quality of milk. This study explores the impact of dietary inclusion of chokeberry pomace on oxidative stress parameters and other milk quality parameters in high-producing dairy goats.

Abstract Zic family member ZIC4 is a transcription factor that has been shown to be silenced in several cancers. However, understanding the regulation and function of ZIC4 in pediatric choroid plexus tumors (CPTs) remained limited. This study employed data mining and bioinformatics analysis to investigate the DNA methylation status of ZIC4 in CPTs and its correlation with patient survival. Our results unveiled ZIC4 methylation as a segregating factor, dividing CPT cohorts into two clusters, with hyper-methylation linked to adverse prognosis. Hyper-methylation of ZIC4 was confirmed in a choroid plexus carcinoma-derived cell line (CCHE-45) by bisulfite sequencing. Furthermore, our study demonstrated that demethylating agent and a histone methyltransferase inhibitor could reverse ZIC4 silencing. RNA sequencing and proteomic analysis showed that ZIC4 over-expression influenced genes and proteins involved in immune response, antigen processing and presentation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and metabolism. Functionally, re-expressing ZIC4 negatively impacted cell proliferation and migration. Ultimately, these findings underscore ZIC4 hyper-methylation as a prognostic marker in CPTs and shed light on potential mechanisms underlying its tumor suppressor role in CPC. This insight paves the way for novel therapeutic targets in treating aggressive CPTs.

This study describes a new species, Nanopsocus ajabu n. sp., discovered on Unguja Island, Zanzibar. The species exhibits unique morphological characteristics and complex colour patterns. Material was collected and examined following standard protocols, with specimen deposited at the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia, Bulgaria. An identification key for all known Nanopsocus species is provided.

Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a pneumonia with extremely heterogeneous clinical presentation, ranging from asymptomatic to severely ill patients. Previous studies have reported links between the presence of host genetic variants and the outcome of the COVID-19 infection. In our study, we used whole exome sequencing in a cohort of 444 SARS-CoV-2 patients, admitted to hospital in the period October-2020–April-2022, to search for associations between rare pathogenic/potentially pathogenic variants and COVID-19 progression. We used gene prioritization-based analysis in genes that have been reported by host genetic studies. Although we did not identify correlation between the presence of rare pathogenic variants and COVID-19 outcome, in critically ill patients we detected known mutations in a number of genes associated with severe disease related to cardiovascular disease, primary ciliary dyskinesia, cystic fibrosis, DNA damage repair response, coagulation, primary immune disorder, hemoglobin subunit β, and others. Additionally, we report 93 novel pathogenic variants found in severely infected patients who required intubation or died. A network analysis showed main component, consisting of 13 highly interconnected genes related to epithelial cilium. In conclusion, we have detected rare pathogenic host variants that may have influenced the COVID-19 outcome in Bulgarian patients.