Search

Bats are known to inhabit both caves and open space areas. Bulgaria is among the Еuropean countries with the highest number of bat species. The species found in the country are distributed over a wide area. They range from the Pyrenees and the British Isles to the Pacific region and the Far East. Many bat species are carriers of potential human pathogens. Bats play an important role in agriculture and act as a biological pest crop control agent. Bulgarian bat ecosystem comprises temperate climate and a wide range of abiotic factors, including humidity, darkness, sunlight, and temperature variations. The metabolism of bats and their body temperature vary significantly between the period of activity and the hibernation. Fluctuations in body temperature can potentially impact host microbiome biodiversity. Temperature variations may induce a high level of microbial mutagenesis. Additionally,the existence in large, mixed-species colonies, togeteher with a relatively long individual lifespan (4 – 16 years) and extensive travel distances, enhances the likelihood of encountering multiple pathogens in a single host organism. This, in turn, facilitates genetic variations and re-combinations among those microbial pathogens, thereby raising their potential to breach species barriers. In this review, we summarized and analyzed the available scientific information concerning the potential microbial human pathogens associated with bats, alongside with our preliminary data on the biodiversity of bats blood microbiome. Future research should focus on bats as both pathogens carriers and dynamic models for predicting emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases.

Background. Oxidative stress and inflammation are closely related pathophysiological processes, both occurring in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition to the standard treatment of T2DM, a potential strategy has been focused on the use of bile acids (BAs) as an additional treatment. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), as the first BA used in humans, improves glucose and lipid metabolism and attenuates oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential metabolic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative effects of UDCA in patients with T2DM. Methods. This prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study included 60 patients with T2DM, randomly allocated to receive UDCA or placebo. Subjects were treated with 500 mg tablets of UDCA or placebo administered three times per day (total dose of 1500 mg/day) for eight weeks. Two study visits, at the beginning (F0) and at the end (F1) of the study, included the interview, anthropometric and clinical measurements, and biochemical analyses. Results. UDCA treatment showed a significant reduction in body mass index (p=0.024) and in diastolic blood pressure (p=0.033), compared to placebo. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference in waist circumference in the UDCA group before and after treatment (p

The use of antioxidants could thus prove an effective medication to prevent or facilitate recovery from oxidative stress-induced sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). One promising strategy to prevent SNHL is developing probucol (PB)-based nanoparticles using encapsulation technology and administering them to the inner ear via the established intratympanic route. The preclinical, clinical and epidemiological studies support that PB is a proven antioxidant that could effectively prevent oxidative stress in different study models. Such findings suggest its applicability in preventing oxidative stress within the inner ear and its associated neural cells. However, several hurdles, such as overcoming the blood-labyrinth barrier, ensuring sustained release, minimising systemic side effects and optimising targeted delivery in the intricate inner ear structures, must be overcome to efficiently deliver PB to the inner ear. This review explores the background and pathogenesis of hearing loss, the potential of PB in treating oxidative stress and its cellular mechanisms, and the obstacles linked to inner ear drug delivery for effectively introducing PB to the inner ear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The influence of different factors on balance in adolescence is assessed by conducting functional balance tests that examine its different components. (2) Materials and methods: The study sample comprised 110 healthy adolescents of both sexes, aged 12–18 years. Single Leg Stance with Eyes Open (SLS-EO) and Eyes Closed (SLS-EC) tests were conducted to evaluate static balance, whereas the Functional Reach Test (FRT) and Lateral Reach Test (LRT) were performed to establish functional stability limits. The influence of sex, age, demographic factors, anthropometric characteristics, participation in sports activities, and trunk extensor muscle endurance (Biering–Sorensen test) on balance performance was determined through correlational and univariate linear regression analyses. (3) Results: Older age (Beta [β] = 0.247; 95% CI [0.75, 5.20]; p < 0.01) and better trunk extensor muscle endurance (β = 0.224; 95% CI [0.015, 0.13]; p < 0.05) were significant predictors of the SLS-EO results, while younger age (β = −0.219; 95% CI [−1.32, −0.11]; p < 0.05) and higher muscle percentage (β = 0.237; 95% CI [0.06, 0.48]; p < 0.05) emerged as significant predictors of LRT performance, and greater bone mass was a significant predictor of FRT results (β = 0.444; 95% CI [3.62, 8.17]; p < 0.01). However, none of the independent variables was a statistically significant predictor of the SLS-EC results. (4) Conclusions: The current study found that age, trunk extensor muscle endurance, muscle percentage, and bone mass are significant predictors of different balance components, suggesting that balance is task-specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Infections caused by parasites still represent an important global health problem. Although parasitic infections are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in developing countries, they are also prevalent in developed countries. This study aims to establish the dynamics of the parasitic infections registered in the country (local and imported) and to analyze the situation, based on data from the previous years. METHODS: We used the annual reports of regional health inspectorates, diagnostic laboratories, medical universities, and data from the National center of infectious and parasitic diseases about all individuals infected with parasitic diseases in the country. RESULTS: A total of 635,522 persons were examined in 2022, of whom 1.82% were diagnosed with various parasitic infections. In the local helminthic zoonoses such as echinococcosis and trichinellosis, a significant decrease in morbidity was observed,1.3%₀₀₀ (n = 89) for cystic echinococcosis and 0.16%₀₀₀ (n = 9) for trichinellosis. For soil-transmitted helminthiases (ascariasis and trichuriasis), the incidence was 6.7%₀₀₀ and 0.5%₀₀₀, respectively. Data on enterobiasis does not show any particular dynamics in 2022 either. The registered prevalence for the country was 1.48%, and for children from various childcare facilities - 2.45%. During the year, seven cases of vector-borne parasitic diseases were registered in the country: imported malaria was diagnosed in 5 patients (4 Bulgarian citizens and one foreigner), and autochthonous visceral leishmaniasis - in two persons. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis shows that, in spite of a trend of declining morbidityfor some socially significant protozoan and helminth infections, human parasitic diseases still represent a significant problem with social and medical consequences for the population of our country. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve and strengthen the surveillance and control network by including new personnel in the medical parasitology structures.

(1) Background: The influence of different factors on balance in adolescence is assessed by conducting functional balance tests that examine its different components. (2) Materials and methods: The study sample comprised 110 healthy adolescents of both sexes, aged 12–18 years. Single Leg Stance with Eyes Open (SLS-EO) and Eyes Closed (SLS-EC) tests were conducted to evaluate static balance, whereas the Functional Reach Test (FRT) and Lateral Reach Test (LRT) were performed to establish functional stability limits. The influence of sex, age, demographic factors, anthropometric characteristics, participation in sports activities, and trunk extensor muscle endurance (Biering–Sorensen test) on balance performance was determined through correlational and univariate linear regression analyses. (3) Results: Older age (Beta [β] = 0.247; 95% CI [0.75, 5.20]; p < 0.01) and better trunk extensor muscle endurance (β = 0.224; 95% CI [0.015, 0.13]; p < 0.05) were significant predictors of the SLS-EO results, while younger age (β = −0.219; 95% CI [−1.32, −0.11]; p < 0.05) and higher muscle percentage (β = 0.237; 95% CI [0.06, 0.48]; p < 0.05) emerged as significant predictors of LRT performance, and greater bone mass was a significant predictor of FRT results (β = 0.444; 95% CI [3.62, 8.17]; p < 0.01). However, none of the independent variables was a statistically significant predictor of the SLS-EC results. (4) Conclusions: The current study found that age, trunk extensor muscle endurance, muscle percentage, and bone mass are significant predictors of different balance components, suggesting that balance is task-specific.