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The problem of cultural transformations or transference remains a relevant object of research in film discourse. Of particular interest is the study of the representation of cultural concepts in films. It is noted that the film text is a complex linguistic product that can undergo primary, secondary and more transformations through comprehension by representatives of different cultures. There are many recipients have an opportunity for seeing a product of mass culture, therefore filmtext can also generate cultural transfers. There is a special position in the scheme of cultural transfer in the filmtext is occupied by the translator in the status of an intermediary and interpreter of culturally significant components of the original, responsible for the availability and maximally equivalent perception of information. This article examines the stages of cultural transfer and their influence on the final filmtext for the Russian viewer (final recipient); a classification and comparison of linguistic and cultural concepts are carried out based on the material of the films “Mulan” produced by Walt Disney Pictures (2020) and “Hua Mulan” (花木兰) produced by Beijing Film Company (PRC, 2019). The authors came to conclusion that the linguistic and cultural concepts selected in the course of the study have undergone several stages of cultural transformations during the transfer, contain “imprints” of this culture and therefore may not be understood by the final recipient.

IntroductionUniversal screening for the detection of group B streptococcus (GBS) colonization in pregnant women was recently introduced in Slovenia. The aim of our study was to determine whether self-collection of rectovaginal swabs is a valid alternative to collection by healthcare workers (HCWs).MethodsA prospective, multicenter study was conducted between June and November 2023. A total of 227 pregnant women (aged 20 to 44 years) from the University Medical Center Ljubljana (n = 136), the Novo mesto Community Health Center (n = 48) and the Trebnje Community Health Center (n = 43) were included. Two swabs were taken: swab A by the HCWs using standard semi-solid Amies transport medium (Meus; current standard) and swab B by the pregnant woman following visual instructions using a commercial LIM Broth (Copan). Swabs were inoculated onto ChromID Strepto B (STRB) agars directly and after overnight enrichment in LIM broth. The NeuMoDx GBS assay was performed from the enrichment broth. A self-assessment questionnaire was completed after sampling. Performance characteristics were calculated and compared between different diagnostics test algorithms using McNemar’s test for paired samples.ResultsOverall, GBS was detected in 18% (95% CI 13–23%; n = 40) of swabs A and 19% (95% CI 14–25%; n = 43) of swabs B. PCR was superior in both groups. In the group of swabs collected by HCWs, 4 (40 vs. 36; 11.1% difference; p = 0.046) and 3 (40 vs. 37; 8.1% difference; p = 0.083) additional positives were detected with PCR compared to direct and enrichment culture, respectively; in the group of self-collected swabs, 4 (43 vs. 39; 10.3% difference; p = 0.046) and 6 (43 vs. 36; 16.2% difference; p = 0.014) additional positives were detected with PCR compared to direct and enrichment culture, respectively. Self-collection showed a trend towards a higher diagnostic yield. PCR after enrichment from self-collected samples was found to be the most sensitive method overall. 58.5% (n = 124/212; 95% CI 52–65%) of women would prefer the swabs taken by HCWs.DiscussionSelf-collection of rectovaginal swabs during pregnancy is a good alternative to HCW-collected swabs. PCR from enrichment broth was better for the detection of GBS compared to enrichment culture. Majority of women preferred swabs taken by HCWs.

U ovome je radu opisano određivanje parametara posmične čvrstoće pijeska uređajem za prstenasto smicanje (RSA). Prikazan je koncept, građa uređaja i postupak ispitivanja u uređaju, te opis uzorka tla. Ispitivanja su provedena na uzorcima jednolično graduiranog pijeska u dreniranim uvjetima pri normalnim efektivnim naprezanjima u rasponu od 32 do 200 kPa. U obzir je također uzet otpor brtve unutar samog uređaja. U sklopu ispitivanja izvršena je konsolidacija, a kasnije je uzorak smican uz povratni pritisak i konstantni prirast posmičnog pomaka. Na temelju rezultata ispitivanja utvrđeni su vršni i rezidualni parametri Mohr- Columbovog kriterija čvrstoće pijeska.

This study mainly aims to validate the framework of the entrepreneurship ecosystem of science and technology parks in Iran. The purpose of this study is to improve the infrastructures and achieve the vision of the science and technology parks, managing and directing the interactions among different factors involved for creating sustainable value, entrepreneurial opportunities and business scalability. In terms of purpose, the current research is applied and has a descriptive approach of the correlational type, with a qualitative strategy of a sequential exploratory type. The statistical sample in the qualitative section was purposeful and theoretical in the form of interviews with 15 experts in the field of entrepreneurship and science and technology parks in Iran. In the quantitative part, 181 managers of parks and technology units, and other key people involved in this ecosystem participated. The reliability and validity of the researcher-made questionnaire was measured using Cronbach’s alpha and the average extracted variance were above 0.845 and 0.604, respectively. The findings show that causal factors (characteristics of local structures, entrepreneurship policies and local entrepreneurship indicators), contextual factors (financial, human resources, physical and intangible infrastructure, capacity building, promotion, enablers) and intervening factors (adaptability, tension removal, resilience) predict 0.487, 0.541 and 0.634 of changes in strategies (interactions within and outside the ecosystem), respectively. The axial category predicts 0.798 of changes in strategies. Strategies also predict 0.782 of changes in outcomes (wealth creation, workforce, and businesses). The science and technology parks are suggested to consider the aforementioned

Abstract Various active materials exhibit strong spatio-temporal variability of their orientational order known as active turbulence, characterised by irregular and chaotic motion of topological defects, including colloidal suspensions, biofilaments, and bacterial colonies.In particular in three dimensions, it has not yet been explored how active turbulence responds to changes in material parameters and chirality.Here, we present a numerical study of three-dimensional (3D) active nematic turbulence, examining the influence of main material constants: (i) the flow-alignment viscosity, (ii) the magnitude and anisotropy of elastic deformation modes (elastic constants), and (iii) the chirality. Specifically, this main parameter space covers contractile or extensile, flow-aligning or flow tumbling, chiral or achiral elastically anisotropic active nematic fluids. The results are presented using time- and space-averaged fields of defect density and mean square velocity. The results also discuss defect density and mean square velocity as possible effective order parameters in chiral active nematics, distinguishing two chiral nematic states—active nematic blue phase and chiral active turbulence. This research contributes to the understanding of active turbulence, providing a numerical main phase space parameter sweep to help guide future experimental design and use of active materials.

BackgroundCongenital erythrocytosis (CE) is increasingly recognized as the cause of erythrocytosis in patients in whom polycythemia vera and secondary acquired causes have been excluded. The aim of our study was to determine possible genetic background in patients with idiopathic erythrocytosis.Methods40 patients with idiopathic erythrocytosis, referred to our institution in a 5-year period, were analyzed. We collected data on erythropoietin (Epo) levels, hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Hct), erythrocyte count, age, gender, past thrombotic events, concomitant diseases, and smoking status. CE was tested using next-generation sequencing (NGS), in the majority of patients also measurement of P50 and Hgb electrophoresis were performed. Patients with signs of iron overload were tested for genetic variants in the HFE gene.ResultsThe median patient age at analysis was 46.5 years (range 22–73), with 37 out of 40 being males (93 %). The median Hgb, Hct and red blood cells count were 180 g/L, 0.51, 5.985 x 1012/L in men and 171 g/L, 0.50 and 5.68 x 1012/L in women, respectively. Epo levels were decreased in three, increased in one patient and within the normal range in the rest (median 7.55 mIU/mL; range 2.90–19.50). Eight patients (20 %) smoked. 32 (80 %) were treated with low-dose aspirin, and 20 (50 %) underwent at least one phlebotomy. Thromboembolic events were recorded in 2 patients (5 %). P50 was measured in 20 out of 40 patients, and it was above 24 mm Hg (3.12 kPa) in all of them. Hemoglobin electrophoresis was performed in 73 % of patients, with no abnormal Hgb detected. Variants in the HFE gene were found in 8 out of 40 patients (20 %), but in only one patient the results were associated with an increased risk for hemochromatosis. Although no pathogenic variants for CE were detected by NGS, two variants of uncertain significance, namely EGLN1 (NM_022051.2):c.1072C>T (p.(Pro358Ser)) and EGLN1 (NM_022051.2):c.1124A>G (p.(Glu375Gly)) were identified as strong etiologic candidates.ConclusionCE is an extremely rare condition. Genetic testing is advised in young individuals with a long-standing persistent erythrocytosis, possibly with a family history and after exclusion of more frequent secondary causes and polycytemia vera.

Introduction The study of science and technology parks literature shows that approaches based on regional economy, technological and industrial clusters, and innovation systems are the basis for creating science and technology parks. The main idea of the formation of science and technology parks is to develop technology and entrepreneurship and promote innovation culture through managing the flow of knowledge and technology between universities, research institutes and private companies and the market. In the past years, many policymakers, academics and company managers have increasingly recognized the benefits of regional entrepreneurial ecosystems. Accordingly, the concept of entrepreneurial ecosystem means thinking and action have been used to design entrepreneurial policies. Examining the research reports indicates that a small number of technological businesses enjoy parking services in the life cycle of the company, which is caused by two categories of factors, the first includes the macro issues, such as reduction of government budgets, lack of management efficient systems, sanctions and bottlenecks in international communication, lack of participation of the private sector, and the second includes lack of experience of the park headquarters in managing technology and innovation, crisis management and solving upcoming challenges, and issues such as managing interactions, resilience and sustainability of businesses. Hence, the purpose of this research is to provide a framework for evaluating the entrepreneurial ecosystem of science and technology parks, because according to the experiences gained, providing the framework prevents the partiality and insularity of science and technology parks in drafting programs to support entrepreneurial processes and minimizes parallel work and waste of resources. Methodology The research is qualitative and based on systematic grounded theory. The data of the research was collected through semi-structured interviews including 15 experts in the field of entrepreneurship and science and technology parks of the country until reaching theoretical saturation and purposeful sampling was done by theoretical and snowball method. The statistical population of this research consists of experts related to the field of research. Sampling is also purposeful and in the form of snowballs. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Furthermore, results evaluation criteria are as follows: 1. Matching, 2. Ability to understand, 3. Ability to generalize, 4. Control, 5- Practical relevance, 6- Efficiency, and 7- Modifyability. For determining the overall validity of the model in this research, the ratio test wass used to measure the validity of the ground theory. Results and Discussion Data analysis was also done with the Strauss and Corbin approach in three stages of open, axial and selective coding. The result showed that causal-conditions (characteristics of ecosystem place structures, entrepreneurship policies and ecosystem place entrepreneurship indicators), contextual-conditions (financial, human, physical and intangible infrastructure, capacity building, promotion, enablers), Intervening-conditions (adaptability, elimination of tension, resilience), strategies (inside- and outside- entrepreneurial ecosystem interactions), outcomes (wealth creation, workforce, businesses), pivotal include, evaluation the entrepreneurial ecosystem of science and technology parks (with indicators of support, mediation, technical opportunism, and help for explotation of opportunity). Conclusion Unfortunately, science and technology parks rarely evaluate the entrepreneurial ecosystem created by themselves and only rely on performance evaluation results. A short-term solution in this field is to sensitize the officials of the parks and the Ministry of Science to the issue of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, so that they consider the evaluation of the entrepreneurial ecosystem along with the evaluation of the park’s performance, because the most important task of the park is streamlining and creating stable connections to carry out its missions. Considering the financial constraints and the threatening environmental conditions of the country, the best strategy is to use the capabilities of the ecosystems in a win-win relationship to advance the park’s goals.The proposed framework can be used as a basis for evaluation the establishment or development of entrepreneurial ecosystem of science and technology parks. To this end, the following suggestions are presented: 1. It is suggested that in future research, the framework presented in this research should be used to evaluate the entrepreneurial ecosystem of other Science and Technology Parks of the Ministry of Science across the country with a wider population and statistical sample and compare the results with these results. 2. It is suggested to conduct comparative studies to take advantage of the situation of other countries in evaluating the entrepreneurial ecosystem of science and technology parks in the world. 3. It is suggested that the evaluation framework of the entrepreneurship ecosystem of science and technology parks related to executive bodies and specialized parks be designed and its results be compared with this research

Background/Objectives: Lactoferrin (Lf), a multifunctional iron-binding protein, has considerable potential for use as an active ingredient in food supplements due to its numerous positive effects on health. As Lf is prone to degradation, we aimed to develop a formulation that would ensure sufficient stability of Lf in the gastrointestinal tract and during product storage. Methods: A simple, efficient, and well-established technology that has potential for industrial production was used for the double-coating of neutral pellet cores with an Lf layer and a protective enteric coating. Results: The encapsulation efficiency was 85%, which is among the highest compared to other reported Lf formulations. The results of the dissolution tests performed indicated effective protection of Lf from gastric digestion. A comprehensive stability study showed that the stability was similar regardless of the neutral pellet core used, while a significant influence of temperature, moisture, product composition, and packaging on the stability of Lf were observed, and were therefore considered in the development of the final product. The experimentally determined shelf life is extended from 15 to almost 30 months if the product is stored in a refrigerator instead of at room temperature, which ensures the commercial applicability of the product. Conclusion: We successfully transferred a technology commonly used for small molecules to a protein-containing product, effectively protected it from the destructive effects of gastric juice, and achieved an acceptable shelf life.

V prispevku predstavljamo prvi vpogled v gostiteljske rastline travniškega postavneža (Euphydryas aurinia) na Ljubljanskem barju in podajamo pregled razširjenosti vrste v tem območju. V območju sta prisotni dve populaciji travniškega postavneža, in sicer v Dolini Drage pri Igu in v dolini potoka Strajanov breg. Glavna gostiteljska rastlina travniškega postavneža na Ljubljanskem barju je travniška izjevka (Succisa pratensis), preadultni stadiji pa so bili najdeni tudi na svilničevolistnem svišču (Gentiana asclepiadea) in navadnem objedu (Succisella inflexa). Z večanjem nabora različnih vrst gostiteljskih rastlin se povečuje verjetnost dolgoročnega preživetja vrste, poznavanje lokalne ekologije razvojnih stadijev pa je ključno za učinkovito načrtovanje upravljanja z življenjskim prostorom te vrste.

IntroductionColorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as the third most prevalent malignancy globally, with a concerning rise in incidence among young adults. Despite progress in understanding genetic predispositions and lifestyle risk factors, the intricate molecular mechanisms of CRC demand exploration. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) emerge as key regulators of gene expression and their deregulation in tumor cells play pivotal roles in cancer progression.MethodsNanoString's nCounter technology was utilized to measure the expression of 827 cancer-related miRNAs in tumor tissue and adjacent non-involved normal colon tissue from five patients with locoregional CRC progression. These expression profiles were then compared to those from the primary colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) cohort in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).Results and discussionIntriguingly, 156 miRNAs showed a contrasting dysregulation pattern in reccurent tumor compared to their expression in the TCGA COAD cohort. This observation implies dynamic alterations in miRNA expression patterns throughout disease progression. Our exploratory study contributes to understanding the regulatory landscape of recurrent CRC, emphasizing the role of miRNAs in disease relapse. Notable findings include the prominence of let-7 miRNA family, dysregulation of key target genes, and dynamic changes in miRNA expression patterns during progression. Univariate Cox proportional hazard models highlighted miRNAs associated with adverse outcomes and potential protective factors. The study underscores the need for more extensive investigations into miRNA dynamics during tumor progression and the value of stage specific biomarkers for prognosis.

Micellar structures from medicinal mushrooms are self-growing, fibrous, polymeric structures that can be successfully functionalized with various bioactive substances. Moreover, micellar structures can successfully mimic the extracellular matrix of human body tissues. Therefore, they can be used as novel biomaterials in tissue engineering and wound healing. On the other hand, fruit by-products, such as mango peels, are mainly discarded but represent a renewable source from which products with exceptional added value can be obtained. The aim of our study was to determine the antimicrobial properties of functionalized micellar structures obtained from medicinal mushrooms such as Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus ostreatus. The adsorption method was used to functionalize the micellar structures with natural mango peel extract (MPE) obtained by an ultrasound-assisted extraction method. In addition, the antimicrobial activity of the functionalized micellar structures was validated using a disk diffusion method. The results of our study show a successful functionalization of micellar structures with natural MPE with a loading efficiency of up to 50-60% and a release rate of 73-96%. Moreover, the antimicrobial properties of the micellar structures from the two selected medicinal mushrooms were successfully determined against the tested pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, mycelium-based functional materials represent promising bio-composite materials, especially for biomedical applications.

Collagen is a popular nutricosmetic ingredient in food supplements due to its anti-aging and other positive effects on the skin. Due to its widespread use and the lack of regulation in this area, appropriate quality control is required to ensure efficacy and safety, with the development of analytical methods playing an important role. Currently, the quantitative determination of collagen is mainly based on time-consuming derivatization-based spectroscopic methods or on complex chromatographic methods with mass spectrometric detection. Therefore, in this study, two new, simple chromatographic methods have been developed. One is intended for the analysis of untreated samples and is characterized by the speed and simplicity of sample preparation. The other method quantifies collagen via the underivatized tripeptide Gly-Pro-Hyp formed by bacterial collagenase hydrolysis and is characterized by its specificity and ability to distinguish between marine and terrestrial collagen. The latter is a novelty in the field of simple methods for collagen analysis and is particularly important in terms of safety. Our comparison with established analytical methods (e.g., via hydroxyproline after complete hydrolysis) for collagen analysis undoubtedly showed the superiority of these new methods for the routine quality control of collagen supplements in terms of specificity, repeatability, sample stability, and simplification in sample preparation. The collagen content in the supplements tested was found to be adequate; however, some discrepancies were found regarding the labeling and origin of the collagen, with possible safety implications.

In recent years, oncolytic viruses have emerged as promising agents for treating various cancers. An oncolytic virus is a non-pathogenic virus that, due to genetic manipulation, tends to replicate in and cause lysis of cancerous cells while leaving healthy cells unaffected. Among these viruses, vaccinia virus is an attractive platform for use as an oncolytic platform due to its 190 Kb genome with a high capacity for encoding therapeutic payloads. Combining oncolytic VV therapy with other conventional cancer treatments has been shown to be synergistic and more effective than monotherapies. Additionally, OVV can be used as a vector to deliver therapeutic payloads, alone or in combination with other treatments, to increase overall efficacy. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of preclinical and clinical studies that have evaluated the efficacy of oncolytic vaccinia viruses in cancer immunotherapy. We discuss the outcomes of these studies, including tumor regression rates, overall survival benefits, and long-term responses. Moreover, we provide insights into the challenges and limitations associated with oncolytic vaccinia virus- based therapies, including immune evasion mechanisms, potential toxicities, and the development of resistance.

Since various bioactive substances are unstable and can degrade in the gastrointestinal tract, their stabilization is crucial. This study aimed to encapsulate mango peel extract (MPE) into edible alginate beads using the ionotropic gelation method for the potential oral delivery of bioactive substances. Mango peels, generally discarded and environmentally harmful, are rich in health-promoting bioactive substances. The alginate beads were examined for entrapment efficiency, particle size, morphology, thermal stability, physiochemical interactions, release profile under gastrointestinal conditions, and antibacterial efficacy. The study demonstrated the successful encapsulation of MPE with an efficiency of 63.1%. The in vitro release study showed the stability of the alginate beads in simulated gastric fluid with a maximum release of 45.0%, and sustained, almost complete release (99.4%) in simulated intestinal fluid, indicating successful absorption into the human body. In both fluids, the MPE release followed first-order kinetics. Encapsulation successfully maintained the antibacterial properties of MPE, with significant inhibitory activity against pathogenic intestinal bacteria. This is the first study on MPE encapsulation in alginate beads, presenting a promising oral delivery system for high-added-value applications in the food industry for dietary supplements, functional foods, or food additives. Their production is sustainable and economical, utilizing waste material and reducing environmental pollution.

Key Clinical Message Mycosis fungoides is a diagnostic challenge. Herein, we report a case with marked lichenoid features in pathology assessments. After several biopsies and clinicopathologic correlation, the diagnosis of lichenoid mycosis fungoides was made. Abstract Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a great imitator and mimicks other dermatoses clinically and histopathologically. We report a 61‐year‐old patient with 5‐year history of generalized violaceous patches and plaques. His biopsy revealed a marked lichenoid band‐like infiltrate of inflammatory cells along the basal layer with basal layer vacuolar changes; the diagnosis of lichen planus was first made histopathologically. Several biopsy specimens, clinicopathologic correlation, and immunohistochemistry findings confirmed the diagnosis of lichenoid MF. Awareness of peculiar histopathologic findings of MF is essential to avoid a potential misdiagnosis. When in doubt, multiple biopsies with other diagnostic methods should be employed.

Abstract The large coding potential of vaccinia virus (VV) vectors is a defining feature. However, limited regulatory switches are available to control viral replication as well as timing and dosing of transgene expression in order to facilitate safe and efficacious payload delivery. Herein, we adapt drug-controlled gene switches to enable control of virally encoded transgene expression, including systems controlled by the FDA-approved rapamycin and doxycycline. Using ribosome profiling to characterize viral promoter strength, we rationally design fusions of the operator element of different drug-inducible systems with VV promoters to produce synthetic promoters yielding robust inducible expression with undetectable baseline levels. We also generate chimeric synthetic promoters facilitating additional regulatory layers for VV-encoded synthetic transgene networks. The switches are applied to enable inducible expression of fusogenic proteins, dose-controlled delivery of toxic cytokines, and chemical regulation of VV replication. This toolbox enables the precise modulation of transgene circuitry in VV-vectored oncolytic virus design.

Nano-scale lipid vesicles or liposomes are extremely important lipid particles because of their unique properties and possible incorporation of various biologically active substances into their interior. Therefore, they can be used for numerous biomedical applications. Liposomes have the ability to protect incorporated bioactive substances, thereby preserving their function. They have a significant advantage over various nanoparticles, as they can bind and transfer hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and amphiphilic compounds. The aim of the study was the synthesis of liposomes, suitable for the potential encapsulation of active ingredients for pharmaceutical and clinical purposes. Liposomes were prepared using a thin lipid film hydration method with glass beads. The synthesized liposomes were characterized by measuring the zeta potential to determine their stability, polydispersity index, and particle size. Furthermore, the biologically active ingredient gallic acid (GA) was incorporated into the lipid vesicles at different concentrations. The encapsulation efficiency of the active ingredient GA in liposomes and the in vitro release of the encapsulated bioactive component were studied using the dialysis technique. Synthesized nano-scale lipid vesicles were found to be stable, with an average size of 181.5 nm. The highest encapsulation efficiency (98.3%) and the highest percentage of released bioactive substance (38.3%) were obtained at 0.1 mg/mL of GA. GA-incorporated nano-scale lipid vesicles are promising as suitable carriers of bioactive ingredients for various therapeutic purposes.

Trichothiodystrophy (TTD) is a rare multisystem disorder with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. TTD presentations vary from only hair abnormalities like brittle, fragile hair to physical and mental retardation. Mutations of DNA repair genes have been identified as responsible for the disease. A 5-year-old boy presented with sparse, short, and brittle hair to our clinic. He was born to consanguineous parents. Trichoscopy and light microscopy revealed broken hairs with no specific shaft defect. Due to the inaccessibility of the polarized microscopy, a bedside technique was employed. We used a polarized dermatoscope and a mirror in order of achieving transillumination of the hair shafts, which revealed striking bright and dark bands. These bands are referred to as “tiger tail,” which is the pathognomonic sign of TTD. Subsequent polarizing microscopy also confirmed the clinical diagnosis. This highlighted a feasible method for observing the tiger tail, which expanded the known clinical diagnostic tools of TTD.

Plant waste materials are important sources of bioactive compounds with remarkable health-promoting benefits. In particular, industrial by-products such as mango peels are sustainable sources of bioactive substances, with antioxidant, enzymatic, and antimicrobial activity. Appropriate processing is essential to obtain highly bioactive compounds for further use in generating value-added products for the food industry. The objective of the study was to investigate and compare the biological activity of compounds from fresh and dried mango peels obtained by different conventional methods and unconventional extraction methods using supercritical fluids (SFE). The highest total phenolic content (25.0 mg GAE/g DW) and the total content of eight phenolic compounds (829.92 µg/g DW) determined by LC-MS/MS were detected in dried mango peel extract obtained by the Soxhlet process (SE). SFE gave the highest content of proanthocyanidins (0.4 mg PAC/g DW). The ethanolic ultrasonic process (UAE) provided the highest antioxidant activity of the product (82.4%) using DPPH radical scavenging activity and total protein content (2.95 mg protein/g DW). Overall, the dried mango peels were richer in bioactive compounds (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, catechin, and hesperidin/neohesperidin), indicating successful preservation during air drying. Furthermore, outstanding polyphenol oxidase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and lipase activities were detected in mango peel extracts. This is the first study in which remarkable antibacterial activities against the growth of Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) were evaluated by determining the microbial growth inhibition rate after 12 and 24 h incubation periods for mango peel extracts obtained by different methods. Ethanolic SE and UAE extracts from dried mango peels resulted in the lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC90) for all bacterial species tested. Mango peels are remarkable waste products that could contribute to the sustainable development of exceptional products with high-added value for various applications, especially as dietary supplements.

Introduction: The purpose of the research was to analyze the treatment of children during the SARS CoV-2 epidemic in the red zone of of the Pediatric Clinic in Ljubljana. Methods: A quantitative, non-experimental type of research was used. All hospitalized children from October to March 2022 were included. Data were obtained using the Clinical information system. results: 203 children, (113 (55.7%) boys and 90 (44.3%) girls) were included. The majority were aged 6–12 years 58 (26.1%). Most SARS-CoV-2 positive children (93,6%) were hospitalized in the red zone of Admission and Triage Department red zone and 10 (6.4%) in the another departments. The majority were hematological oncology patients (22.7%), and the leastowest number of children was in the field of allergology, rheumatology and clinical immunology 3%. Thirty-nine (19.2%) children received Sotrovimab, 24 (11.8%) Regencov and Remdesevir 12 (5.90%). Discusion: During the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, work at the Pediatric Clinic has fully adapted to ensure safe management of children despite the reduced scope of work. Treatment of children with cancer, newborns, and other children with serious acute or chronically ill children from all over Slovenia were treated without interruption in the red zone of the Pediatric clinic in Ljubljana.

Introduction:Cochlear implants (CI) provides speech perception for patients with sensorineural hearing impairment; nonetheless, listening to music is a daunting challenge for them. The present study aimed to compare Iranian CI users and normal hearing (NH) controls in terms of musical habits and appreciation and investigate the possible effect of background variables.Materials and Methods:A total of 37 CI users who underwent surgery at least 18 months before the study and 59 NH listeners were enrolled in this study. The participants were assigned to two age groups: group A (patients ≥15 years old) and group B (patients

Metode: Uporabili smo kvantitativno, neeksperimentalno metodo raziskave. Vključili smo vse hospitalizirane otroke od oktobra do marca 2022. Podatke smo pridobili iz informacijskega sistema Clinical. rezultati: Analizirali smo 203 otroke (113 (55,7 %) fantov in 90 (44,3 %) deklet). Največ je bilo šolskih otrok 58 (26,1 %), starih 6–12 let. Večina SARS-Cov-2 pozitivnih otrok (93,6 %) je bila sprejeta v rdečo cono, 10 (6,4 %) pa na druge oddelke v kliniki. Največ je bilo hematoonkoloških bolnikov (22,7 %), najmanj pa otrok z boleznimi s področja alergologije, revmatologije in klinične imunologije (3 %). Sotrovimab je prejelo 39 otrok (19,20 %), Regencov 24 (11,8 %) in Remdesevir 12 (5,90 %) otrok. Zaključek: Med epidemijo SARS-CoV-2 smo na Pediatrični kliniki delo v celoti prilagodili, da bi bolnim otrokom zagotovili varno obravnavo tudi ob omejenem obsegu dela. V rdeči coni Pediatrične klinike je nemoteno potekalo zdravljenje otrok z rakom, novorojenčkov ter drugih težje kronično ali akutno bolnih otrok iz vse Slovenije z okužbo s SARS-Cov-2.

Abstract Background The possibility of the emergence of new pandemics necessitates further research into using simple strategies to promote social distancing behaviors in public. Most of the current evidence on effectiveness of physical distancing interventions is based on self-report and measure of intention which will not necessarily predict actual behavior. Methods A field experimental study was conducted in the subway stations of Shiraz, Southern Iran. The interventions were based on intuitions from protection motivation theory and consisted of using environmental nudges to notify the passengers of the pandemic situation (threat appeal) and a verbal advice on keeping a safe physical distance as an effective method of protection against COVID-19 (coping message). Average physical distancing was estimated as the number of steps between two consecutive passengers and was compared between interventions (n = 1045) and the control (n = 855) groups. Results A total of 1900 people riding on subway escalators were directly observed during two intervention conditions and the control condition. Under either threat or coping-based interventions, passengers were two times more likely (OR 2.0, 95%CI 1.5–2.7, P

We present two cases of transmission of a pancreatic adenocarcinoma from a single donor to two kidney transplant recipients. Autopsy of the donor revealed a pancreatic adenocarcinoma that had already spread locally to the regional lymph nodes and had not been detected at the time of organ procurement. Both recipients were carefully monitored, as neither consented to graft nephrectomy. In one patient, the tumor was discovered on surveillance biopsy of the graft approximately 14 months after transplantation, and in the second patient, ultrasound-guided aspiration needle biopsy of a growing formation in the lower pole of the graft revealed poorly differentiated metastatic adenocarcinoma. Both patients were successfully treated with graft nephrectomy and complete discontinuation of immunosuppression. None of the follow-up imaging showed persistent or recurrent malignancy, and both patients were candidates for re-transplantation. These exceptional cases of donor-derived pancreatic adenocarcinoma suggest that removal of the donor organ and restoration of immunity may lead to complete recovery.

IntroductionFor people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) the challenge of increasing daily physical activity (PA) is compounded by the increased risks of hypoglycemia and glucose variability. Little information exists on the lived experience of overcoming these barriers and adopting and maintaining an active lifestyle while living with T1D.Research Design and MethodsWe conducted a patient-led qualitative study consisting of semi-structured interviews or focus groups with 22 individuals at least 16 years old living with T1D. We used existing patient co-researcher networks and snowball sampling to obtain a sample of individuals who reported being regularly physically active and had been diagnosed with T1D for at least one year. We used an interpretive description analysis to generate themes and strategies associated with maintaining an active lifestyle while living with T1D. We involved patient co-researchers in study design, data collection, and interpretation.Results14 self-identified women and 8 self-identified men (ages 19-62, median age 32 years) completed the study, led by either a researcher, or a patient co-researcher and research assistant regarding their strategies for maintaining an active lifestyle. We identified five themes that facilitate regular sustained PA: (1) Structure and organization are important to adopt safe PA in daily life “I can’t do spontaneous exercise. I actually need a couple hours of warning minimum”; (2) Trial and error to learn how their body responds to PA and food “Once you put the time and effort into learning, you will have greater success”; (3) Psychosocial aspects of PA “…because it’s not just your body, it’s your soul, it’s your mind that exercise is for”; (4) Diabetes technology and (5) Education and peer support. Strategies to overcome barriers included (1) Technology; (2) Integrating psychosocial facilitators; (3) Insulin and carbohydrate adjustments; and (4) Planning for exercise.ConclusionsLiving an active lifestyle with T1D is facilitated by dedicated structure and organization of routines, accepting the need for trial and error to understand the personalized glycemic responses to PA and careful use of food to prevent hypoglycemia. These themes could inform clinical practice guidelines or future trials that include PA interventions.

Abstract We present a case of a 66‐year‐old male with a history of two previous diagnoses of myocardial infarction, followed by drug‐eluting stent implantation. During the check‐up, he complained of dyspnea, fatigue, and dizziness. Echocardiography revealed a massive left ventricular pseudoaneurysm (LVP). According to the patient's clinical manifestations and radiologic data, urgent surgical intervention was performed. Postoperatively, several complications appeared, which were managed successfully. The patient was discharged in stable condition. This is an interesting case of massive LVP without hemodynamic instability.

First data on the host ant use of the scarce large blue Phengaris teleius in Ljubljansko barje are presented herewith. A survey was carried out in 2021 in the vicinity of the Bevke village. Altogether, 59 Myrmica ant nests were surveyed for the presence of scarce large blue caterpillars, 58 of M. scabrinodis and one of M. rubra. We found four caterpillars of the scarce large blue in three M. scabrinodis ant nests. Our results indicate that M. scabrinodis is probably the main host of Phengaris teleius in Ljubljansko barje, the same as in other regions of Europe.

Pemphigus vulgaris is a chronic autoimmune mucocutaneous blistering disorder. Apart from the disease itself, other aspects of patients’ life, including psychological, social, and financial, can be affected. Women are particularly more disposed to the impact of the disease due to their physiological characteristics, the specific periods of pregnancy and lactation as well as their social and familial role. In this review, we summarized the burden of pemphigus vulgaris on various aspects of women’s lives. It is essential to understand these problems and provide appropriate support for patients with such a burdensome disease.

Background: . Rituximab (RTX) is an effective treatment for pemphigus; however, the drug labeling recommends not to use RTX within 1 year before conception. Objectives: . To report pregnancy outcomes of patients with pemphigus who were treated with RTX before or during pregnancy. Methods: . We identified 19 pregnancies with RTX exposure before or during pregnancy. All had previously been advised not to get pregnant within 1 year of RTX administration. The cases were categorized into 3 groups of exposure of within 6 months (group A), between 6 and 12 months (group B), and longer than 12 months of conception (group C). The pregnancy outcomes of different RTX exposure intervals were compared. Results: . Group A included 9 pregnancies, of which 3 had received RTX accidentally after conception. Group B and C included 4 and 6 pregnancies, respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding pregnancy outcomes. Overall, there were 17 live births, 1 spontaneous abortion, and 1 termination. Of the live births, 3 preterm deliveries and 4 low-birth-weight neonates were noted. Moreover, 1 neonate was hospitalized due to early-onset neonatal sepsis, and 1 had hydronephrosis. Disease flare-up occurred in 5 patients during pregnancy (4 minor and 1 major relapses) and in 5 patients after delivery (3 minor and 2 major relapses). Conclusions: . Except for 1 case of neonatal sepsis which survived following medical treatment, no serious relevant adverse pregnancy outcome that could be attributed to RTX exposure before and during early pregnancy in women with pemphigus was detected. Nevertheless, RTX should not be administered within 1 year before planned pregnancy, as not enough data is available yet.

Abstract Extracellular vesicle‐bound DNA (evDNA) is an understudied extracellular vesicle (EV) cargo, particularly in cancer‐unrelated research. Although evDNA has been detected in urine, little is known about its characteristics, localization, and biomarker potential for kidney pathologies. To address this, we enriched EVs from urine of well‐characterized kidney transplant recipients undergoing allograft biopsy, characterized their evDNA and its association to allograft injury. The SEC‐based method enriched pure EVs from urine of kidney transplant recipients, regardless of the allograft injury. Urinary evDNA represented up to 29.2 ± 8% (mean ± SD) of cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) and correlated with cfDNA in several characteristics but was less fragmented (P

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common glomerulonephritis worldwide, characterized by IgA deposits in the glomerular mesangium. It has a progressive nature and can eventually lead to end-stage kidney failure. It can occur as a potential side effect of treatment with tumor necrosis factor alpha antagonist that has been used for numerous chronic inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn’s disease. In this study, the case of a 33-year-old man with renal dysfunction, nephrotic proteinuria, and erythrocyturia is described. He had had a history of Crohn’s disease for 8 years and had been treated with adalimumab for the past 7 years. The diagnosis of IgAN was confirmed by kidney biopsy. After discontinuance of adalimumab and the induction of corticosteroid therapy, he made a remarkable recovery. Four years after the first presentation of IgAN and discontinuation of adalimumab, his renal function was normal with no proteinuria and only mild erythrocyturia.

Abstract Background Several countries have recently issued 24-h movement guidelines that include quantitative recommendations for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary behaviour (SB), and sleep. This study explored the associations of meeting the 24-h movement guidelines with stress and self-rated health among adults, and whether the likelihood of favourable outcomes increases with the number of guidelines met. Methods A total of 2476 adults aged 18 years and over completed a questionnaire on their time spent in MVPA, SB and sleep, frequency of stress (never, very rarely, occasionally, often, every day), self-rated health (very good, good, fair, bad, very bad), sociodemographic characteristics, and lifestyle variables. Results In an ordinal logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, education, socio-economic status, employment, place of residence, living with or without partner, and smoking, lower odds of higher frequency of stress were found for those meeting the combined 24-h movement guidelines (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.32, 0.63; p

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a complex and unique tumor microenvironment (TME). Due to the physical barrier formed by the desmoplastic stroma, the delivery of drugs to the tumor tissue is limited. The TME also contributes to resistance to various immunotherapies such as cancer vaccines, chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Overcoming and/or modulating the TME is therefore one of the greatest challenges in developing new therapeutic strategies for PC. Nanoparticles have been successfully used as drug carriers and delivery systems in cancer therapy. Recent experimental and engineering developments in nanotechnology have resulted in increased drug delivery and improved immunotherapy for PC. In this review we discuss and analyze the current nanoparticle-based immunotherapy approaches that are at the verge of clinical application. Particularly, we focus on nanoparticle-based delivery systems that improve the effectiveness of PC immunotherapy. We also highlight current clinical research that will help to develop new therapeutic strategies for PC and especially targeted immunotherapies based on immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Background and AimThere have been concerns regarding the potential exacerbation of autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBDs) following vaccination against COVID-19 during the pandemic. In the current study, vaccine safety was evaluated in patients with AIBDs.MethodsIn this study, patients with AIBDs were contacted via face-to-face visits or phone calls. Patient demographics, vaccine-related information, pre- and post-vaccine disease status, and complications were recorded. The exacerbation was considered either relapse in the remission/controlled phase of the disease or disease worsening in the active phase. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression tests were employed to determine the potential risk factors of disease exacerbation.ResultsOf the patients contacted, 446 (74.3%) reported receiving at least one dose of vaccine injection (54.7% female). Post-vaccine exacerbation occurred in 66 (14.8%) patients. Besides, there were 5 (1.1%) patients with AIBD diagnosis after vaccination. According to the analysis, for every three patients who received vaccines during the active phase of the disease one experienced disease exacerbation. The rate of disease exacerbation increased by three percent with every passing month from the last rituximab infusion. Active disease in the past year was another risk factor with a number needed to harm of 10.ConclusionRisk of AIBD exacerbation after the COVID-19 vaccine is not high enough to prevent vaccination. This unwanted side effect, can be reduced if the disease is controlled at the time of vaccination.

We report a case of persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC), discovered by chance during the cardiac electronic device placement procedure. PLSVCs are congenital anomalies of the thoracic vasculature, during which remnants of the left superior vena cava drain into the right atrium through the coronary sinus. PLSVCs can vary in their location and overall anatomy. In patients with PLSVC, implantation of a cardiac electronic device is associated with an increased risk of technical difficulties the entire procedure.

Abstract Background Unproven stem cell treatments may involve serious health, personal, and financial considerations. Due to worldwide spread, illegal stem cell therapies have become a major public health problem. We have already witnessed numerous reports in the mass media of severe and occasionally even fatal outcomes after such therapies. However, there are only few scientifically documented cases in which the causality between stem cell therapy and side effects cannot be refuted. Case presentation Here we present a case report of a 48-year-old patient with serious side effects, including disseminated skin ulcers, hepatitis, and cardiomyopathy, with eventual fatal outcome following unproven stem cell treatment. Conclusions The case of the patient presented here draws attention to the worst possible outcome of stem cell tourism. To effectively combat this issue, professionals and patients should be empowered with the right knowledge on possible side effects.

Nocardiosis is an uncommon infection caused by Nocardia species, a group of aerobic actinomycetes. Nocardiosis may affect immunocompromised or immunocompetent patients and as this case was affected by a rare disorder, we describe it in this study. This paper describes a case of nocardial mycetoma from a hospital affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. The case was a 52-year-old man with diabetes mellitus, who was admitted to our institution with a 5-year history of right lower extremity swelling with multiple discharging sinuses localized in distal part of the leg and dorsum of the foot following a penetrating injury to the affected foot. The wound culture yielded the growth of Nocardia species after incubation. Nocardiosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of skin lesions, especially if patients have a history of trauma or contact with soil-contaminated materials. Our reported case increases knowledge about this rare, sporadic infection in our country.

Background: Hereditary spherocytosis is clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder and its clinical characteristics are spherocytosis, anaemia, jaundice and splenomegaly. The aetiology is associated to the genes encoding proteins involved in the interaction between the erythrocyte membrane and the lipid bilayer. Causative variants in βI-spectrin (SPTB) gene presenting as mild to moderately severe disease are responsible for approximately 25% cases in the USA and Europe. Among kidney disease, isolated cases of nephrotic syndrome due to membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and macroscopic haematuria with proteinuria due to IgA nephropathy were previously reported in patients with SPTB deficiency. Objective: Seven patients from the same family with spherocytosis were evaluated to assess the kidney failure presented in all affected adult patients. Methods: Clinical, radiological and laboratory investigations were issued to evaluate the spherocytosis and kidney disease. In selected patients, we also performed genetics testing with next generation sequencing of genes related to hereditary spherocytosis, inherited glomerular disorders and tubulo-interstitial kidney disease. Results: Among the family members with spherocytosis, two adults had end-stage kidney disease and one chronic kidney disease stage 4 with unspecific histopathological findings of interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy and glomerulosclerosis. At the time, there were no signs of kidney disease present in four paediatric patients. Novel nonsense variant in SPTB gene (NM_001024858; c.4796G>A; p.Trp1599Ter) was detected in all family members with spherocytosis and was predicted to be disease causing. Furthermore, all adult patients with kidney failure and two paediatric cousins of the index patients were heterozygous for the UMOD gene variant (NM_003361.3:c.552G>C, NP_003352.2:p.Trp184Cys) previously reported in patients with tubulo-interstitial kidney disease. UMOD variant was not present in the index patients. Conclusions: The co-occurrence of any two rare inherited disorders is extremely rare, while to our knowledge the co-occurrence of genetically confirmed HS and autosomal dominant tubulo-interstitial kidney disease (ADTKD) has previously not been reported. It is not possibly to evaluate whether the haemolytic crises due to HS are influencing the progression of the UMOD related renal disease, since the UMOD related ADTKD characteristics in general and in here presented family are extremely variable. Nevertheless, the observed kidney disease in the family is warranting the regular nephrological examinations in UMOD positive paediatric patients in the family in order to recognise hyperuricemia and treat it as early as possible. This is emphasising the importance of serum uric acid detection in routine laboratory screening of paediatric patients in order to identify early signs of tubular injury indicating possible ADTKD. Resumen: Antecedentes: La esferocitosis hereditaria es un trastorno clínica y genéticamente heterogéneo, y sus características clínicas son esferocitosis, anemia, ictericia y esplenomegalia. Su etiología se asocia con los genes que codifican proteínas implicadas en la interacción entre la membrana de los eritrocitos y la bicapa lipídica. Las variantes causativas en el gen de la espectrina βI (SPTB) que se presentan como enfermedad entre leve y moderadamente grave son responsables de aproximadamente el 25% de los casos en EE.UU. y Europa. En el contexto de la enfermedad renal se han notificado casos aislados de síndrome nefrótico debido a glomerulonefritis membranoproliferativa y hematuria macroscópica con proteinuria debido a nefropatía por IgA en pacientes con deficiencia de SPTB. Objetivo: Se estudió a 7 pacientes pertenecientes a una misma familia con esferocitosis para evaluar la insuficiencia renal presente en todos los pacientes adultos afectados. Metodología: Se realizaron investigaciones clínicas, radiológicas y analíticas para evaluar la esferocitosis y la nefropatía. En una selección de pacientes también se realizaron análisis genéticos mediante técnicas de secuenciación de nueva generación de genes relacionados con la esferocitosis hereditaria, los trastornos glomerulares hereditarios y la nefropatía tubulointersticial. Resultados: Entre los miembros de la familia con esferocitosis 2 adultos presentaban nefropatía en fase terminal y uno nefropatía crónica de fase 4, con hallazgos histopatológicos inespecíficos de fibrosis intersticial/atrofia tubular y glomeruloesclerosis. En ese momento no existían signos de enfermedad renal en 4 pacientes pediátricos. Se detectó una nueva variante sin sentido en el gen SPTB (NM_001024858; c.4796G>A; p.Trp1599Ter) en todos los miembros de la familia con esferocitosis y se predijo que era responsable de la enfermedad. Además, todos los pacientes adultos con insuficiencia renal y 2 pacientes pediátricos primos de los pacientes iniciales eran heterocigóticos para la variante del gen UMOD (NM_003361.3:c.552G>C, NP_003352.2:p.Trp184Cys) notificada previamente en los pacientes con nefropatía tubulointersticial. Los pacientes iniciales no presentaban la variante UMOD. Conclusiones: La presentación conjunta de cualquiera de estos 2 trastornos hereditarios poco frecuentes es extraordinariamente excepcional, mientras que hasta donde alcanza nuestro conocimiento la presentación conjunta de esferocitosis hereditaria y nefropatía tubulointersticial autosómica dominante (ADTKD) no se había notificado previamente. No es posible evaluar si las crisis hemolíticas debidas a la esferocitosis hereditaria influyen en la progresión de la nefropatía relacionada con el gen UMOD, ya que las características de la ADTKD relacionada con el gen UMOD, en general y en la familia objeto del estudio, son extremadamente variables. Sin embargo, la nefropatía observada en la familia aconseja realizar exploraciones nefrológicas regulares en los pacientes pediátricos positivos para UMOD de la familia, con el objetivo de reconocer la hiperuricemia y tratarla lo antes posible. Esto enfatiza la importancia de la detección del ácido úrico sérico en las pruebas analíticas rutinarias de los pacientes pediátricos para identificar síntomas tempranos de lesiones tubulares indicativas de una posible ADTKD.

Background:. In autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBDs), autoantibodies loosen molecular adhesions in the skin and/or mucosa and lead to blisters and erosions. Immunosuppressive drugs reduce mortality of the AIBD; therefore, patients will have to live longer with comorbidities. Objective:. This study aims to determine the quality of life of AIBD patients undergoing systemic treatment while investigating the survey’s relationship with various factors. Methods:. In this 2-step cross-sectional study, we initially included 53 consecutive pemphigus patients to investigate reliability and validity of the Persian version of Treatment of Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (TABQOL) questionnaire. Then, we conducted the study on 119 AIBD patients, currently under treatment at an AIBD clinic in Iran. Results:. The mean TABQOL score for our patients was 13.87 ± 7.51. The highest TABQOL was for epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (24 ± 8.485) followed by pemphigus foliaceus (20.5 ± 14.181) and the lowest for pemphigus vulgaris (13.24 ± 6.54). There was no significant difference between patients’ TABQOL scores and their gender, history of rituximab injection, and disease severity scores. We only found a positive correlation between TABQOL and prednisolone dose. Conclusion:. Treatments of AIBD considerably impact the quality of life of patients and an impairment in quality of life is correlated to higher doses of prednisolone.

Study objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the cephalometric parameters related to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods: Twenty-four patients with OSA diagnosis and Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) ≥15 in overnight polysomnography were recruited. A similar number of control participants were selected based on the absence of OSA clinical presentations through evaluation with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and STOP-Bang questionnaires. Two groups were matched for age, sex, and body mass index. The standardized upright lateral cephalograms of all participants were obtained; afterward, skeletal and soft tissue landmarks were traced and digitized. Results: We observed that in patients with OSA, mandibular ramus length was significantly bigger (p = 0.02), and the mandibular plane made a greater angle with the line passing through the nasion and the sella (p

The ecology of the eastern eggar (Eriogaster catax) in Slovenia has not been well characterized to date. Within the framework of this study, focusing on the larval habitat of the species, a total of 489 caterpillar webs found in different areas of Slovenia were recorded and a number of important variables documented. These included the host plant species, the size of the web, the height of the web from the ground, the height of the host plant, the trunk diameter at ground level, the web aspect and the general habitat characteristics. The most important host plants turned out to be blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), with one web found on Pyrus pyraster and one on Amelanchier ovalis. The web sizes varied largely, with the median size reaching 54 cm2. The position and height of the web from the ground was correlated with the height of the plant. Most caterpillar webs (67.4%) were oriented to the south, south-west or south-east. 61.5% of caterpillar webs were recorded in temperate heath and scrubs, with the majority of them found in sub-Mediterranean blackthorn-privet scrub (25.4%), followed by Atlantic and medio-European blackthorn-privet scrub (18.0%) and shrub woodland (13.1%). The present study provides the first insight into the ecology of the eastern eggar in Slovenia, focusing on larval habitat. The characterization of the larval habitat is of particular importance for the conservation of the eastern eggar and its potential habitat in Slovenia.

Introduction: Urine protein excretion is routinely measured to assess kidney allograft injury, but the diagnostic value of this measurement for kidney transplant pathology remains unclear. Here we investigated whether spot urine protein excretion in the first year following transplantation associates with allograft rejection phenotype at 1-year surveillance biopsies and de-novo occurrence of donor-specific antibodies (DSA).Patients and Methods: This prospective, observational national-cohort study included 139 non-sensitized patients who received a deceased donor kidney transplant between December 2014 and 2018. All patients received basiliximab induction and tacrolimus-based immunosuppression. Estimated protein excretion rate (ePER) was calculated monthly from spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratios. At 1-year, all recipients underwent surveillance graft biopsy and were screened for de-novo DSA. Screening-positive sera were subjected to single antigen bead (SAB) testing. The occurrence of de-novo DSA was determined based on SAB reactivity patterns using a mean fluorescence intensity threshold >1,000.Results: Among the 139 study patients, 27 patients (19%) had histologic evidence of T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR), and 9 patients (7%) had histologic evidence of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) at 1-year surveillance biopsy. One year after transplant, 19 patients (14%) developed de-novo DSA. Compared with patients without rejection and no de-novo DSA, mixed-effects linear regression analysis showed a significant difference in slope of ePER during the first year in patients with AMR and de-novo DSA at 1-year (46, 95% CI 25–68 mg/day/1.73 m2 per month and 34, 95% CI 20–49 mg/day/1.73 m2 per month, respectively). Patients with vascular TCMR also showed a significant difference in ePER slope over time compared with patients with non-rejection findings (31, 95% CI 9–52 mg/day/1.73 m2 per month). The discriminatory power of ePER for intragraft rejection processes was better in patients with AMR (AUC 0.95, 95% CI 0.90–0.99; P < 0.001) than in those with TCMR (AUC 0.68, 95% CI 0.59–0.79; P = 0.002), with 89% sensitivity and 93% specificity for proteinuria >550 mg/day/1.73m2.Conclusions: An increase in ePER in the first year following kidney transplantation associates with AMR, vascular TCMR and de-novo DSA at 1-year and may be used as a non-invasive clinical marker of intragraft endothelial cell injury.

BackgroundFactor H-related protein 5 (FHR-5) is a member of the complement Factor H protein family. Due to the homology to Factor H, the main complement regulator of the alternative pathway, it may also be implicated in the pathomechanism of kidney diseases where Factor H and alternative pathway dysregulation play a role. Here, we report the first observational study on CFHR5 variations along with serum FHR-5 levels in immune complex-mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) patients together with the clinical, genetic, complement, and follow-up data.MethodsA total of 120 patients with a histologically proven diagnosis of IC-MPGN/C3G were enrolled in the study. FHR-5 serum levels were measured in ELISA, the CFHR5 gene was analyzed by Sanger sequencing, and selected variants were studied as recombinant proteins in ELISA and surface plasmon resonance (SPR).ResultsEight exonic CFHR5 variations in 14 patients (12.6%) were observed. Serum FHR-5 levels were lower in patients compared to controls. Low serum FHR-5 concentration at presentation associated with better renal survival during the follow-up period; furthermore, it showed clear association with signs of complement overactivation and clinically meaningful clusters.ConclusionsOur observations raise the possibility that the FHR-5 protein plays a fine-tuning role in the pathogenesis of IC-MPGN/C3G.