Abstract: Thrombus formation within extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) devices remained a critical complication. One reason seems to be the contact of blood with large artificial surfaces within the membrane lung (ML). The aim was to test the hemocompatibility of different naïve ECMO materials. Blood and platelets from five healthy volunteers were incubated with gas exchange (GF) and heat exchange fibers (HE) from four different commercial available new MLs representing different antithrombogenic coatings. Adherent platelets were stained with rhodamine-phalloidin. Surface coverage was quantified with ImageJ. Non-adherent platelets were stained with antibodies (CD62P, PAC-1, CD61) and fibrinogen to detect platelet activation with flow cytometry. Hemolysis of red blood cells after material contact was detected. All ECMO-materials were non-hemolytic and did not induce platelet activation. However, platetelet adhesion (median (IQR)) was significantly elevated on uncoated GFs made of polymethylpentene (GF-PMP; 12 (7-19)%) and on GFs from the Hilite-MLs (GF-Hilite; 13 ((8-19)%) compared to the other materials. In vitro testing of platelet adhesion disclosed significant differences of ECMO-materials with different antithrombogenic surface coatings. Instead, circulating platelets remained non-activated. ECMO-materials and its coatings were non-hemolytic. Finally, this study confirmed the good hemocompatibility of GFs and HEs from commerciall available MLs.

Abstract:

(1) Background: Hepatoblastoma and medulloblastoma are two types of pediatric tumors with embryonic origins. Both tumor types can exhibit genetic alterations that affect beta-catenin and Wnt pathway; (2) Materials and Methods: This study used bioinformatics and integrative analysis of multi-omics data at both the tumor and single-cell levels to investigate these two distinct pediatric tumors: medulloblastoma and hepatoblastoma; (3) Results: Cross-transcriptome analysis revealed a commonly regulated expression signature between hepatoblastoma and medulloblastoma tumors. Among the commonly upregulated genes, the transcription factor LEF1 was significantly expressed in both tumor types. In medulloblastoma, LEF1 upregulation is associated with the WNT-subtype. Analysis of LEF1 genome binding occupancy in H1 embryonic stem cells identified 141 LEF1 proximal targets activated in WNT-medulloblastoma, 13 of which are involved in Wnt pathway regulation: RNF43, LEF1, NKD1, AXIN2, DKK4, DKK1, LGR6, FGFR2, NXN, TCF7L1, STK3, YAP1, and NFATC4. An expression score based on these 13 WNT-LEF1 targets accurately predicted the WNT-subtype in two independent medulloblastoma transcriptome cohorts. At the single-cell level, the WNT-LEF1 expression score was exclusively positive in WNT-medulloblastoma tumor cells. This WNT-LEF1-dependent signature was also confirmed as activated in the hepatoblastoma tumor transcriptome. At the single-cell level, the WNT-LEF1 expression score was higher in tumor cells from both human hepatoblastoma samples and a hepatoblastoma patient-derived xenotransplant model; (4) Discussion: This study uncovered a shared transcriptional activation of a LEF1-dependent embryonic program, which orchestrates the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway in tumor cells from both hepatoblastoma and medulloblastoma.

Abstract: Potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) is a commercially available antiseptic used in bovine intrauterine lavage to manage postpartum infections. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are well-studied for their ability to induce inflammation and oxidative stress. While KMnO₄ is known to cause significant irritation, oxidative stress, and toxicity in uterine tissues, its transcriptional impact and potential for inducing similar molecular damage as LPS have not been fully explored. In this study, we induced oxidative stress in the uterine tissues of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats using KMnO₄ and compared the transcriptional profiles with those treated with LPS. We focused on the differential expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) related to oxidative stress, toxicity, and inflammation. RNA sequencing revealed 1125 differentially expressed mRNAs in the KMnO₄-treated group and 989 in the LPS-treated group. Additionally, 1649 lncRNAs were differentially expressed in the KMnO₄ group compared to 1383 in the LPS group. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that 78 pathways were significantly enriched in the KMnO₄ group, while 80 pathways were enriched in the LPS group, with 50 pathways shared between the two. This study offers critical insights into the transcriptional profiles associated with KMnO₄ exposure and its similarities to LPS-induced damage.

Abstract: Systems favoring cross-pollination such as male sterility and female flowering type are of great importance in the development of new hybrid cultivars and their seed production. The advantages of male sterility are expressed in production of cheaper and competitive seeds. The presence of this characteristic in watermelon is not common, and in some cases, it is accompanied by negative manifestations. The aim of this study was to search for a genetic source of male sterility in a col-lection of watermelon. A collection of 150 watermelon genotypes was tested at the Maritsa Vege-table Crops Research Institute, Bulgaria over the past nine years. The results show that two mutations were found. The first mutation was found in a plant of the Asar variety, which formed completely degenerated structures in place of male and female flowers and could not reproduce. The other, a mutation affecting male flowers, female flowers and leaf shape was observed in one genotype. Male flowers produce a small amount of pollen. Female flowers are formed but they are sterile and abort at an early stage. The genotype can be propagated by pollination of the normal plants, which in the next generation derivate into mutant 25% and normal 75%. The gene source is phenotyped according to the main characteristics of the fruits and the vegetation period. The mutation found cannot be directly used in breeding program, but it is of interest for studying this important trait. The success of detecting sterility flowers depends on the volume of watermelon plants, which for the conditions of the experiment amounted to a minimum of 4492 plants at a probability of P3 – 0.95.

Abstract: Buchwaldoboletus xylophilus is an edible boletes species belonging to the family Boletaceae and the genus Buchwaldoboletus, is found in tropical and subtropical regions, and is known for its rare wild resources. In this study, wild B. xylophilus was isolated and cultured, and its biological characteristics and artificial cultivation techniques were studied. The results showed that the optimal carbon source, nitrogen source and inorganic salt for the mycelium growth of B. xylophilus were maltose, ammonium tartrate and magnesium sulfate, respectively. The most appropriate temperature is 28 ℃ and the pH value is between 5 and 6. The most effective combination was determined by orthogonal experiment as follows: glucose, ammonium nitrate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 28 ℃. The results of artificial cultivation in mushroom houses showed that the mycelium of B. xylophilus was strong and grew well on the culture medium. The mycelial growth rate is 4.54 mm/d, and the fungus bags are filled about 50 days after inoculation. The primordium is formed 9 to 14 days after covering with soil and the fruiting body matured in 6 ~ 8 days. The average yield of fresh mushrooms reached 131.07±29.38 g/bag, and the average biological efficiency reached 28.48±6.39 %. In this study, the artificial cultivation technology of B. xylophilus in mushroom house was reported for the first time. The fruiting bodies obtained through cultivation were identified by morphological and molecular biological methods. This technology offers benefits such as affordability, a brief cultivation cycle, substantial yields, and superior quality, making it ideal for industrial-scale and extensive cultivation.

Abstract:

The concept of microbial evolution has become progressively intriguing for the immunological side of scientific research, as the ongoing evolutionary battle between microbial agents and animal immunity, which comprises a set of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for both the microbes and the host organisms by means of adaptation to environmental changes, has started including weak points within the innate host immunity as well. Namely, it was discovered only later in the contemporary era that microbial agents tend to use a method of silencing first and second immune lines as an escaping route toward an abundant distribution of the microbial load without a significant restriction from the host organism at the time. Furthermore, it was discovered that the innate immune system displays visible traits of specificity and memory, and also that the adaptive immune system does contain areas of non-specificity as well, which makes it possible for vaccine-based research efforts to bring a wider inclusion of innate, first-line and second-line immune elements into the overall equation of development and possibly rollout as well, perhaps by using such elements as potential immunising agents as well. Additionally, it is possible for central elements of the adaptive immune system to be treated with major elements of the innate immune system by means of improving their overall function and long-term efficacy against pathogenic agents of potential health concern. Such a context may also be adapted for a potential delay in the onset of specific proteinopathies, such as Alzheimer’s Disease and possibly Retinitis Pigmentosa as well. An overall approach as such may help the research area of vaccine development undergo potential updates that will potentially help save even more lives worldwide, through the development and application of a scientific concept known as “United Immune System”, as it may be important to transform the smaller and less direct “road” between natural and adaptive immunity into a broader and more direct “highway” between the two immune departments. Such a clinical application may be combined with potential fresh updates into pathogen-derived vaccine development, by using inactivated or completely lysed microbial genomes either lacking the genes encoding microbial proteins with suppressive effects against the host innate immune system, or containing such genes as the only activated microbial genes, to stimulate the host immune system to build novel evolutionary pathways and particularly adapt to changes in the microbial genome that affect the innate immune system, such as the expression of Type I and Type III Interferons.

Abstract: Degenerative proteinopathies constitute a set of molecular diseases that are caused by the misfolding of specific proteins, leading them to change their biochemical configuration and become toxic for entire systems of organs. Such protein toxicity induces the lysing of an increasing number of proteins that have a biochemically ‘wild-type’ version, gradually and eventually leading to a complete shift in the ratio between such ‘wild-type’ and ‘altered’ versions of such proteins, which directly precedes the clinical onset of such diseases. Proteinopathies not only involve neurodegenerative illnesses, but also a disease that leads to a progressive rate of blindness. Sadly, all such impairments that are neurodegenerative in nature may only receive palliative treatment, given that they are caused by aggregated proteins that start damaging and destroying entire neuronal systems, which leads to impairments in the neuro-muscular and ultimately to the inability of the patients to perform vital functions, like breathing and deglutition. There is neither a cure, nor a definitive method in which the progression of the illness can be stopped at the present time. Consequently, all neurodegenerative diseases have mortality rates of 100% and clinical approaches aim to reduce the suffering of such patients. Nonetheless, there seems to be a glimmer of hope regarding future prophylactic approaches that could delay the onset of many types of proteinopathies. Namely, an immune application could support efforts of clinical suffering delay and attenuation in an unprecedented manner. At the same time, it is necessary to emphasise upon realistic scenarios, that it remains virtually impossible to delay the onset of proteinopathies to the point of the patient reaching the average number of years in life expectancy without experiencing clinical symptoms yet. Initially, clinicians developed and tested a nasal spray containing a substance known as protollin, which stimulates a restricted extent of adaptive lymphocyte recruitment and transport to the central nervous system areas affected by initial stages of protein aggregation, activating a substantial number of microglial cells and preventing the lysis of numerous astrocytes, which in turn start lysing a number of beta-amyloid protein aggregates together without inducing pathophysiology, given the stage in which the patients have not experienced any clinical manifestation of the neurodegenerative disease yet. In case of an unsuccessful attempt to bring protollin above the threshold levels of clinical safety and efficacy, a nasal spray containing a low concentration of a mixture of recombinant adaptive lymphocytes and Type I & III Interferons and adaptive lymphocytes, perhaps themselves priorly treated with such IFN glycoproteins, would probably remain a vital candidate for an effective, yet probably still restricted delay of onset of various proteinopathies that could be neurodegenerative and optically degenerative. An existent success rate of the clinical test allows the opening of a window of opportunity regarding an increased efficacy of such adaptive lymphocyte approach, by including recombinant Type I and Type III Interferons into such a nasal spray, which could also enter adaptive lymphocyte and further improve their structural integrity and their multi-lateral functionality. Such an approach could create a stable and wide “highway bridge” of connection between innate and adaptive immunity, aiming for the best version of an immune contribution toward a considerable delay of proteinopathy clinical onset. Overall, there may be a requirement for a bi-lateral update of immunological research covering therapeutics and vaccine development; an immune system based optimisation that builds a stable and wide bridge of connection more directly between pre-cytokine and post-cytokine immune activation, and overall between innate and adaptive immune departments; and a pathogen-based optimisation that either eliminates or partially activates genes suppressive of Type I and Type III Interferon-encoding genes, helping enliven the concept of “United Immune System” as well, though less directly than the immune system-based potential approach.

Abstract: Lyme-borreliosis (LB) is a tick-borne disease prevalent in many parts of the world, yet it remains largely unknown. This lack of awareness poses significant challenges for surveillance and diagnosis, requiring integrating epidemiological and clinical information. Additionally, the limited specificity and low titers of serological tests further complicate the diagnostic process. To address these issues, we investigated the molecular fine specificity of IgM antibody responses to five surface proteins of B. burgdorferi. Materials and Methods: We employed SPOT synthesis to screen for IgM epitopes and assess cross-reactivity through databank searches and ELISA. Validation was performed using ELISA and ROC curve analysis. Results: We identified ten IgM epitopes, of which four were classified as specific. The ELISA-peptide assay demonstrated a sensitivity of ≥ 87.3%, specificity of ≥ 56.2%, and accuracy of ≥ 66.6%. Two B. burgdorferi-specific epitopes, Bburg/02/huG, and Bburg/06/huG, were synthesized as polypeptides and reevaluated using ELISA with a panel of patient sera representing different pathologies. The results showed a sensitivity of 85.0% and a specificity of 100.0%, with significant differences in cross-reactivity between the leptospirosis and syphilis groups. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the identified peptide combinations could facilitate the development of new, highly specific serodiagnostic assays, thereby enhancing public health initiatives and epidemiological studies.

Abstract: Reproductive characteristics are important tools for sustainable forestry and to transmit of present gene diversity to future generations by forestry practices. Knowledge and estimation of fertility variation and its linkage parameters such as population size, gene diversity in seed crop calculated by reproductive traits is used widely because of its many advantages. Estimation of these parameters are used for many purposes in forestry practices (i.e., natural regenerations, establishment and management of seed sources). In this study, cone and seed production and their effect on fertility variation were examined in two natural populations sampled at southern part of Türkiye of Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich.). Numbers of mature cone which of two-years, and filled seed were counted from fifty trees selected phenotypic of each population in 2023. The averages of cone and seed number were 90 and 33, and 5321 and 3115 per tree, respectively. Among individual trees within population, and between populations showed large differences for the cone and seed productions. Percentage of filled seed were 94% and 83% in the populations. There were significant differences (p<0.05) between populations for the productions and percentage of filled seeds according to results of analysis of variance. Estimated fertility variations (Ψ<2) were well accordance with target (Ψ<3). Effective number of parents was ranged from 30.1 (60% of number of individuals) to 41.4 (83%). Besides, data sets can be used to fill the FLR-Library.

Abstract: Microbial ecology is the study of microorganisms and their interactions within various environments, encompassing terrestrial, aquatic, and host-associated ecosystems. Microbial communities play a critical role in ecosystem functions, including nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and the decomposition of organic matter. Understanding the dynamics of microbial populations and the factors influencing their structure and function is essential to comprehending how these communities affect broader ecological processes and ecosystem stability. This paper explores the complex interactions among microbes and their environments, including mutualistic, commensal, and competitive relationships. It examines the impact of environmental variables, such as temperature, pH, and nutrient availability, on microbial community composition and diversity. Advances in molecular and genomic techniques, such as metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, and single-cell sequencing, have revolutionized microbial ecology, allowing for the identification and functional analysis of previously uncultivable microorganisms. The review highlights recent research on microbial community dynamics in critical ecosystems, such as soil, oceans, and the human gut. It also discusses the ecological implications of microbial activity, including their role in biogeochemical cycles, environmental resilience, and the response of microbial communities to climate change and anthropogenic disturbances. Additionally, the paper addresses the potential applications of microbial ecology, such as bioremediation, bioenergy production, and promoting sustainable agriculture through microbiome manipulation. By advancing our understanding of microbial ecology, scientists can better predict ecosystem responses to environmental change, harness microbial processes for environmental and industrial applications, and enhance ecosystem health. This comprehensive review provides insights into the vital roles of microbial communities and underscores the importance of protecting microbial diversity for ecosystem resilience and sustainability.