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Introduction: An epidemic of cardiovascular disease has been observed in Bulgaria for decades. In order to reduce the risk of developing the disease, it is necessary to prevent risk factors, starting in childhood and continuing throughout life. Purpose, material and methods: The aim of the study is to establish students' awareness of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the nature and need for disease promotion and prevention. Sociological, documentary, statistical methods and method of graphic analysis of the obtained results are used. Results Conclusions: More than 2/3 of study participants know the adjustable risk factors such as alcohol use, smoking, stress and fatigue, and approximately half have information about the negative effects of being overweight and high blood pressure. There is a need for additional information on the impact of other major biological risk factors, such as atherosclerosis, high blood sugar and diabetes mellitus, as well as the impact of unadjustable risk factors - age, gender and family history.

β-thalassemia is an inherited anemia characterized by ineffective erythropoiesis. Blood transfusions are required for survival in transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia and are also occasionally needed in patients with non-transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia. Patients with transfusion-dependent b-thalassemia often have elevated transferrin saturation (TSAT) and non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) levels, which can lead to organ iron overload, oxidative stress, and vascular damage. Vamifeport is an oral ferroportin inhibitor that was previously shown to ameliorate anemia, ineffective erythropoiesis, and dysregulated iron homeostasis in the Hbbth3/+ mouse model of β-thalassemia, under non-transfused conditions. Our study aimed to assess the effects of oral vamifeport on iron-related parameters (including plasma NTBI levels) and ineffective erythropoiesis following blood transfusions in Hbbth3/+ mice. A single dose of vamifeport prevented the transient transfusion-mediated NTBI increase in Hbbth3/+ mice. Compared with vehicle treatment, vamifeport significantly increased hemoglobin levels and red blood cell counts in transfused mice. Vamifeport treatment also significantly improved ineffective erythropoiesis in the spleens of Hbbth3/+ mice, with additive effects observed when treatment was combined with repeated transfusions. Vamifeport corrected leukocyte counts and significantly improved iron-related parameters (serum transferrin, TSAT and erythropoietin levels) versus vehicle treatment in Hbbth3/+ mice, irrespective of transfusion status. In summary, vamifeport prevented transfusion-mediated NTBI formation in Hbbth3/+ mice. When given alone or combined with blood transfusions, vamifeport also ameliorated anemia, ineffective erythropoiesis, and dysregulated iron homeostasis. Administering vamifeport together with repeated blood transfusions additively ameliorated anemia and ineffective erythropoiesis in this mouse model, providing preclinical proof-of-concept for the efficacy of combining vamifeport with blood transfusions in β-thalassemia.

Bilingual students can take notes in their first language (L1) or their second language (L2). Higher note-taking quality, which might differ between the L1 and L2, has been associated with better memory of new content. In this study, we examined how language of note taking within bilinguals affects note quality and memory of new content. One hundred bilinguals watched three videos while typing notes in L2-English, their L1, or while using their languages freely. One week later they completed a memory test. Memory test scores did not differ between the L1, L2-English, and free note-taking conditions. Note-taking quality was higher in the L2 and free language conditions than in the L1, likely because the video content was presented in the L2. However, note-taking quality was only significantly related to memory test performance in the free note-taking condition and not in the L1 or L2 conditions. Across all conditions, L2-English proficiency was positively related to both note-taking quality and test performance. Together, these results suggest that, when learning content in an L2, the note-taking language can influence note quality but does not strongly impact how well new information is remembered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of core–sheath fibers by electrospinning is a topic of significant interest for producing composite fibers with distinct core and sheath functionalities. Moreover, in core–sheath fibers, low-molecular-weight substances or nanosized inorganic additives can be deposited in a targeted manner within the core or the sheath. Commonly, for obtaining a core–sheath structure, coaxial electrospinning is used. It requires a coaxial spinneret and suitable immiscible solvents for the inner and outer solutions. The single-nozzle spinneret electrospinning of emulsions can address these issues, but use of a stabilizing agent is needed. A third approach—preparation of core–sheath fibers by single-nozzle spinneret electrospinning of homogeneous blend solutions of two polymers or of a polymer/low-molecular-weight substance—has been much less studied. It circumvents the difficulties associated with the coaxial and the emulsion electrospinning and is thoroughly discussed in this review. The formation of core–sheath fibers in this case is attributed to phase-separation-driven self-organization during the electrospinning process. Some possibilities for obtaining core–double sheath fibers using the same method are also indicated. The gained knowledge on potential applications of core–sheath fibers prepared by single-nozzle spinneret electrospinning of emulsions and homogeneous blend solutions is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing densification and diversification of modern and upcoming wireless networks have become an important motivation for the development of agile spectrum sharing. Radio environment maps (REMs) are a basic tool for spectrum utilisation characterisation and adaptive resource allocation, but they need to be estimated through accurate interpolation methods. This work evaluated the performance of two established algorithms for spatial three-dimensional (3D) data collected in two real-world scenarios: indoors, through a mechanical measuring system, and outdoors, through an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for measurement collection. The investigation was undertaken for the complete dataset on two-dimensional (2D) planes of different altitudes and for a subset of limited samples (representing the regions of interest or RoIs), which were combined together to describe the spatial 3D environment. A minimum error of −9.5 dB was achieved for a sampling ratio of 21%. The methods’ performance and the input data were analysed through the resulting Kriging error standard deviation (STD) and the STD of the distances between the measurement and the estimated points. Based on the results, several challenges for the interpolation performance and the analysis of the spatial RoIs are described. They facilitate the future development of 3D spectrum occupancy characterisation in indoor and UAV-based scenarios.

Introduction: The registration of respiration through the left and right nostrils simultaneously makes it possible to register the dynamics of the nasal cycle. Aim: To test the method, the nasal cycle of a patient with ischemic stroke of the right posterior cerebral artery territory was measured. Method: An interface two-channel portable system has been developed for registration of respiration separately through nostrils. Results: The patient's respiratory and nasal cycle through the left and right nostril was measured for 4.5 hours for three consecutive days (4 days after coming out of the coma). The nasal cycle changed progressively during the healing process. On the first day, an antiphase change in the amplitude of airflow through the left and right nostril was registered with frequency 3 and 1.5 hours. They were accompanied by pronounced somnolence. In the next two days, a nasal cycle reversal of the respiratory airflow through the nostrils was observed. In the process of the patient’s recovery, a spontaneous alternative alternation of equalized respiratory airflow through the two nostrils was observed. The patient's recovery was also assessed on the NIHSS scale, whose values correlated over time with the normalization of the nasal cycle. Conclusion: The method reflects the patient's recovery and can find application in neurology.

Summary: Background: Identification of convulsive epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa relies on access to resources that are often unavailable. Infrastructure and resource requirements can further complicate case verification. Using machine-learning techniques, we have developed and tested a region-specific questionnaire panel and predictive model to identify people who have had a convulsive seizure. These findings have been implemented into a free app for health-care workers in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, and South Africa. Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, we used data from the Studies of the Epidemiology of Epilepsy in Demographic Sites in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, and South Africa. We randomly split these individuals using a 7:3 ratio into a training dataset and a validation dataset. We used information gain and correlation-based feature selection to identify eight binary features to predict convulsive seizures. We then assessed several machine-learning algorithms to create a multivariate prediction model. We validated the best-performing model with the internal dataset and a prospectively collected external-validation dataset. We additionally evaluated a leave-one-site-out model (LOSO), in which the model was trained on data from all sites except one that, in turn, formed the validation dataset. We used these features to develop a questionnaire-based predictive panel that we implemented into a multilingual app (the Epilepsy Diagnostic Companion) for health-care workers in each geographical region. Findings: We analysed epilepsy-specific data from 4097 people, of whom 1985 (48·5%) had convulsive epilepsy, and 2112 were controls. From 170 clinical variables, we initially identified 20 candidate predictor features. Eight features were removed, six because of negligible information gain and two following review by a panel of qualified neurologists. Correlation-based feature selection identified eight variables that demonstrated predictive value; all were associated with an increased risk of an epileptic convulsion except one. The logistic regression, support vector, and naive Bayes models performed similarly, outperforming the decision-tree model. We chose the logistic regression model for its interpretability and implementability. The area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) was 0·92 (95% CI 0·91–0·94, sensitivity 85·0%, specificity 93·7%) in the internal-validation dataset and 0·95 (0·92–0·98, sensitivity 97·5%, specificity 82·4%) in the external-validation dataset. Similar results were observed for the LOSO model (AUC 0·94, 0·93–0·96, sensitivity 88·2%, specificity 95·3%). Interpretation: On the basis of these findings, we developed the Epilepsy Diagnostic Companion as a predictive model and app offering a validated culture-specific and region-specific solution to confirm the diagnosis of a convulsive epileptic seizure in people with suspected epilepsy. The questionnaire panel is simple and accessible for health-care workers without specialist knowledge to administer. This tool can be iteratively updated and could lead to earlier, more accurate diagnosis of seizures and improve care for people with epilepsy. Funding: The Wellcome Trust, the UK National Institute of Health Research, and the Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre.

A central regulatory mechanism of iron homeostasis in humans involves ferroportin (FPN), the sole cellular iron exporter, and the peptide hormone hepcidin, which inhibits Fe2+ transport and induces internalization and degradation of FPN. Dysregulation of the FPN/hepcidin axis leads to diverse pathological conditions, and consequently, pharmacological compounds that inhibit FPN-mediated iron transport are of high clinical interest. Here, we describe the cryo-electron microscopy structures of human FPN in complex with synthetic nanobodies and vamifeport (VIT-2763), the first clinical-stage oral FPN inhibitor. Vamifeport competes with hepcidin for FPN binding and is currently in clinical development for β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease. The structures display two distinct conformations of FPN, representing outward-facing and occluded states of the transporter. The vamifeport site is located in the center of the protein, where the overlap with hepcidin interactions underlies the competitive relationship between the two molecules. The introduction of point mutations in the binding pocket of vamifeport reduces its affinity to FPN, emphasizing the relevance of the structural data. Together, our study reveals conformational rearrangements of FPN that are of potential relevance for transport, and it provides initial insight into the pharmacological targeting of this unique iron efflux transporter.

The paper presents for the first time the imports of Spanish lustreware in Bulgaria. For a long time such ware remained neglected probably because there have been very few finds usually representing an insignificant segment of the ceramic assemblages from medieval settlements. However, to assume a supply of western goods is more than reasonable given the wide trade contacts of the Tarnovo Tsardom and the Dobrudzha Despotate during the 14th c., and the dominant role of the Italian maritime republics in the Black Sea trading region. The targeted search for Spanish imports in several museum collections confirmed their presence in six settlements along the Black Sea coast: Sozopol, Varna, Kastritsi, Kaliakra, the fortresses of Rusokastro and Petrich near Varna. The pottery included in the paper illustrates the 14th to 15th c. imports of the following well known in the European studies subgroups of Valencian production: loza valenciana malagueňa dorada y azul; loza valenciana dorada Pula; loza valenciana dorada clasicá. The presence of some 16th c. post-Valencian products, most probably originating from the workshops of Muel, Saragossa, is also suggested. Most of the examined finds show that Iberian imports, even though just a few, reached Bulgaria between the 1330s and the late 15th c., most likely due to Italian merchants. Numerous written sources prove that the main reason for the active policy followed by Genoa and Venice was the export of cheap cereals and raw materials. There is no explicit information about the import of ceramics but given the connections of the two maritime republics with Spanish ports, especially the Genoese ones, it can be assumed that they supplied luxury lustreware to both Bulgarian lands and cities on the North Black Sea coast.

In the field of holographic-type communication (HTC), this paper presents a comprehensive exploration of existing technologies and proposes a novel, modular architecture for holographic telepresence systems (HTPSs). We substantiate our architectural framework through a practical implementation, demonstrating its modularity, interoperability, and versatility. Quantitative and qualitative assessments reveal both the promise and areas for improvement within our platform. Our findings reinforce the premise that the key to unlocking HTC’s future lies in modularity and interoperability, serving as critical pillars for efficient standardization and the development of minimal viable products.

Ever since probiotics have become a modern topic to discuss in the last few decades, they came out as the most important and independent regulatory system of our metabolism. ``We are what we eat`` or the way of how food modeling us. And it is not about exactly the food but the probiotics in it. In 2012 our team published an article about the connection of probiotics and glucose metabolism (1). At the same time, the whole scientific world worked on different relationships between the gut microbiome and body functions. For literally few years ago, there is a massive progress of knowing the fine mechanisms and importance on this condition – the symbiosis with ``the good`` bacteria. If we think about the reason why it is so popular today and why so many researchers work on it, we only can point out the modern lifestyle and the bad quality of food accompanied it. The relationship between those two is the busy lifestyle and the necessary to eat the canned meal fulfilled of preservatives and poor of microbiome, combined with often antibiotic uses which destroyed your balance in long-term plan. Those states of continuing do`s eventually can ruin your life through the nervous system. We can conclude that the misdiagnose of dysbiosis is the 21st century challenge.

Abstract We aimed to analyze serum pro-inflammatory profiles of female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and compare them with healthy women to establish the relative importance of pro-inflammatory cytokines in RA and their relation with different treatment regimens. Levels of six cytokines were determined by ELISA assays. A supervised dimensionality reducing approach (PLS-DA Analysis) was applied. All of the cytokines assayed were significantly elevated in the sera of RA female patients than healthy controls with fold change: 21-fold for IL-6; 6.1-fold for IL-17A; 2.5-fold for IL-23; 2.3-fold for IL-18; 1.94-fold for TNF-α; 1.7-fold for IL-12p40. According to the results of the PLS-DA analysis, IL-17A, IL-18, and TNF-α were of higher importance rank compared to IL-23 and IL-12p40. Women in the early stage of RA displayed significantly elevated IL-17A levels than those with longer disease duration: 8.04 pg/ml [8.04–175.3] vs 4.64 pg/ml [2.95–13.31], p = 0.007. IL-6 serum levels were related to higher disease activity. We have demonstrated altered cytokine production within female RA patients on different treatment regimens. Those on Tocilizumab therapy showed elevated IL-6 levels and decreased IL-17A versus the rest of the patients’ subgroups. In conclusion, our data support the pivotal role of IL-18 in addition to IL-6, IL-17A, and TNF-α as the hierarchical cytokines in the pathogenesis of RA, particularly valid for women. Therapy with biological agents targeting IL-18 in addition to the Th17 axis may be an adequate approach in RA patients.

A new type of fibrous mat based on a cellulose derivative—cellulose acetate (CA) or CA and water-soluble polymers (polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP or poly(vinyl alcohol), PVA)—loaded with the model drug 5-nitro-8-hydroxyquinoline (5N) was fabricated via electrospinning or electrospinning in conjunction with electrospraying. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle measurements and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) were used for the complex characterization of the obtained novel material. The decoration of CA fibers with a water-soluble polymer containing the drug resulted in the facilitation of wetting and fast drug release. The 5N-containing fibrous material showed antioxidant activity. Moreover, the proposed materials’ antibacterial and antifungal properties were tested against S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans. Well-distinguished, sterile zones with diameters above 3.5 cm were observed around all 5N-containing mats. The mats’ cytotoxicity toward HeLa carcinoma cells and normal mouse BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts was assessed. The 5N-in-CA, PVP,5N-on-(5N-in-CA) and PVA,5N-on-(5N-in-CA) fibrous mats possessed anticancer efficacies and much lower levels of toxicity against normal cells. Therefore, the as-created novel electrospun materials, which are based on polymers loaded with the drug 5N via electrospinning/electrospraying, can potentially be applied for topical wound healing and for local cancer therapy.

In this publication, we report about the selectivity and stability of bismuth (Bi)- and tin (Sn)-based electrocatalysts for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR) for formate production. Bismuth and tin were successfully electrodeposited using the pulse plating technique on top of and inside of the gas diffusion layers (GDLs). The distribution of the catalyst throughout the thickness of the gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) was investigated by using scanning electron microscopy and computer tomography; it was found that the catalyst morphology determines the performance of the electrode. Inhomogeneous deposits, with their enlarged catalyst surface area, provide more active centres for the eCO2RR, resulting in increased Faraday efficiency (FE) for formate. The initial electrochemical characterisation tests of the bismuth- and tin-loaded GDEs were carried out under laboratory operating conditions at an industrially relevant current density of 200 mA·cm−2; complete Sn dissolution with a subsequent deformation of the GDL was observed. In contrast to these results, no leaching of the electrodeposited Bi catalyst was observed. An FE of 94.2% towards formate was achieved on these electrodes. Electrodes based on an electrodeposited Bi catalyst on an in-house prepared GDL are stable after 23 h time-on-stream at 200 mA·cm−2 and have very good selectivity for formate.

Background/Objectives: Aging and chronic stress are regarded as the most important risk factors of cognitive decline. Aged spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) represent a suitable model of age-related vascular brain diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of chronic isolation stress in aging SHRs on their cognitive functions and response to acute stress, as well as the influence of the chronic oral intake of N-Pep-Zn, the Zn derivative of N-PEP-12. Methods: Nine-month-old SHRs were subjected to social isolation for 3 months (SHRiso group), and one group received N-pep-Zn orally (SHRisoP, 1.5 mg/100 g BW). SHRs housed in groups served as the control (SHRsoc). The behavioral study included the following tests: sucrose preference, open field, elevated plus maze, three-chamber sociability and social novelty and spatial learning and memory in a Barnes maze. Levels of corticosterone, glucose and proinflammatory cytokines in blood plasma as well as salivary amylase activity were measured. Restraint (60 min) was used to test acute stress response. Results: Isolation negatively affected the SHRs learning and memory in the Barnes maze, while the treatment of isolated rats with N-Pep-Zn improved their long-term memory and working memory impairments, making the SHRisoP comparable to the SHRsoc group. Acute stress induced a decrease in the relative thymus weight in the SHRiso group (but not SHRsoc), whereas treatment with N-Pep-Zn prevented thymus involution. N-pep-Zn mitigated the increment in blood cortisol and glucose levels induced by acute stress. Conclusions: N-pep-Zn enhanced the adaptive capabilities towards chronic (isolation) and acute (immobilization) stress in aged SHRs and prevented cognitive disturbances induced by chronic isolation, probably affecting the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal, sympathetic, and immune systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streaming data are present all around us. From traditional radio systems streaming audio to today's connected end-user devices constantly sending information or accessing services, data are flowing constantly between nodes across various networks. The demand for appropriate outlier detection (OD) methods in the fields of fault detection, special events detection, and malicious activities detection and prevention is not only persistent over time but increasing, especially with the recent developments in Telecommunication systems such as Fifth Generation (5G) networks facilitating the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT). The process of selecting a computationally efficient OD method, adapted for a specific field and accounting for the existence of empirical data, or lack thereof, is non-trivial. This paper presents a thorough survey of OD methods, categorized by the applications they are implemented in, the basic assumptions that they use according to the characteristics of the streaming data, and a summary of the emerging challenges, such as the evolving structure and nature of the data and their dimensionality and temporality. A categorization of commonly used datasets in the context of streaming data is produced to aid data source identification for researchers in this field. Based on this, guidelines for OD method selection are defined, which consider flexibility and sample size requirements and facilitate the design of such algorithms in Telecommunications and other industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to fabricate innovative fibrous materials with various biological activities from poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), sodium hyaluronate (HA), chitosan (Ch), Melissa officinalis (MO), Hypericum perforatum (HP) extract, or a combination of both extracts. Electrospinning or electrospinning followed by dip coating and the subsequent formation of a polyelectrolyte complex were the methods used to prepare these materials. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and attenuated total reflection–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR) were applied for investigating the morphology of materials, their thermal characteristics, and their surface chemical composition. The composition and design of the mats had an influence on the in vitro release behavior of the main bioactive compounds present in the MO and HP extracts incorporated in the materials. It was found that as-created materials comprising a combination of both extracts and a Ch/HA complex exerted higher antioxidant activity than that of (non-)coated MO-containing mats and Ch/HA-coated mats containing HP. The novel materials manifested antibacterial efficacy towards the pathogenic bacteria S. aureus and E. coli, as evidenced by the performed microbiological screening. Furthermore, the mats possessed a great growth inhibitory effect on HeLa cancer cells but had a less pronounced effect on the growth of normal mouse BALB/3T3 fibroblasts. The loading of both extracts in the mats and the formation of coating led to the enhancement of the in vitro anticancer and antibacterial activities of the materials. Thus, the novel materials have potential for use in local cancer therapy as well as for use as wound dressings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Texture recognition is a pivotal task in computer vision, crucial for applications in material sciences, medicine, and agriculture. Leveraging advancements in Deep Neural Networks (DNNs), researchers seek robust methods to discern intricate patterns in images. In the context of the burgeoning Tactile Internet (TI), efficient texture recognition algorithms are essential for real-time applications. This paper introduces a method named Local Binary Convolution Network with Intra-class Normalization (LBCNIN) for texture recognition. Incorporating features from the last layer of the backbone, LBCNIN employs a non-trainable Local Binary Convolution (LBC) layer, inspired by Local Binary Patterns (LBP), without fine-tuning the backbone. The encoded feature vector is fed into a linear Support Vector Machine (SVM) for classification, serving as the only trainable component. In the context of TI, the availability of images from multiple views, such as in 3D object semantic segmentation, allows for more data per object. Consequently, LBCNIN processes batches where each batch contains images from the same material class, with batch normalization employed as an intra-class normalization method, aiming to produce better results than single images. Comprehensive evaluations across texture benchmarks demonstrate LBCNIN's ability to achieve very good results under different resource constraints, attributed to the variability in backbone architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]