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The blue-spotted phenotype in a slow worm can be considered as an alternative colour morph or a secondary sexual characteristic. This phenotype is known to entail an elevated predation risk; thus, its continuous presence in a population must be balanced by additional and positive fitness consequences. In this study, we show that blue-spotted males are characterised by a greater snout-vent length (SVL) than typical specimens. Importantly, the SVL of blue-spotted males reaches the magnitude of the average female size. This indicates that the presence of blue spots may involve a correlated positive effect on growth and body size. The greater body size of the blue-spotted males could enhance their survival and mating success, and thus facilitate the continued presence of a high fraction of this morph within the population. In addition, we found that the blue-spotted phenotype is more common in the eastern than the western slow worm, and the proposed fitness consequences of the blue-spotted phenotype might enhance its tendency to spread in the eastern Anguis lineage.

Infectious diseases are influenced by interactions between host and pathogens in variable environments and are rarely homogenous across the landscape. Areas with elevated pathogen burden and transmission may indicate a disruption to steady-state disease dynamics. However, isolating processes that result in increases in infection prevalence and intensity remains a challenge. Here we elucidate the contribution of host species, and pathogen clade in disease hotspots. We examined broad-scale patterns of infection ofO. ophidiicola, the pathogen that causes snake fungal disease, in 21 species of snakes across 10 countries in Europe. Disease hotspots were evident across several regions in Europe, and our analyses revealed significant differences in infection based on host species and pathogen clade. Over 80% of positive detections were from host species in theNatrixgenus, indicating potential higher susceptibility in this group. The presence ofO. ophidiicolagenotypes that have been associated with more severe disease in North America, also resulted in high rates of infection compared to genotypes only described from Europe. Elevated infection prevalence was best explained by an interaction between host and pathogen identity which was not uniform across all species. More broadly, these findings present important mechanisms underlying disease hotspots across a disease endemic region.

We report a case of patient with non-small-cell lung cancer with expression of PD-L1 molecule on 1% of cancer cells, who was treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and, during disease progression, with nivolumab immunotherapy. In the course of immunotherapy our patient developed symptoms of multi-axis hypopituitarism. Pituitary macroadenoma was diagnosed. In differential diagnosis, autoimmune inflammation of the pituitary gland in the course of nivolumab therapy was considered. After pituitary failure symptoms resolved, the immunotherapy was continued, with two-year remission of the disease.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) currently comprises 15–20% of all lung cancers. It is characterised by rapid growth and early appearance of distant metastases. It is closely related to smoking. A characteristic feature of this type of cancer is the frequent coexistence of paraneoplastic syndromes (about 50% of patients). Paraneoplastic syndromes are clinically important because they can be the first sign of cancer. Early diagnosis of disturbing symptoms is an important factor in increasing the effectiveness of treatment and the patient’s chance for longer survival. The most frequent and important paraneoplastic syndromes in the course of SCLC are primarily the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone hypersecretion (SIADH), paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration, and Lambert-Eaton syndrome. This paper presents the case of a patient who came to the hospital with symptoms of hyponatraemia. Looking for the causes of hyponatraemia, the syndrome of abnormal secretion of antidiuretic hormone (Schwartz-Bartter syndrome) in the course of small cell lung cancer was confirmed. The fact that the patient was genetically burdened with the family history of breast cancer and was a carrier of the BRCA2 gene mutation was also significant. According to the latest research, mutation in the BRCA2 gene significantly affects the chemosensitivity of cancer cells, and thus increases the body’s response to treatment. The patient received chemotherapy with carboplatin and etoposide, resulting in partial remission of cancer after two treatment cycles.

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges that wildlife is facing. Rapid shifts in climatic conditions may accelerate evolutionary changes in populations as a result of strong selective pressure. Most studies focus on the impact of climatic conditions on phenologies and annual cycles, whereas there are fewer reports of empirical support for climate-driven changes in the phenotypic variability of free-living populations. We investigated whether climatic variables explain the prevalence of colour polymorphism in a population of the grass snake (Natrix natrix) with two morphotypes, the melanistic and non-melanistic ones, in the period 1981-2013. We found that the prevalence of the black phenotype was negatively related to spring temperature and winter harshness, expressed as the number of snow days. According to the thermal melanism hypothesis, a high predation rate during warmer springs may override relaxed thermal benefits and vice versa, i.e. black individuals may perform better than typical ones when thermal conditions in spring are unfavourable. In turn, because they are smaller, melanistic individuals may be exposed to a higher risk of winter mortality, particularly during longer winters. We highlight the need for more studies on the effects of climatic conditions on temporal variation in melanism prevalence in other populations and species as well as in various geographic regions.

Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is a new option of treatment in a growing range of neoplasms. In addition to an antitumor effect, ICI are associated with autoimmune reactions resulting in a wide spectrum of toxicities that have not been seen in patients receiving chemotherapy. In this article, we present a case of a patient with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who developed an EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia (PTCP) during pembrolizumab therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of EDTA-dependent PTCP occurring during immunotherapy treatment of nonsmall lung cell cancer with ICI. The phenomenon of EDTA-dependent PTCP may prompt clinical decisions, as unnecessary transfusions or even exclusion from pembrolizumab therapy. Therefore, it is important to be aware of PTCP as a possible side effect of this therapy.

In Poland, the Aesculapian snake, critically endangered at the edge of its European range, inhabits the lower parts of the Bieszczady Mts. in the SE of the country. This research, carried out between 2009 and 2014, included fieldwork in areas selected on the basis of historical literature data and the results of interviews. 51 breeding mounds were deployed at historical and potential sites of this snake’s occurrence on the forested area of 220,886 ha as a supportive tool for detecting these reptiles. The 371 records of the Aesculapian snake obtained are displayed on maps showing its historical distribution in two periods (1958-1989 and 1995-1998) for comparison. Most records were collected in the centre of the species’ range in the Bieszczady Mts. Most of the breeding mounds (17 out of 29) in this area were colonized by the snake, whereas only two sites were colonized in the outside. The results show that the Aesculapian snake’s range in the Bieszczady Mts has been shrinking. However, most current single records outside the species’ centre of occurrence are from localities close to its historical range; this suggests that relict populations may be surviving there. The proportion of records on the breeding mounds grew in consecutive years. This suggests that breeding mounds deployed near the snake’s existing localities may be a useful tool for monitoring endangered oviparous snakes and their active conservation.

Abstract. Objective: To estimate vitamin and mineral intakes from voluntarily fortified foods (VFFs) in relation to the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) in children aged 6 – 12. Methods: The study was conducted among 677 school children from Central-Eastern Poland. Data on VFFs consumption were collected using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire containing 58 food items available on the Polish market; the content of nutrients in VFFs was estimated using the producers labelling declaration. The amounts of nutrients consumed from VFFs were compared to DRI and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs). The distribution of nutrient intakes according to the percentage of DRI categories (120%) was investigated. Results: In our study, 78.3% (n = 530) of children were classified as VFF-consumers. The most often consumed groups of VFFs were cereal products and juices/non-alcoholic beverages (92.5% and 76.6% of children, respectively). The amounts of vitamin D intake were negligible (92.5% of children did not exceed 20% of DRI from VFFs); vitamins A, E, B12 and calcium were small (>60% did not exceed 40% of DRI); vitamins B1, B2, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid and iron were moderate (>25% consumed 80% of DRI or above); while vitamins C, B6 and biotin were high (>40% consumed 100% of DRI or above). Intake above ULs was observed for niacin and folic acid (2.6% and 1.1% of children, respectively). Conclusions: Substantial differences between the VFFs contribution of various micronutrients to the DRIs were observed. Consumption of VFFs may prevent inadequate intakes for the majority of nutrients. Keywords: children, DRI, inadequate intake, minerals, fortified foods, vitamins

It is postulated that melanism in ectotherms is adaptive by enhancing thermoregulation, subsequent resource acquisition, and growth. Such effects may differ between the sexes as a result of the differential costs of self-maintenance and reproduction, but empirical support for the sex-specific consequences of melanism remains inconsistent. We studied the effects of melanism on body size and sex ratio in a population of the European grass snake (Natrix natrix) in SE Poland and also carried out a systematic review of the literature on the consequences of melanism in terrestrial snakes. Melanistic grass snakes of both sexes appeared to be smaller than the typical phenotype, which indicates higher predation pressure and minimal thermal benefits for black individuals. A female-biased sex ratio was observed in the typical phenotype, but not in melanistic snakes, suggesting that the costs for females and/or benefits for males are higher in melanistic individuals. In conjunction with earlier studies, our data indicate that the consequences of melanism may be related to the reproductive mode of species. In viviparous species, melanism tends to improve growth and/or body size and is more frequent in females, whereas the opposite holds for oviparous snakes. Further studies on melanism should examine a wider array of species with different reproductive strategies and traits beyond the usual thermal benefits.

Spatial ecology of red deer Cervus elaphus is shaped by both natural and anthropogenic factors. We used radio telemetry to investigate factors affecting habitat selection on two spatial scales, home range sizes and migratory behaviour of red deer (N = 8 individuals) in two mountain ranges of the western Carpathians in 2004–2007. The two study areas differed in terms of environmental conditions: Beskid Sądecki had higher altitudes, higher human population and road density and milder winters than Beskid Niski. Red deer in both areas selected forests and avoided agricultural habitats on both spatial scales. Elevation affected site selection only in Beskid Sądecki: deer selected higher altitudes for their home ranges, but lower altitudes within them. Deer avoided major roads when selecting their home ranges in both sites, but only in Beskid Sądecki, they also avoided roads within their home ranges. Deer in both study sites selected locations closer to supplementary feeding sites in winter. In years with more severe winters, deer in Beskid Niski displayed seasonal migration to south-facing slopes. Deer in Beskid Sadecki showed short-distance altitudinal movements from low elevations in winter to high elevations in summer, and a short-term descent to low elevations in August–September. Our results fit the general concept that climatic conditions and human-related factors shape spatial behaviour in ungulates, and that snow conditions are particularly important for migration. Climate change will likely contribute to diminishing migration in red deer in the Carpathians.

Seeds are an important life cycle stage because they guarantee plant survival in unfavorable environmental conditions and the transfer of genetic information from parents to offspring. However, similar to every organ, seeds undergo aging processes that limit their viability and ultimately cause the loss of their basic property, i.e., the ability to germinate. Seed aging is a vital economic and scientific issue that is related to seed resistance to an array of factors, both internal (genetic, structural, and physiological) and external (mainly storage conditions: temperature and humidity). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are believed to initiate seed aging via the degradation of cell membrane phospholipids and the structural and functional deterioration of proteins and genetic material. Researchers investigating seed aging claim that the effective protection of genetic resources requires an understanding of the reasons for senescence of seeds with variable sensitivity to drying and long-term storage. Genomic integrity considerably affects seed viability and vigor. The deterioration of nucleic acids inhibits transcription and translation and exacerbates reductions in the activity of antioxidant system enzymes. All of these factors significantly limit seed viability.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are a group of chronic, incurable diseases of the digestive tract, the etiology of which remains unclear to this day. IBD result in significant repercussions on the quality of patients’ life. There is a continuous increase in the incidence and prevalence of IBD worldwide, and it is becoming a significant public health burden. Pharmaceuticals commonly used in IBD management, for example, mesalamine, sulfasalazine, corticosteroids, and others, expose patients to diverse, potentially detrimental side effects and frequently do not provide sufficient disease control. The chronic inflammation underlies the etiology of IBD and closely associates with oxidative/nitrosative stress and a vast generation of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species. Relative to this, several substances with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are now intensively researched as possible adjunctive or independent treatment options in IBD. Representatives of several different groups, including natural and chemical compounds will be characterized in this dissertation.

Populations at the edge of their main range of distribution are often exposed to suboptimal environments. They therefore exhibit a greater susceptibility towards habitat changes and often clearly differ in their structure and dynamics from populations in the main range. Here we define population parameters of the Aesculapian snake Zamenis longissimus, a species endangered in Europe, at its northern range limit based on data obtained in the valley of the River San (Bieszczady Mts., SE Poland) in 2009-2013. We focus on the spatial and temporal sex ratio patterns by comparing data obtained in 2009-2013 with published records from 1990 to 1998 and five other northern populations (1 from the main range, 1 at the northern edge of its contiguous range, and 3 entirely isolated ones). Using the capture-mark-recapture (CMR) method, we estimated the population size to be about 230 snakes. Our data show that among adults the percentage of females (17.74%) in the San valley population was significantly lower than in those other five populations and the same population studied two decades earlier. Because of the male-biased sex ratio, we estimated the effective population size to be about 74 snakes. This disproportion between the sexes in adults may be interpreted as an early stage of the population extinction process at the northern range limit of this species’ distribution. It is probably due to the limited availability of egg-laying sites, compelling females to undertake longer movements, which may heighten the risk of mortality. Keywords: Zamenis longissimus, Population size, Sex ratio, Northern range limit, Extinction

Though Monacha cartusiana (O. F. Mull.) is known to expand its distribution range through accidental introductions, the migration routes are usually unknown. The story of an individual which covered a distance of about 1,500 km from the Crimea to Poland, attached to a car, is one of the few examples of a fully documented migration pathway.

Aim: Provide a summary of the expressed views, presentations and discussions during the ISINI14 (2020) online conference. Design: Next to rather traditional but this time online presentations, the discussions not only took place by way of oral communication, but also via an online tool. The administrators of the conference prepared in a word-processing programme a framework, where the participants could enter issues, questions and comments in real time, and react to each others writings. These issues, questions and comments were also discussed orally. The results of the exchange of new ideas are presented below, and should provide an impulse for further discussion at ISINI online meetings in the future. Findings: In order to achieve sustainable development, protect democratic values and empower citizens in different countries with a different institutional setting, a sound balance between open markets and sound regulation should be struck at various levels. Global and regional (EU) cooperationis needed for solving challenges to sustainable development – e.g. in relation to unexpected events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate (change) as a kind of public good. Keywords: new ideas, empowerment, climate change, COVID-19, European Union, decision making process, risk management, sustainable development JEL: D70, D81, F02, Q01, Q54