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This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and in vitro antidiabetic properties of extracts obtained from ripe, unripe, and fermented (unripe) cornelian cherry ( L.) fruits. Polyphenols were identified using UPLC-ESI-qTOF-MS/MS and quantified by HPLC-PDA. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays, while enzyme inhibitory activity was determined for -glucosidase and -amylase. Additionally, the effects of extracts on insulin sensitivity in adipocytes were investigated. The study's results showed that each of the extracts tested contained varying proportions of substances with proven health-promoting properties. The extract from ripe fruits was characterized by the highest loganic acid content, whereas the extract from fermented unripe fruits contained a high amount of gallic acid, released through the hydrolysis of tannins during fermentation. The extract from unripe fruits exhibited the highest tannin content and the strongest antioxidant activity. All extracts inhibited -glucosidase and -amylase to a similar extent and improved insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes without affecting or expression. In conclusion, extracts from unripe and fermented fruits may represent promising agents for alleviating insulin resistance and preventing type 2 diabetes.

Highly efficient animal rearing would be impossible without the use of high-protein feed. In Europe the main source of feed protein has become soybean meal imported from South America, where the majority of it is genetically modified. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of genetically modified (GM) plant material in feed on the Polish market. The study material consisted of feed materials and compound feed samples collected as part of the Official Feed Control Plan in 2018-2024. Methods recommended for use in official testing by the European Union Reference Laboratory for Genetically Modified Food and Feed were used to identify GM organism (GMO) presence. Between 2018 and 2024, 171 (53.9%) positive samples were identified, all with GM soybean presence. No GM maize or GM rapeseed was identified. The majority of positive samples contained three GM soybean varieties: MON 40-3-2, MON 89788 and MON 87701. The results from samples taken at the eastern Polish border varied from one survey year to the next, revealing GMO presence ranging from 0% to 80%, and the entirety of the GMO content to be soybean. The high-protein soybean meal in poultry and pig farming is in part derived from GM soybeans grown in third countries. Other feed crops like maize and rapeseed are GMO-free or contaminated with GMOs only at low levels.

Globally, genetically modified (GM) crops were grown on 191.7 million hectares in 2018, which were mostly sown with soybean, maize, cotton, oilseed rape, and rice. The most popular traits introduced through genetic modification include herbicide and pest insect resistance. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify genetically modified soybean used in animal feed in Poland. This research was based on the real-time PCR technique. All methods for GM soybean events were adopted from the EURL GMFF database of methods and previously verified to meet the minimum criteria of acceptance. Over 15 years of research, 665 samples were examined in total. The most common GM soybean event was MON40-3-2, tested for from the beginning of the investigation. Next, in decreasing order of frequency, were MON89788, MON87701, and A2704-12. In the majority of samples (606; 91%) GM soybeans were identified at a content level above the 0.9% GM content threshold for mandatory labelling. Only 59 soybean samples (9%) were identified as GM negative. GM negative results were mainly identified during the analyses in the last three years of the study, from 2017 to 2019. Our data clearly indicate that the majority of soybean used in Poland for animal feeding was genetically modified.

Aim The aim of this study is to model the past, current, and future distribution of J. phoenicea s.s., J. turbinata, and J. canariensis, based on bioclimatic variables using a maximum entropy model (Maxent) in the Mediterranean and Macaronesian regions. Location Mediterranean and Macaronesian. Taxon Cupressaceae, Juniperus. Methods Data on the occurrence of the J. phoenicea complex were obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF.org), the literature, herbaria, and the authors’ field notes. Bioclimatic variables were obtained from the WorldClim database and Paleoclim. The climate data related to species localities were used for predictions of niches by implementation of Maxent, and the model was evaluated with ENMeval. Results The potential niches of Juniperus phoenicea during the Last Interglacial period (LIG), Last Glacial Maximum climate (LGM), and Mid‐Holocene (MH) covered 30%, 10%, and almost 100%, respectively, of the current potential niche. Climate warming may reduce potential niches by 30% in RCP2.6 and by 90% in RCP8.5. The potential niches of Juniperus turbinata had a broad circum‐Mediterranean and Canarian distribution during the LIG and the MH; its distribution extended during the LGM when it was found in more areas than at present. The predicted warming in scenarios RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 could reduce the current potential niche by 30% and 50%, respectively. The model did not find suitable niches for J. canariensis during the LIG and the LGM, but during the MH its potential niche was 30% larger than at present. The climate warming scenario RCP2.6 indicates a reduction in the potential niche by 30%, while RCP8.5 so indicates a reduction of almost 60%. Main conclusions This research can provide information for increasing the protection of the juniper forest and for counteracting the phenomenon of local extinctions caused by anthropic pressure and climate changes. The aim of this study is to model the past, current, and future distribution of J. phoenicea s.s., J. turbinata, and J. canariensis, based on bioclimatic variables using a maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) in the Mediterranean and Macaronesian regions. Climate warming could reduce potential niches of Juniperus phoenicea by 30% and 90% in scenarios RCP2.6 and RCP8.5, respectively.

In Europe, Juniperus sabina L. is a mountainous, rare species that creates small, scattered populations, suggesting their refugial nature. Recently, a new variety of this juniper, J. sabina var. balkanensis R. P. Adams et A. N. Tashev was described based on genetic studies. We expected morphological differentiation among isolated parts of the species range and between varieties, as was the case with other Mediterranean junipers. Cones, seeds and fragments of shoots from a total of 506 individuals were collected from 24 populations in Europe and for comparisons from three populations from Tian Shan. Almost all of the 16 analysed features significantly differentiated among populations and geographical regions as well as between the varieties, although most groups differed from others only in terms of a single feature. The thickness of cones, the width of shoots and the length of seeds were the most important features for differentiation. The geographical structure of the variation of J. sabina was weak, and comparative populations from Tian Shan were clustered with European populations, similar to the findings of a previous study on essential oils. We found slightly different patterns of variation of the two varieties of the species. The little intra-species differentiation could be the result of the long period of contact between nowadays distinct populations and their relatively late separation in the early Holocene.

BACKGROUND: Although the plantaris muscle (PM) is considered vestigial in humans, it plays a significant clinical role in procedures such as grafting. Recent reports have suggested its potential involvement in mid-portion Achilles tendon tendinopathy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological variations of the PM, focusing on its branching patterns at the level of insertion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Dissections were performed on 58 lower limbs obtained from 29 adult cadavers preserved in a 10% formalin solution. The morphology of the PM was assessed concerning its branching patterns at the insertion level and its relationship with the calcaneal tendon. RESULTS: The PM was present in 52 out of 58 cases (89.65%). In most of these cases (37 limbs, 63.79%), there was no splitting of the plantaris tendon (PT) at the level of the extensor expansion (ExP). Bifurcation occurred in 10 cases (19.23%), trifurcation in four (7.69%), and in one instance, the tendon divided into four slips. In 11 cases (22.4%), the insertion blended with the Achilles tendon (Type VII), which may increase the risk of Achilles tendinopathy. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates the existence of new types of PM tendon insertions that could potentially influence the development of Achilles tendinopathy. Variations in the anatomical morphology of the PM tendon may lead to potential conflicts with the Achilles tendon and the tibialis posterior tendon, thereby increasing the risk of tendinopathy.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of Professor Walter Wahli’s discovery of the PPARs (Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors) family of nuclear hormone receptors. To mark the occasion, the editors of the scientific periodical Biomolecules decided to publish a special issue in his honor. This paper summarizes what is known about PPARs and shows how trends have changed and how research on PPARs has evolved. The article also highlights the importance of PPARs and what role they play in various diseases and ailments. The paper is in a mixed form; essentially it is a review article, but it has been enriched with the results of our experiments. The selection of works was subjective, as there are more than 200,000 publications in the PubMed database alone. First, all papers done on an animal model were discarded at the outset. What remained was still far too large to describe directly. Therefore, only papers that were outstanding, groundbreaking, or simply interesting were described and briefly commented on.

BACKGROUND: The internal iliac artery (IIA) originates from the common iliac artery at the level of the sacroiliac joint and bifurcates between the L5 and S1 vertebrae. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to demonstrate the most up-to-date and evidence-based data regarding the general anatomy of the IIA, including their variations, length, and diameter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Major online medical databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched to find all studies considering the anatomy of the IIA. Eligibility assessment and data extraction stages were performed. RESULTS: In the general population the pooled prevalence of Type I (The superior gluteal artery arises independently with the inferior gluteal and internal pudendal arteries arising from a common trunk which dividing inside [Type IA] or outside [Type IB] pelvic cavity) was found to be 56.57% (95% CI: 53.00–60.10%). The pooled mean length of the IIA was 39.95 mm (SE = 1.79) in the overall population. The pooled mean diameter of the IIA was found to be 6.86 mm (SE = 0.27). CONCLUSIONS: The IIA is responsible for supplying most of the structures located in the pelvis. Hence, it is crucial to be aware of the possible variants of the said vessel. The results presented in our study may be highly significant in various surgical procedures performed in that region.

Trees and shrubs belonging to the genus Juniperus L. are pivotal species in arid and semiarid ecosystems in the Northern Hemisphere. However, unfavourable phenomena are observed in their populations due to global warming. We aimed to investigate the soil requirements, genetic diversity and population history of Juniperus sabina L. from Europe, Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan. Genetic resources were evaluated in 16 populations using nuclear microsatellites, while past demographic events were described based on the chloroplast DNA haplotypes. Seven chemical parameters in 36 soil samples from the European range of J. sabina were compared. In the studied area, three distinct phylogenetic lineages corresponding to different varieties of J. sabina, namely var. sabina, var. balkanensis, and the Asian variety, were revealed. Unimodal mismatch distributions and significantly negative Tajima’s D and Fu’s Fs parameters indicated that the sabina and balkanensis varieties underwent a population expansion. Microsatellite variation was moderate, potentially influenced by inbreeding, clonal propagation, and limited gene flow between populations. Bayesian clustering revealed five genetic groups. Compared to var. sabina, the balkanensis variety occupies areas with significantly higher potassium content in the soil, which probably mitigates the adverse effects of drought in its localities.

Endemic species are more impacted by climate change than other taxa. However, assessing the vulnerability of endemics to these changes in some regions, such as the Hyrcanian forest, is limited, despite its importance for biodiversity and ecosystem function. To address the question of expected habitat shifts under climate change across the Hyrcanian ecoregion, we built an ensemble of species distribution models (SDM) under two emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) for 15 endemic woody taxa. To identify the potential priority conservation areas, we also applied a spatial prioritization approach. Overall, our results suggest that the impacts of climate change are more severe on the eastern parts of the region (Golestan) and the Talysh Mountains (north-western Hyrcanian ecoregion) with over 85% and 34% loss of suitable habitats over the next 80 years. The central part of the Alborz Mountains (Mazandaran) and some areas in the Talysh Mountains could be potential climatic refugia under the future conditions for endemic taxa. The most prominent changes are expected for Ruscus hyrcanus, Gleditsia capsica, Acer velutinum, Frangula grandifolia, and Buxus hyrcana. The worrying predicted loss of suitable habitats for most studied taxa would dramatically affect the stability and resilience of forests, threatening thus biodiversity of the Hyrcanian ecoregion. We present the first estimation of the potential risks involved and provide useful support for regional climate-adaptation strategy, indicating potential conservation priority areas for maintaining and preserving its resources. Notably, only 13.4% of areas designated for conservation and management under climate change will be located within the current Hyrcanian protected areas, yet the majority of these areas are classified as low priority.