Recent publications
Early diagnosis and treatment of cancer is rapidly advancing thanks to the development of nanotechnology. Here, upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are particularly promising as they are finding a wide range of...
Extreme Space Weather events can negatively affect ground‐based infrastructure and satellite communications. European Space Agency plans to launch a new operational mission, Vigil, to monitor space weather activity and provide timely warnings about immediate danger. In this work, we have identified 24 instruments that have already acquired data on 8 space missions and are similar to instruments planned for mission Vigil. We then selected the 39 most extreme space weather events that affected the Earth in the past 30 years and gathered Vigil‐like data for them. The objective of this work and our main motivation was to address the following question: “How would Vigil have observed extreme space weather events if it had been operational during those events?” For this reason, we prepared a pipeline for the community to obtain images and in‐situ measurements for these specific periods, allowing straightforward applications for the follow‐up data‐driven studies. This effort could maximize Vigil's potential. Additionally, we studied the sources of extreme space weather events and the time it took for solar plasma to reach Earth's magnetosphere. This analysis demonstrates the utilization of the gathered data set and provides interesting insights into the most hazardous space events that influenced society in recent decades.
The broader region of the Czech Republic in Central Europe experiences moderate seismicity. However, determination of seismic hazard is significant due to its dense population, large cities, and developed industrial infrastructure, including nuclear power plants. A new catalogue of historical earthquakes has been compiled for the Czech Republic and its surrounding areas, covering the period up to the end of 2023. The catalogue was analysed in terms of seismicity variations over the last 164 years (1860–2023). It was shown, that there was a significant increase in seismicity from 1896 to 1910 compared to the present state, in most of the source zones, which are important for the seismic hazard of the region. Significant earthquakes from this period are well documented in historical records, and some also by old seismograms, making it certain that similar strong earthquakes did not occur in later years until now. A strong correlation has been shown with earthquakes in Italy, a highly seismically active area on the margin of the Eurasian tectonic plate, which is more than 200 km away from the study region. However, the physical cause of this variation in seismicity in both regions is unclear. The demonstrated variation in seismicity has essential implications for the methodology of seismic hazard evaluation.
The study aimed to conduct a survey on the occurrence of benzimidazole (BZ) resistance in strongyles by in vitro
egg hatch test (EHT) and larval development test (LDT) and to identify the effective indicators of early resistance
detection on horse farms with associated risk factors analysis appraisal. In total, 203 horses from 8 farms un
derwent the fecal sampling of which 77 horses were selected for in vitro testing. Simultaneously, 18 horses were
chosen to analyse the results of in vitro tests compared to the in vivo fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT). The
EHT indicated the presence of resistant strongyles in all farms with an exceeded threshold of 0.1 μg/ml thia
bendazole (TBZ) in 43 horses (55.84 %). The percent egg hatch at 0.1 μg/ml TBZ in "resistant parasites" varies
from 39.0 ± 6.0 % to 91.0 ± 1.0 %. The hatching range between 8.5 ± 1.5 % and 50.0 ± 6.0 % at a concentration
of 0.1 μg/ml TBZ was detected wherein the recommended threshold was not exceeded. The analysis of the EHT
results demonstrated that egg hatching at the 0.1 µg/ml TBZ concentration was identified as the most important
predictor of the early detection of BZ resistance. In the LDT, the mean TBZ concentration which interrupted the
development of 50 % and 99 % larvae to the infective stage (L3) from all horses was 0.0753 ± 0.0454 and
0.6798 ± 1.9144 μg/ml TBZ, respectively. Only cyathostomin L3 were found at TBZ concentrations ≥ 0.08 μg/ml
and only in samples from 81.8 % of horses (36/44). A comparison of LDT results did not show a statistically
significant agreement with EHT and FECRT. In conclusion, the in vitro EHT could be implemented as an indicator
for early BZ resistance detection and showed that monitoring of hatching at selected concentrations could detect
presence and estimate the proportion of the resistant parasite population on the horse farms.
In this paper, we investigate a mathematical model of sea-breeze flow described by a second-order differential equation, which explains the morning glory phenomenon. Firstly, we establish the existence and uniqueness of solutions by applying the Fredholm alternative theorem. Then, we consider approximate solutions by using the Taylor expansion theorem. We also apply a Fourier analysis for computing the solution and present some numerical methods. Finally, by making appropriate assumptions for the forcing term, we transform the original equation into a Sturm–Liouville problem and analyze the corresponding eigenvalue problem.
In this research article, we present a density functional theory (DFT) oriented analysis to examine the optoelectronic and thermoelectric properties, along with the mechanical stability, of two proposed oxide perovskites, SbAlO3 and SbGaO3, based on the full potential linear augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW). The evaluated formation energy and tolerance factor (τF) show that considered perovskite-oxides were thermodynamically optimum with cubic cell. Generalized gradient approximation (PBE-GGA) along modified Beck Johnson potential (TB-mBJ) potential confirms direct bandgaps () of 2.074 and 2.059 eV for SbXO3 (X = Al, Ga), respectively. The optical characteristics were investigated in the energy range of 0–10 eV. Optimal energy loss suggesting plasma resonance is at 9 eV and above 10 eV, maximum reflectivity at 52.12% and 56.96% at 6.25 eV and 7.50 eV for SbGaO3 and SbAlO3 respectively. Furthermore, thermoelectric features are determined using semiclassical Boltzmann theory with constant relaxation time approximation. Calculated figure of merit (zT) values for SbXO3 (X = Al, Ga) are 0.40 and 0.68 at 1200 K, respectively. Thermal parameters are crucial in establishing a material's thermal endurance over a broad spectrum of temperatures. We anticipate that the estimated characteristics of SbAlO3 and SbGaO3 compounds will pave the way for novel applications in optoelectronics and thermoelectric devices.
Renormalized field theory is a most effective framework to carry out asymptotic analysis of non-equilibrium nearly critical systems, especially in high orders of perturbation theory. Here, we review some subtle, slippery and non-conventional aspects of this approach. We present construction of the field-theoretic representation of certain Langevin-type stochastic equations with additive and multiplicative random sources as well as master equations of various birth–death processes. Application of the field-theoretic renormalization group combined with the short-distance operator-product expansion to the analysis of asymptotic scaling behavior is reviewed for passive scalar fields advected by various velocity ensembles, including Kraichnan’s rapid-change model and the stochastic Navier–Stokes equation. Infinite sets of anomalous exponents were calculated within regular expansions up to third order. Effects of anisotropy, finite correlation time and compressibility are discussed. The representation of the Kolmogorov constant and the skewness factor suitable for perturbative renormalization-group calculation and the second-order results are presented in a reasonable agreement with experiments in fully developed hydrodynamic turbulence. The recent third-order results for the critical exponents for the directed percolation process are presented; paradigmatic models for irreversible reaction–diffusion processes are discussed with the account of advection in various random velocity fields.
Mitochondrial genomes are a rich source of data for various downstream analyses such as population genetics, phylogeny, and systematics. Today it is possible to assemble rapidly large numbers of mitogenomes, mainly employing next-generation sequencing and third-generation sequencing. However, verification of the correctness of the generated sequences is often lacking, especially for noncoding, length-variable parts. Here we have assembled the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) from four specimens of Agabus bipustulatus (L.) using long-read nanopore sequence data. The use of the latest nanopore chemistry (V14) combined with a comprehensive error correction workflow enabled the generation of mitogenomes with high accuracy and reproducibility, as tested on four samples. The resulting mitogenome is 17,876 bp long, including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and a control region. Differences in the control region length between samples were minimal. The arrangement of protein-coding genes, transfer RNAs, and ribosomal RNAs is similar to that of the ancestral insect mitogenome. Finally, we used the assembled, well-supported mitogenomes in the phylogenetic analysis of a part of the Dytiscidae related to the studied species and confronted the results with previous hypotheses. Conflicting estimates of their phylogeny suggest that considerably more robust data are required for a plausible sketch of their evolutionary history. Our research has confirmed that readily available third-generation sequencing technologies, such as Oxford Nanopore Technologies, combined with long-read sequencing, offer a highly efficient, reliable, and cost-effective approach to generate complete mitogenomes and potentially other longer regions of the genome. The use of reliable data will ultimately contribute to a deeper understanding and improved conservation strategies for diving beetles and other organisms.
This systematic literature review summarises the state-of-the-art evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on the integration of international students in their host countries and institutions. Conducted between January and May 2022, it analyses the responses to COVID-19 of the key actors involved in international student mobility: national/regional authorities, higher education institutions, and students. Findings reveal that governmental action and institutional measures were decisive in shaping international students’ integration experiences. Regarding governmental action, criticism of the policies adopted by Australia and the USA in relation to immigration and/or support stand out, in contrast to policies adopted by the Canadian authorities. Higher education institutions played an important role in mitigating the negative effects of COVID-19 on international students’ integration. These targeted different needs– material, well-being, and social– through different types of support: logistical and financial support, psychological support, and the provision of platforms for ongoing social interaction and exchange. Most studies, however, focus on the students themselves, the challenges they faced during the pandemic and their coping strategies. Common to international students’ lived experience was (dis)connectedness, with the following themes emerging as obstacles to their social and cultural integration: distress during lockdown periods, disruption of their social life and support networks, mental health issues, discrimination and racialised prejudice, and language barriers. The review concludes by proposing recommendations and by identifying avenues for future research.
In the quest for robust and universal quantum devices, the notion of simulation plays a crucial role, both from a theoretical and from an applied perspective. In this work, we go beyond the simulation of quantum channels and quantum measurements, studying what it means to simulate a collection of measurements, which we call a multimeter. To this end, we first explicitly characterize the completely positive transformations between multimeters. However, not all of these transformations correspond to valid simulations, as otherwise we could create any resource from nothing. For example, the set of transformations includes maps that always prepare the same multimeter regardless of the input, which we call trash-and-prepare. From the perspective of an experimenter with a given multimeter as part of a complicated setup, having to discard the multimeter and using a different one instead is undesirable. We give a new definition of multimeter simulations as transformations that are triviality-preserving, i.e., when given a multimeter consisting of trivial measurements they can only produce another trivial multimeter. In the absence of a quantum ancilla, we then characterize the transformations that are triviality-preserving and the transformations that are trash-and-prepare. Finally, we use these characterizations to compare our new definition of multimeter simulation to three existing ones: classical simulations, compression of multimeters, and compatibility-preserving simulations.
This study investigates to what extent the ‘green gap,’ that is, the disconnection between environmental values and pro‐environmental behaviour, can be explained by various perceived psychological barriers. A large representative sample of Slovak participants ( N = 1233) filled in several measures of environmental value orientation, perceived psychological barriers and self‐reported pro‐environmental behaviour. The parallel mediation models revealed that environmental value orientation predicts engagement in pro‐environmental behaviour, and this relationship is partially mediated by certain psychological barriers, yet the role of the specific barriers varied substantially with different types of behaviour. Overall, however, the explained variance in pro‐environmental behaviour was relatively modest (up to 31%), suggesting the presence of other important social, psychological, and structural variables as predictors in this regard. Our findings emphasize the intricate role of psychological barriers and demographic factors in shaping environmental actions. Understanding these complexities can help design targeted interventions to bridge the ‘green gap’ effectively.
Eleven species of flies from four families are recorded as new for the fauna of Slovakia: the bee flies (Bombyliidae) Apolysis szappanosi Papp, 2005, Bombylisoma unicolor (Loew, 1855), and Lomatia lachesis Egger, 1859; the micro bee fly (Mythicomyiidae) Platypygus bellus Loew, 1869; the hoverflies (Syrphidae) Callicera aurata (Rossi, 1790), C. spinolae Rondani, 1843, Eumerus hungaricus Szilády, 1940, Myolepta potens (Harris, 1780), Paragus tibialis (Fallén, 1817), and Riponnensia splendens (Meigen, 1822); and the thick-headed fly (Conopidae) Zodion nigritarsis (Strobl, 1902)
A qualitative analysis of a second-order fuzzy difference equation featuring a quadratic term was recently explored in this journal. The study presented was limited to a second-order equation. Here,we generalize the study to a higher-order fuzzy difference equation with a quadratic component. Furthermore, we establish adequate conditions on the qualitative dynamics involving boundedness, persistence, and the convergence of positive fuzzy solutions to the equation. In addition, we provide two simulation instances to validate our theoretical examination.
Lithium is used in the long-term treatment of bipolar disorder, exhibiting a beneficial effect on the neuronal cells. The concentration of lithium in the blood serum can vary and can easily approach a level that is related to cardiotoxic adverse effects. This is due to its narrow therapeutic index. In this study, we investigated the effect of higher than therapeutic dose of lithium. Rat cardiomyoblast cells were treated with 2 mM LiCl for 48 h, after which the mitochondrial parameters of the cells were analyzed. Lithium exposure reduced maximal respiratory capacity by diminishing reserve respiratory capacity (RRC), linked to a decrease in complex I (NADH dehydrogenase) activity and elevated superoxide radical levels. In addition, lithium treatment altered the composition of cellular membranes, including mitochondrial cardiolipin, a lipid essential for mitochondrial function. These findings suggest that impaired complex I activity, oxidative stress, and cardiolipin depletion collectively impair the ability of cells to meet high energy demands.
The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM–GBF) envisions a world living in harmony with nature by 2050, with 23 intermediate targets to be achieved by 2030. However, aligning international policy and national and local implementation of effective actions can be challenging. Using steppe birds, one of the most threatened vertebrate groups in Europe, as a model system, we identified 36 conservation actions for the achievement of the KM–GBF targets and we singled out—through an expert-based consensus approach—ten priority actions for immediate implementation. Three of these priority actions address at least five of the first eight KM–GBF targets, those related to the direct causes of biodiversity loss, and collectively cover all the targets when implemented concurrently. These actions include (i) effectively protecting priority areas, (ii) implementing on-the-ground habitat management actions, and (iii) improving the quality and integration of monitoring programmes. Our findings provide a blueprint for implementing effective strategies to halt biodiversity loss in steppe-like ecosystems. Our approach can be adapted to other taxonomic groups and ecosystems and has the potential to serve as a catalyst for policy-makers, prompting a transition from political commitment to tangible actions, thereby facilitating the attainment of the KM–GBF targets by 2030.
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Bratislava, Slovakia
Head of institution
prof. RNDr. Pavol Šajgalík, DrSc.
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