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Data set for morphostructural characteristics of bark and flammability in a post-fire black pine population
No full textWe provide 1 csv file containing data for morpho-physiological and flammability variables of bark measured on four groups of Pinus nigra trees. The groups were selected based on the age of the trees (young vs. old) and their exposure to fire (burned vs. unburned)
GC/MS data of ten Nepeta taxa (subfamily Nepetoideae, family Lamiaceae) grown under greenhouse conditions
No full textRepresentatives of the genus Nepeta L. (Lamiaceae) are characterized by heterogeneous composition of iridoids, which may be present as simple iridoids-aglycones, and as glycosides. To characterize the composition of iridoid aglycones in a set of phylodiverse/chemodiverse taxa, methanol extracts were subjected to GC/MS profiling of volatiles. Leaves from greenhouse grown plants of 10 Nepeta species (N. cataria, N. ernesti-mayeri, N. grandiflora, N. laevigata, N. nervosa, N. nuda, N. parnassica, N. rtanjensis, N. sibirica, and N. stewartiana), were subjected to untargeted metabolomics. Totally 46 volatile terpene compounds were identified, and values are presented as peak areas normalized to the leaf fresh weights
Species-specific soil eDNA survey of the lesser blind mole rat − a game changer for biodiversity monitoring of terrestrial mammals
No full textConserving the biodiversity of endangered mammal species with specific lifestyles often requires unconventional monitoring techniques, preferably with non-invasive sampling whenever possible. Environmental DNA (eDNA) has the potential to be a faster, non-invasive and highly effective tool for biodiversity monitoring. The European lesser blind mole rat (BMR) Nannospalax leucodon supersp. is characterised by a particular underground lifestyle. It comprises more than 20 chromosomal forms, seven declared cryptic species. Two of the five cryptic species distributed in Serbia with reduced and fragmented habitats are threatened with extinction, mainly due to anthropological impacts. Since capturing these strictly protected mammals is particularly challenging and sampling is not possible without stressing the animals, there is an urgent need for new, non-invasive methods that allow rapid data collection across wide geographical regions. Here, we present a new monitoring method that enables the detection of each of the five cryptic species of BMR from soil eDNA using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) ‒ an advanced technology with high sensitivity and precision in detecting low-abundance DNA targets. To our knowledge, this is the first study with species-specific in situ detection of mammal species from soil eDNA using ddPCR. Soil samples were collected from the walls of active tunnels where BMRs leave biological traces (saliva, epidermal cells, urine, faeces, etc.) while digging with their lower incisors. For eDNA extraction, we used the Qiagen PowerSoil kit. Species-specific primers and probes were designed based on our mitochondrial cytb gene library. Optimised primer/probe assays for five cryptic species yielded approximately 90% positive results for all soil samples analysed, which is considered a high performance for eDNA analysis. This non-invasive approach, which can also be applied to other terrestrial species of interest, enables quick and easy sampling of many locations across broad areas, providing essential data for conservation management.Mitsainas GP, Borowski Z, Georgiakakis P, Henttonen H, Lymberakis P, Schley L, Youlatos D, editors. Book of abstracts: IX European Congress of Mammalogy (ECM9); 2025 Mar 31 - Apr 4; Patras, Greece. European Mammal Foundation; 2025. p. 143
Sexual dimorphism in ventral and dorsal cranium of the lesser blind mole rat from Serbia and North Macedonia
No full textThe superspecies of the European lesser blind mole rat (BMR) Nannospalax leucodon (Spalacidae, Rodentia) comprises more than 20 chromosomal forms, some of which are recognised as morphologically uniform but genetically distinct, so-called cryptic species. As sexual dimorphism (SD) can be an important source of morphological variability, its assessment is the first step in the study of differences within and between (cryptic) species. Moreover, the evolution and maintenance of SD in BMR is poorly studied. We used two-dimensional geometric morphometric methods to investigate sexual size and shape dimorphism (SSD and SShD) in two cranial views of four cryptic species (N. l. hungaricus, N. l. serbicus, N. l. montanoserbicus, N. l. syrmiensis) from Serbia and one (N. l. makedonicus) from North Macedonia. For both cranial views, we found statistically significant SSD (males larger than females) and SShD in all cryptic species except N. l. syrmiensis. Males and females showed the same allometric trend, and a statistically significant effect of allometry on shape variation was observed. Furthermore, the overall shape variation between the sexes is identical in all cryptic species studied and resembles the allometric shape changes, emphasising allometry’s role in the reported SShD. After allometric correction, SShD in the ventral cranium remained statistically significant in only one cryptic species (N. l. montanoserbicus), while in the dorsal cranium, none of the cryptic species showed statistically significant differences between the sexes in the non-allometric component of shape variation. The sexes of BMR do not differ in their ecological niches (habitats and diet), although males dig longer burrows (especially during mating), suggesting that underground adaptation may have evolved differently in males and females. Males do not invest in their offspring and are more aggressive. Thus, sexual rather than natural selection may be the predominant evolutionary mechanism responsible for the observed SD in BMR.Mitsainas GP, Borowski Z, Georgiakakis P, Henttonen H, Lymberakis P, Schley L, Youlatos D, editors. Book of abstracts: IX European Congress of Mammalogy (ECM9); 2025 Mar 31 - Apr 4; Patras, Greece. European Mammal Foundation; 2025. p. 298
The Role of Nutrition in Brain Aging: Modulating Neural Health through Diet
No full textNutrition plays an important role in maintaining brain health, particularly during
aging, by supporting cognitive function, preserving synaptic plasticity, reducing
inflammation and oxidative stress, and enhancing the brain's resilience to agerelated
decline. Over the past two decades, our laboratory has systematically
investigated the impact of nutritional interventions, primarily dietary/caloric
restriction (DR/CR) on the aging brain. Our findings demonstrate that both lifelong
and late-onset dietary restriction have robust effects on neuronal structure,
function and behavior. We demonstrated that CR consistently influences general
activity, cognitive performance, and frailty level in aged rodent models, with lifelong
regimens showing the most profound effects. Structurally, CR preserves synaptic
integrity and plasticity in key brain regions by maintaining the expression of key
presynaptic and postsynaptic components. Metabolically, different feeding
schedules modulate energy homeostasis in specific brain regions and show regiondependent
resilience to aging. Importantly, our studies reveal that the timing and
duration of dietary restriction are critical: early initiation (young adulthood) of the
restricted diet leads to more pronounced benefits, while application later in life still
provides neuroprotective but less consistent benefits. However, late-onset and
short-term restriction lead to adverse effects on several levels, which has to be
taken into account when choosing caloric restriction as an antiaging strategy.
Overall, our work emphasizes that strategic dietary modulation supports synaptic
maintenance, metabolic health and resilience in the aging brain. These findings
provide a solid foundation for the implementation of nutritional strategies in human
interventions aimed at preserving cognitive health and delaying neurodegenerative
processes across the lifespan.Dragić M, editor. Book of abstracts: 9th Congress of Serbian Neuroscience Society; 2025 Oct 6-8; Belgrade, Serbia. Belgrade: Serbian Neuroscience Society; 2025
Dietary Restriction During Adolescence Reduces Frailty and Extends Lifespan in Aged Female Wistar Rats
No full textDietary restriction (DR) as reduced food intake without malnutrition has numerous
beneficial effects, and depending on time of onset and duration can ameliorate
age-related changes. Frailty represents a higher risk of physical and cognitive
decline and can be assessed through the Frailty Index (FI) or Frailty Score (FS). As
frailty is reversible, DR may affect it. Adolescence is a critical period in
development and application of DR during adolescence could have long-lasting
effects. The study assessed how 30% dietary restriction (DR) during adolescence
affected frailty in 18- and 24-month-old female Wistar rats. Rats were assigned to
a control group with unlimited food access or to DR in different periods of
adolescence: early (EADR, PND 28–35), middle (MADR, PND 35–42), or early and
middle (EMADR, PND 28–42). The FS included data from open field and Y-maze
tests and body weight, while the FI included 21 health parameters and body
weight. Survival was monitored up to 24 months. At 18 and 24 months, EADR
females showed lower FI than age-matching controls. At 24 months, MADR
females also had lower FI. FS was higher in MADR rats at 18 months but lower in
both MADR and EMADR groups at 24 months. All DR groups had better survival
than the control, with EADR showing the highest and MADR the lowest survival
rate among them. DR applied in adolescence enhanced longevity and reduced
frailty at 24 months of age, with early adolescence DR showing the greatest
benefit.Dragić M, editor. Book of abstracts: 9th Congress of Serbian Neuroscience Society; 2025 Oct 6-8; Belgrade, Serbia. Belgrade: Serbian Neuroscience Society; 2025
Assessing the Chronic Effects of Dietary Aluminum on Fitness Traits, Acetylcholinesterase Activity and Locomotion in Lymantria dispar L. Larvae
No full textLymantria dispar larvae were used as a model to study the effects of sublethal chronic dietary
aluminum exposure at concentrations of 50, 250, 500, and 1000 μg Al/g dry food (T1, T2, T3,
and T4, respectively) on fitness traits, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and locomotion.
At the lowest concentration, the greatest reduction in mass and AChE activity, as well as
an increase in travel distance and time in movement, was observed relative to the control
group. Strong positive correlations between larval mass and time in movement were
observed in T1. AChE activity correlated positively with larval mass and relative growth
rate (RGR) and negatively with locomotion parameters. An increase in relative growth rate
led to a decrease in locomotion parameters (250, 500, and 1000 μg Al/g dry food). As the
amount of metal increased, there was a trend towards a decrease in locomotion, and the
value was observed to approach the control value. This study suggests that aluminum has
an influence on the fitness characteristics, AChE activity, and locomotion of L. dispar larvae.The results obtained allow us to better understand the toxicity of aluminum and, at the
same time, underline the need for further studies involving insects
Development and validation of a simple 3D lung cancer model for anticancer drug screening
No full textThe aim of this study was to develop a simple and reproducible three-dimensional (3D) in vitro lung cancer model for rapid screening of anticancer drugs using alginate-based hydrogel microfibers. Human non-small cell lung cancer cells (NCI-H460) were immobilized in sodium alginate microfibers cross-linked with barium (Ba²⁺), and key parameters affecting microfiber properties and cell viability were optimized. Optimal conditions (2 % w/w alginate, 0.045 M Ba²⁺, medium extrusion velocity) resulted in microfibers with a diameter of 600 µm and high cell viability. Short-term cultures (7 days) showed that the cells remained viable, proliferated and formed spheroid-like aggregates without obvious diffusion limitations. Cytotoxicity assays showed that 3D cultures were significantly more resistant to chemotherapeutics than 2D cultures. Cisplatin and vinorelbine were much less effective in 3D, with greatly increased IC₅₀ values, while etoposide caused only partial loss of viability in 3D, even at the highest doses tested, in contrast to the strong, dose-dependent killing in 2D. RT-qPCR analysis of multidrug resistance-related genes revealed different culture-dependent transcriptional responses. In 3D cultures, cisplatin led to a strong upregulation of ABCB1 (~3.2-fold) and ABCG2 (~2.7-fold), while vinorelbine caused a moderate upregulation of ABCC1 (~1.5-fold). In contrast, 2D cultures showed no significant changes in these genes after cisplatin treatment, but vinorelbine induced strong ABCG2 induction (~5.5-fold). These results suggest that the 3D Ba-alginate microfiber system better captures important aspects of in vivo tumor behavior than 2D culture, including drug resistance and differential gene expression, and could serve as a cost-effective, physiologically relevant platform for anticancer drug screening.Abstract Book: Nature Conferences: Engineered Models of Human Disease; 2025 Oct 28-29; Belgrade, Serbia. Berlin: Springer Nature; 2025
Fast Evolving Glioblastoma in a Pregnant Woman: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenges
No full textBackground and Clinical Significance: Gliomas diagnosed during pregnancy are rare, and there are no established guidelines for their management. Effective treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach to balance maternal health and pregnancy preservation. Case Presentation: We here present a case of rapidly progressing glioma in a 33-year-old pregnant woman. The patient initially presented with a generalized tonic–clonic seizure at 21 weeks’ gestation. Imaging revealed a tumor in the right cerebral lobe, involving both cortical and subcortical structures, while magnetic resonance spectroscopy suggested a low-grade glioma. The patient remained clinically stable for two months but then developed severe headaches; MRI showed a worsening mass effect. At 34 weeks’ gestation, an emergency and premature caesarean section was performed under general anesthesia. The patient then underwent a craniotomy for maximal tumor resection, which was histologically and molecularly diagnosed as IDH wild-type glioblastoma (GB). Using qPCR, we found that the GB tissue showed upregulated expression of genes involved in cell structure (GFAP, VIM) and immune response (SSP1, TSPO), as well as increased expression of genes related to potential hormone response (AR, CYP19A1, ESR1, GPER1). After surgery, the patient showed resistance to Stupp protocol therapy, which was substituted with lomustine and bevacizumab combination therapy. Conclusions: This case illustrates that glioma may progress rapidly during pregnancy, but a favorable obstetric outcome is achievable. Management of similar cases should respect both the need for timely treatment and the patient’s informed decision
Inhibitory Effects of Origanum vulgare Essential Oil on Mycogone perniciosa Growth in Agaricus bisporus Cultivation
No full textMycogone perniciosa is the causative agent of wet bubble disease, which induces significant losses in the production of Agaricus bisporus, indicating the high importance of the
development of novel inhibitory agents. The isolation, identification, and molecular characterization of five isolates of M. perniciosa from diseased fruit bodies of A. bisporus was
done. Moreover, the study evaluated the in vitro and in situ potential of Origanum vulgare
essential oil (EO) to limit M. perniciosa growth and provided chemical characterization of its
volatile components. The obtained strains differed phenotypically and according to their
molecular characteristics. O. vulgare EO has shown more promising antifungal activity than
the commercial fungicide Prochloraz-Mn in the microatmospheric method. In the treatment
of experimentally induced wet bubble disease on A. bisporus in the growing chambers with
2% of O. vulgare EO and simultaneous application of spore suspension of mycopathogen,
O. vulgare EO totally inhibited the growth of M. perniciosa. Carvacrol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene,
and thymol were dominant constituents of O. vulgare EO examined in this study. O. vulgare
EO has shown promising potential to limit growth of M. perniciosa and should be further
explored as a novel biofungicide