This study evaluated four landraces of local dill (Anethum graveolens) from Ardabil, Moghan, Mashhad, and Kerman, with the objective of assessing genetic and phytochemical variabilities. Plants were cultivated under field conditions on loamy soil and harvested at full flowering, the stage associated with maximum production of essential oil. Essential oils were extracted from leaves and flowers using low-temperature oven drying (40°C) and assessed via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for measuring major constituents, including carvone, limonene, α-phellandrene, myristicin, dill ether, and dillapiole. Genotype × trait biplot analysis explained 82% of the total variation, and positive associations were observed between myristicin and dill ether, as well as between α-terpinene and α-pinene, while negative correlations were found between these compounds and α-terpinolene, dibutyl phthalate, and other minor constituents. Trait discrimination and representativeness analyses identified β-pinene and sabinene as the most informative for differentiating genotypes, followed by 1-terpineol, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, and 5-epi-neointermedeol. Although highly abundant, such traits as essential oil, carvone, and limonene exhibited low discriminative potential. Among genotypes, Moghan displayed the highest essential oil, D-carvone, and l-limonene content, consistent with a seed-type chemotype dominated by carvone and limonene. Ardabil was rich in myristicin, dill ether, and α-phellandrene, representing a herb-type chemotype. Mashhad emerged as the most favourable genotype overall, combining desirable essential oil yield with moderate stability, while Kerman exhibited a high and stable dillapiole content, making it suitable for applications requiring consistent essential oil quality.

Upon the first discovery, this publication provides the results of the examination and documentation of the female genitalia of Dvidulopsis Stonis & Diškus, an endemic Neotropical genus previously known only from male specimens. It also describes Stigmella mariusi Stonis & Diškus, sp. nov., a previously overlooked Acalypha-feeding species of Nepticulidae from the western premontane Amazon.

Metal pollution of aquatic ecosystems has raised concerns about their uptake by aquatic organisms and subsequent biomagnification along the aquatic food chain. This study determined trace metal distribution in Tilapia zillii and Synodontis schall from the Siluko River in Edo State, Nigeria. Fresh fish samples were harvested monthly from September 2021 to August 2022 with the assistance of artisanal fishermen. Trace metal contents in the gills, liver, and muscles were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The metal pollution index (MPI) was used to estimate the extent of metal bioaccumulation in the fishes. Results showed species variation in metal accumulation in various organs: T. zillii had a higher mean content of Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe in all the organs, while S. schall had a higher mean content of Ni, Cr, and Pb in all the organs. The MPI values ranged from 5.28 to 5.94 in the organs of T. zillii and S. schall. The order of MPI values in T. zillii was muscles > liver > gills; in S. schall, it was liver > gills > muscles. The results indicate trace metal contamination of fishes due to aquatic pollution. High MPI values is an indication of the degree of metal pollution of the Siluko River and the high susceptibility of these metals to bioaccumulation in the fishes. This predisposes the fishes to metal toxicity and portends health risk to fish consumers. The continuous monitoring of activities within the river watershed to mitigate heavy metal pollution is recommended.

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that can lead to severe complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate immunity of the target population against the measles virus by assessing the presence of IgG antibodies. A total of 176 individuals were tested using the ELISA method. Fourteen participants (7.95%) were found to be non-immune, primarily from the 1976–1981 and 1982–1987 birth cohorts. The highest proportion of seronegative individuals (17.4%) was observed among those with unknown vaccination status. No significant differences were found between sexes. Most participants were from Kaunas, which also accounted for the majority of seronegative cases.

The intensification of the effects of climate change and the necessity of using climate-resilient methods and improving nutritional conditions, replacing chemical fertilisers with organic fertilisers and saving water consumption should be heightened in semi-arid regions. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different doses of NPK chemical fertilisers (CH0: no use of NPK fertiliser, CH50: application of 50% of the recommended dose of NPK, CH100: application of 100% of the recommended dose of NPK) and different levels of animal manure (0, 5, and 10 t ha–1: FYM0, FYM5 and FYM10) under different soil moisture conditions (full irrigation (FI) and rainfed with one supplementary irrigation at the spike stage (SI)) on winter wheat performance in Hamedan area. Under FI conditions, the lateral growth of the canopy increased strongly with the use of chemical fertilisers. However, the longitudinal growth and internode distances increased with the combined application of chemical and organic fertilisers. Under SI, the application of FYM10 + CH50 had a greater effect on yield components. Grain weight decreased under both irrigation regimes with the increase in the consumption of NPK fertilisers. The highest grain yield (4790 kg ha–1) was obtained for plants grown under FI + FYM10 + CH100 and plants grown with FYM10 + CH50 (4425 ha–1). Under the SI conditions, the highest yield was recorded with the utilization of FYM10 + CH50 (2644), and FYM10 + CH0 (2549), and the lowest yield was recorded under FYM0. Taken together, the use of chemical fertilisers under FI conditions is inevitable to increase the grain yield, and the replacement of NPK fertiliser with the current applied amounts of animal fertilisers could not be adequate to improve the grain yield considerably.

Electroporation is a phenomenon when a brief application of a strong electric field affects biological membranes, temporarily increasing their permeability to ions and molecules. As a result, transient pores are created in the plasma membrane. During this process, electrochemical reactions occur both at the electrode-solution interface and within the medium, leading to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can impair cell viability. In this study, we investigated the effects of ROS induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and electroporation on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, as well as the potential antioxidant protection provided by quercetin. CHO cell suspensions were exposed to various concentrations of H2O2 and quercetin and electroporated using a single 2 ms duration electric field pulse of varying intensities (0.5–2.0 kV/cm). Cell viability was evaluated using a colony formation assay, and ROS levels were assessed via Amplex Red fluorescence. Quercetin showed no cytotoxicity up to 2 µM, but reduced cell viability at higher concentrations. It significantly improved survival in cells exposed to H2O2 across all tested concentrations, with the most notable effect observed at 10 µM H2O2, increasing viability. Similarly, quercetin enhanced post-electroporation viability by 11% and 17% at 0.5 and 1.0 kV/cm, respectively. However, at 2.0 kV/cm, its protective effect was no longer observed. These results suggest that quercetin mitigates oxidative stress induced by both chemical and physical stimuli and may be a useful cytoprotective agent in electroporation-based biomedical applications.

The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed attention to the entanglement of politics, health, and the governance of life. Measures such as lockdowns, vaccination campaigns, digital contact tracing, and quarantine protocols reveal that public health policy operates not merely as a technical or medical response, but as a form of political power acting directly upon bodies and populations. By examining how states enacted exceptional measures under conditions of crisis, this paper highlights both the potency and the fragility of sovereign control. Comparative case studies demonstrate how legal frameworks, political cultures, and ideological assumptions shape not only policy responses but also the differential valuation of life during health emergencies. Ultimately, the article argues that public health crises are not solely biomedical events, but deeply political phenomena.

The genus Bartonella consists at least 45 officially recognised species and three subspecies of gram-negative, intracellular bacteria that infect a wide range of mammalian hosts. Notably, 14 of these species have been associated with human diseases. Deer keds have been identified as key vectors in the transmission of various Bartonella strains associated with ruminants. However, data on the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in deer keds and their cervid hosts in Lithuania remain limited. In this study, we investigated the presence of Bartonella spp. in cervids and deer keds parasitising these hosts. A total of 586 deer keds of two species, Lipoptena cervi (n = 264) and Lipoptena fortisetosa (n = 322), were collected from the furs of 14 hunted cervids (five moose, seven roe deer, and two red deer) in Lithuania during 2016 and 2017. Deer ked samples, along with spleen samples from the host animals, were screened for Bartonella DNA using nested PCR targeting the 16S–23S rRNA intergenic spacer (ITS) region. Bartonella DNA was detected at a high prevalence in both species of deer keds, with a higher infection rate observed in Lipoptena cervi and in 42.86% of the examined spleen samples of animals. Sequence analysis of the ITS region and rpoB gene revealed two distinct Bartonella lineages: both deer ked species were infected with Bartonella strains closely related to B. schoenbuchensis, B. chomelii, and B. capreoli, while moose harboured Bartonella strains most closely related to B. bovis. This study is the first confirmed detection of Bartonella spp. in both L. cervi and L. fortisetosa from cervids in Lithuania. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of Bartonella spp. in L. fortisetosa in the Baltic countries.

Cladocera, generally known as water fleas, are microcrustaceans that assist as biological indicators of water quality. This study observed the spatial-seasonal variation in the species composition, abundance, distribution, and diversity of Cladocera in the Okhuaihe River, Ikpe, Benin City, Nigeria, from August 2021 to January 2022. By means of standard methods, six families encompassing 75 individuals were documented. Station 4 recorded the highest abundance (64 individuals), while station 1 had the lowest (three individuals). Chydoridae (33.33%) was the most dominant family, trailed by Sididae (26.67%), Moinidae (16.00%), Daphniidae (14.67%), Bosminidae (8.00%), and Macrothricidae (1.33%). Species richness and diversity were at their peak in station 4 and lowest in station 2. Evenness was highest in station 1, while dominance peaked in Station s. Daphniidae exhibited a positive correlation with turbidity, while Macrothricidae correlated positively with sulphate and turbidity. The study established that the Okhuaihe River maintains good water quality, with a Cladocera community characteristic of tropical freshwater habitats, but with low diversity. The diversity of Cladocera did not fully mirror the physicochemical conditions. Continuous monitoring is suggested to detect water quality deviations early, as subsequently increased anthropogenic activities could negatively influence and impact species abundance, richness, and diversity.

This review aimed to summarise the available literature on the prevalence and distribution of Babesia spp., Hepatozoon spp., Leishmania spp., Anaplasma spp., Borrelia spp., and Rickettsia spp. in wild canids (foxes, wolves, jackals, and raccoon dogs) across Europe from 2010 to 2024. A total of 25 published studies were analysed. For each study, data on host species, country, sample size, detection methods, and pathogen prevalence were extracted and compared. All six pathogens were detected in foxes, which showed the highest prevalence rates compared to other canids. Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., and Anaplasma spp. were the most frequently studied pathogens. Pathogen prevalence varied by host species and geographical location, with higher rates generally observed in Central and Southern Europe. Foxes appear to play a key role as potential reservoirs for multiple vector-borne pathogens. Climatic conditions, host behaviour, and vector distribution are likely contributing factors. Further research is needed, particularly on jackals and raccoon dogs, which remain understudied.