1. A five-step framework for creating forests for the futureMarko Kovač, Gregor Božič, Andreja Ferreira, Gal Kušar, Boštjan Mali, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Changing environmental conditions, disturbances, and escalating demands for forest ecosystem services require foresters to restore present forestlands with new forest generations that will exhibit ecological integrity, diversity, high adaptive capacity, and the ability to provide essential ecosystem services. Establishing such forests requires careful consideration of the forest landscape and site dynamics. In pursuit of these requirements, we developed a novel framework that enables the restoration of forest sites and promotes the desired features of the forest complex at the same time. This framework was designed with the methods of system engineering and was organized in the same way as the forest planning process. It was tested in the habitat type of Illyrian Fagus sylvatica forests belonging to the Natura 2000 network. The environmental, vegetation, and site conditions were investigated via field inspections, available forest management plans, and simple GIS analyses. Additionally, we established a seminatural stand composed of European beech, sessile oak, sycamore maple, silver fir, and some wild fruit tree species. The survival of planted species was assessed using census and simple random sampling, the performance of provenances by the Student’s test, while microhabitat factors were explored by a one-way ANOVA. The survival rate of key species was estimated to be 55.6%, while that of fruit species was estimated to be 94.5%. Our framework demonstrated satisfactory performance and contained sufficient benchmarks to facilitate consistent decision-making. In the discussion, we elucidate the framework’s primary features and attributes of the mixed stand, where we also expose some open issues to be addressed in the future.
Keywords: restoration, forest habitat type, indigenous species, planting, mixed stand, key species, fruit species
Published in DiRROS: 13.06.2024; Views: 10; Downloads: 5
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2. The need for innovations to secure the future of artisanal mussel farming in the coastal sea of the Gulf of Trieste (Slovenia)Andreja Ramšak, Tine Bizjak, Uroš Robič, Manca Kovač Viršek, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Mariculture along the Slovene coastline is mainly mussel culture operated as a family business; in one case, it is combined with sea bass farming. It started in the early 70 s with cultivation of Mediterranean mussels, while today, the two largest producers incorporate the cultivation of Venus clams and oysters as species with higher economic value on the market. Currently, all mussels and clams produced in Slovenia are sold in the Slovenian, Italian, Croatian and French markets. The production of Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) has increased steadily, with the main obstacles being a limited area for cultivation, occasional harmful algal blooms, predation by gilthead seabream and flatworms. In addition, more recent summer heatwaves negatively affected mussel production when seawater reached high temperatures at the thermal limits unsuitable for mussel growth. This study aimed to collect first-hand information about the current mussel production technology, processes and needs to identify opportunities for innovations that could benefit the entire sector (increased knowledge, production yield, reduced workload and effort with administrative issues). The study was based on a semi-structured questionnaire with the owners of mussel farms. Analysis of the questionnaire was supplemented with current knowledge from the field and provided comprehensive insight into a small sector of mussel farming along the Slovenian coast and its possible development in the future.
Keywords: mussel farming, Mediterranean mussel, aquaculture, socio-economic impact, Gulf of Trieste, Slovenia
Published in DiRROS: 03.06.2024; Views: 78; Downloads: 50
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5. Discovery of 'click' 1,2,3-triazolium salts as potential anticancer drugsIvana Steiner, Nikolina Stojanović, Aljoša Bolje, Anamaria Brozović, Denis Polančec, Andreja Ambriović Ristov, Marijana Radić Stojković, Ivo Piantanida, Domagoj Eljuga, Janez Košmrlj, Maja Osmak, 2016, original scientific article Keywords: triazoles, 1, 2, 3-triazolium salts, anticancer activity, cell cycle, ROS
Published in DiRROS: 09.05.2024; Views: 140; Downloads: 84
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6. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 13 patients with locally advanced poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma based on Turin proposal : a single institution experienceNikola Bešić, Marta Dremelj, Andreja A. Schwarzbartl-Pevec, Barbara Gazić, 2015, original scientific article Abstract: There is a paradigm that chemotherapy is ineffective in thyroid carcinoma. The aim of our study was to find out whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy before thyroid surgery had an effect on the size of primary tumour in patients with poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) based on Turin proposal. Patients and methods. Altogether, 13 patients (8 women, 5 men; median age 61 years) with PDTC based on Turin proposal were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 1986 and 2005. Tumour diameter was from 4.5 to 18 cm (median 9 cm). Regional and distant metastases were detected in 6 and 9 patients, respectively. Eight patients had pT4 tumour. Results. Altogether, 29 (range 1%5) cycles of chemotherapy were given. Tumour diameter decreased in all the patients and by more than 30% in 5 patients (= 38%). Two of these five patients had also preoperative external beam irradiation (EBRT). Total thyroidectomy, lobectomy and neck dissection were performed in 10, 3 and 5 cases, respectively. R0 and R1 resection was done in 5 and 8 cases, respectively. Eight patients had postoperative EBRT of the neck and upper mediastinum. The 5-year and 10-year cause-specific survival rates of patients were 66% and 20%, respectively. Conclusions. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy a partial tumour regression was observed in 38% of patients with PDTC based on Turin proposal.
Keywords: poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma, neoadjuvant, chemotherapy, survival
Published in DiRROS: 22.04.2024; Views: 293; Downloads: 297
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8. Importance of habitat context in modelling risk maps for two established invasive alien plant species : the case of Ailanthus altissima and Phytolacca americana in Slovenia (Europe)Maarten De Groot, Erika Kozamernik, Janez Kermavnar, Marija Kolšek, Aleksander Marinšek, Andreja Nève Repe, Lado Kutnar, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Forests are important ecosystems that face threats from climate change and global environmental shifts, with invasive alien plant species being a significant concern. Some of these invasive species have already become established, while others are in the process of naturalisation. Although forests are a relatively stable ecosystem, extreme weather events increase their vulnerability to change, and clearings left after natural disturbances are particularly susceptible to invasion by alien plant species (IAPS). We created risk maps of two species that have spread rapidly in the last decade: American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) and the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima). We prepared a generalised linear model based on the occurrence data collected within the LIFE ARTEMIS project. Eleven environmental variables were used to determine habitat characteristics. We constructed two models for each species: one covering the entirety of Slovenia and the other specifically for the forested areas in Slovenia, with the latter incorporating forest-specific variables (such as forest sanitation felling and monocultures). We observed the presence of both species at lower altitudes and in close proximity to water sources. American pokeweed tends to occur nearer to railways, while the presence of the tree of heaven is associated with areas lacking carbonate parent material and influenced by land use patterns. In forested areas, the occurrence of American pokeweed is influenced by forest habitat characteristics, such as disturbances caused by extreme weather events or the prevalence of Norway spruce monocultures. In contrast, the occurrence of the tree of heaven is influenced by more general environmental variables, such as altitude and proximity to railways. Consequently, we have generated risk maps for the entirety of Slovenia and separately for forested areas, both of which indicate similar levels of risk, particularly for the tree of heaven. The risk map for American pokeweed highlights numerous vulnerable areas, especially forest edges, which are highly susceptible to invasion. Furthermore, there is a higher likelihood of this species occurring in areas that have undergone sanitation felling. This study suggests that the production of risk maps of IAPS could be improved by focussing on habitat types and taking into account habitat-specific variables. This approach could enhance the early detection and management of these invasive species.
Keywords: American pokeweed, tree of heaven, species distribution modelling, forests, forest disturbance, habitat suitability
Published in DiRROS: 26.03.2024; Views: 228; Downloads: 1690
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9. Inhibition of cathepsin X enzyme influences the immune response of THP-1 cells and dendritic cells infected with Helicobacter pyloriMiha Skvarč, David Štubljar, Andreja Nataša Kopitar, Samo Jeverica, Bojan Tepeš, Janko Kos, Alojz Ihan, 2013, original scientific article Abstract: Background. The immune response to Helicobacter pylori importantly determines the outcome of infection as well as the success of eradication therapy. We demonstrate the role of a cysteine protease cathepsin X in the immune response to H. pylori infection. Materials and methods. We analysed how the inhibition of cathepsin X influenced the immune response in experiments when THP-1 cells or dendritic cells isolated from patients were stimulated with 48 strains of H. pylori isolated from gastric biopsy samples of patients which had problems with the eradication of bacteria. Results. The experiments, performed with the help of a flow cytometer, showed that the expression of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), especially TLR-4 molecules, on the membranes of THP-1 cells or dendritic cells was higher when we stimulated cells with H. pylori together with inhibitor of cathepsin X 2F12 compared to THP-1 cells or dendritic cells stimulated with H. pylori only, and also in comparison with negative control samples. We also demonstrated that when we inhibited the action of cathepsin X in THP-1 cells, the concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines were lower than when THP-1 cell were stimulated with H. pylori only. Conclusions. We demonstrated that inhibition of cathepsin X influences the internalization of TLR-2 and TLR-4. TLR-2 and TLR-4 redistribution to intra-cytoplasmic compartments is hampered if cathepsin X is blocked. The beginning of a successful immune response against H. pylori in the case of cathepsin X inhibition is delayed.
Keywords: cathepsin X, macrophage, dendritic cells
Published in DiRROS: 22.03.2024; Views: 148; Downloads: 66
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