Since ochratoxin A (OTA) was discovered, it has been ubiquitous as a natural contaminant of moldy food and feed. The multiple toxic effects of OTA are a real threat for human beings and animal health. For example, OTA can cause porcine nephropathy but can also damage poultries. Humans exposed to OTA can develop (notably by inhalation in the development of acute renal failure within 24 h) a rang...

The incidence of upper urothelial carcinomas (UUC) is even more than hundred times higher in the foci of Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), by investigations of our team, and others. Every tenth patient suffers from both diseases. Etiology is unknown. It would seem that BEN is a tubulointerstitial nephritis associated with urothelial malignancy. We found that apoptosis plays an important role in...

BACKGROUND Japanese encephalitis (JE) is very prevalent in China, but the incidence of JE among children has been greatly reduced by extensive promotion of vaccinations. The incidence of JE among adults, however, has increased in some parts of China. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Data on JE in mainland China, in terms of incidence, gender, and age, were collected between 2004 and 2014. We conduc...

A new species of the genus Dugesia is described from the Lake Ohrid region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula, forming the first fully documented species description for this genus in the Ohrid area. The morphological species delimitation is supported by complementary molecular, karyological, and cytogenetic data available from the literature. Therefore, species delineation is based on...

Twelve new species of the genus Cephennium Müler & Kunze, 1822 are described: C. (s. str.) irenae sp. n. (from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro); C. (s. str.) sladjanae sp. n. and C. (s. str.) fallax sp. n. (both from Serbia and Bulgaria); C. (s. str.) viti sp. n. (from Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and Bulgaria); C. (s. str.) fairchildi sp. n., C. (s. str.) ivanjicense sp. n., C. (s....

An exceptionally cold episode occurred in January 2017 over the Balkan Peninsula. Analysis of historical records showed that it was one of the coldest extreme episodes. Even though the low temperatures of January 2017 did not break previous low records for all stations, the long duration was quite extreme, resulting in strong socioeconomic impacts in the region of interest. The 10-year to 100-y...

Aetiology Smoking – increased RR x7 Analgaesic abuse Phenacetin most commonly described – increased RR 3.6x. Also associated with codeine, paracetamol and salyicylates Associated papillary necrosis on imaging associated with risk increase x7, which is synergistic with phenacetin abuse (20x) Characteristic finding of thickened basement membrane on histology – should alert physician to need for c...

Considering the common features in the resources field, but especially the way in which they have been managed at the level of each individual country, it can be stated that a destination such as the Balkan peninsula represents a culturally homogeneous space, which has been crystallized over centuries of common history and which has imprinted a “common” destiny to the member countries, regardin...

As part of a prospective study on the safety of TNF-α inhibitor therapy after screening for and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), we report two patients who developed active tuberculosis (TB) infection during TNF-α inhibitor therapy, despite negative screening for LTBI. The clinical history is suggestive of a primary infection acquired during travelling to TB-endemic countries....