University of Primorska

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a significant global health concern, with survival outcomes heavily dependent on the stage at diagnosis. Targeted therapies offer a promising approach to improve patient outcomes, particularly by addressing molecular drivers of tumor progression. One such target is the E2F1 transcription factor, a key regulator of the cell cycle and a contributor to proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, metastasis, and chemoresistance in CRC. Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of E2F1 silencing via siRNA-loaded nanoliposomes in reducing tumor cell growth, but challenges such as immunogenicity and off-target effects have limited their in vivo application. In this study, we evaluated the potential of gene electrotransfer (GET) as a non-viral delivery system for delivery of therapeutic siRNA targeting E2F1 in the HT-29 CRC model. In vitro experiments showed effective silencing of E2F1 expression and a significant reduction in HT-29 cell survival. Subsequent in vivo studies confirmed the therapeutic potential of siE2F1 GET, with results demonstrating tumor growth delay, decreased proliferation, and increased necrosis in the tumors. This study establishes proof-of-principle for targeting E2F1 in CRC using GET, showcasing its versatility and therapeutic potential.

The study aims to investigate a case of fusion of the permanent central and lateral right maxillary incisors observed in a middle-aged male from the late medieval town of Sisak in Croatia.

"Double teeth" is a term for a developmental anomaly caused by congenital, inherited, acquired and/or idiopathic factors resulting in the union of two adjacent teeth. It usually occurs in three different varieties: concrescence, gemination and fusion. Although there are many reports of such disorders in recent populations, similar examples in archaeological contexts are still rare and, in most cases, recorded in primary dentition. We employed a combination of morphological (macroscopic) and state-of-the-art radiographic analysis (micro-CT scanning).

The teeth in question are fused in both coronal and radicular pulp parts, indicating a complete fusion in comparison to the left maxillary incisors that have a normal morphology and are completely separated. The fused RI1 and RI2 have a single crown with a slight groove running along the lingual side of the root which is also visible on the buccal side of the root. Two small protrusions (tuberculum dentale) are visible on the lingual side of the crown. Micro-CT scans confirmed that the fused teeth have a single pulp chamber and root canal.

The presented case is unique as it is the first known archaeological specimen of permanent maxillary incisors fusion from Europe and one of the very few known cases of the fusion of permanent teeth from archaeological contexts globally.

The main goal of this work is to create a dataset of Uzbek language verbs. This dataset stores information about which words verbs are derived from and with which affixes. The affixes are classified into distinct categories. With the help of this dataset, it is possible to determine from which parts of speech each Uzbek verb is derived and with which affixes. It also plays a key role in identifying verbs in Uzbek language texts and developing rule-based models for their analysis. Additionally, this dataset plays a key role in building various artificial intelligence models for the morphological and syntactic analysis of Uzbek language texts. Verbs play a crucial role in learning any language; therefore, students in schools and higher education institutions can also use this dataset during the learning process. The obtained dataset serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners interested in Uzbek language processing tasks.