A Possibility to Use Selected Crop Post-Extraction Wastes to Improve the Composition of Cultivated Mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatus

A cultivated mushroom species, Pleurotus citrinopileatus, is becoming increasingly popular thanks to its attractive colour and medicinal properties. In this study, P. citrinopileatus was grown in a cultivation medium enriched with wheat bran (WB), thymus post-extraction waste (TPEW) and pumpkin post-extraction waste (PPEW) products. The study showed that the post-extraction wastes are a crucial factor determining the accumulation of minerals, the content/profile of low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) and phenolic compounds in fruit bodies, thereby increasing their nutritional value. The use of the waste materials significantly increased LMWOAs contents. The sum of LMWOAs under all cultivation mediums increased, especially quinic, malic and citric acids under the 20% PPEW, 25 and 50% TPEW addition. Total phenolic content, phenolic content, as well as the composition and scavenging effect on DPPH radicals, were strongly dependent on the used substrate. The control variant was poor in phenolic compounds, while the supplementation increased the contents and diversity of these metabolites. In the control, only four phenolic compounds were quantified (chlorogenic, gallic, syringic and vanillic acids), while in the supplemented substrates up to 14 different phenolic compounds (caffeic, chlorogenic, p-coumaric, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, ferulic, gallic, protocatechuic, salicylic, sinapic, syringic, trans-cinnamic and vanillic acids, catechin and rutin).

Magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear in the diagnostics of Ménière's disease

Ménière's disease is characterized by sudden episodes of vertigo accompanied by tinnitus and/or feeling of fullness in the ear as well as fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss. Despite numerous studies, the etiology of this disease remains unknown. However, the enlargement of the inner ear's endolymphatic spaces, referred to as endolymphatic hydrops, is considered the underlying condition. Thanks to recent advances in magnetic resonance (MR) technology, it is now possible to obtain in vivo imaging of endolymphatic hydrops in patients presenting with Ménière's disease symptoms. Visualization of the inner ear fluid compartments is achieved after gadolinium contrast is administered into the tympanic cavity or via the intravenous route. Evaluation of endolymphatic hydrops is possible as the contrast agent selectively penetrates the perilymph, and endolymph is visualized as contrast defects. The currently used radiological hydrops grading systems include qualitative, semi-quantitative, and volumetric scales. The methods are subject to ongoing modifications to increase their sensitivity and specificity. Numerous studies describe correlations between clinical symptoms and audiological and otoneurological examination results with the endolymphatic hydrops grade. MRI is also applicable in patients' diagnostics with an incomplete or atypical course of the Ménière's disease. In the course of the treatment, follow-up MRI scans enable assessing individual treatment modalities' efficacy in terms of the severity of lesions and the further course of the disease within the inner ear.

Potential functions of embryonic cardiac macrophages in angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis and extracellular matrix remodeling

The role of cardiac tissue macrophages (cTMs) during pre- and postnatal developmental stages remains in many aspects unknown. We aimed to characterize cTM populations and their potential functions based on surface markers. Our in situ studies of immunostained cardiac tissue specimens of murine fetuses (from E11to E17) revealed that a significant number of embryonic cTMs (phenotyped by CD45, CD68, CD64, F4/80, CD11b, CD206, Lyve-1) resided mostly in the subepicardial space, not in the entire myocardial wall, as observed in adult individuals. cTMs accompanied newly developed blood and lymphatic vessels adhering to vessel walls by cellular processes. A subpopulation of CD68-positive cells was found to form accumulations in areas of massive apoptosis during the outflow tract remodeling and shortening. Flow cytometry analysis at E14 and E17 stages revealed newly defined three subpopulations:CD64^low, CD64^highCD206-and CD64^highCD206+. The levels of mRNA expression for genes related to regulation of angiogenesis (VEGFa, VEGFb, VEGFc, bFGF), lymphangiogenesis (VEGFc) and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling (MMP13, Arg1, Ym1/Chil3, Retlna/FIZZ1) differed among the selected populations and/or embryonic stages. Our results demonstrate a diversity of embryonic cTMs and their tissue-specific locations, suggesting their various potential roles in regulating angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis and ECM remodeling.

Multi-elemental analysis of Lentinula edodes mushrooms available in trade

The present study investigated the content of 62 elements in the fruiting bodies of Lentinula edodes (Shiitake mushroom) cultivated commercially in Poland on various substrates from 2007-2015. The general mean content (mg kg^-1 dry weight (DW)) of the studied elements ranked in the following order: K (26,335) > P (11,015) > Mg (2,284) > Ca (607) > Na (131) > Zn (112) > Fe (69) > Mn (33) > B (32) > Rb (17) > Cu (14.5) > Al (11.2) > Te (2.9) > As (1.80) > Cd (1.76) > Ag (1.73) > Nd (1.70) > Sr (1.46) > Se (1.41) > U (1.11) > Pt (0.90) > Ce (0.80) > Ba (0.61) > Co (0.59) > Tl (0.58) > Er (0.50) > Pb (0.42) > Li (0.40) > Pr (0.39) > Ir (0.37) > In (0.35) > Mo (0.31) > Cr (0.29) > Ni (0.28) > Sb (0.26) > Re (0.24) > Ti (0.19) > Bi (0.18) > Th (0.12) > La (0.10) = Pd (0.10) > Os (0.09) = Zr (0.09) > Rh (0.08) > Ho (0.07) > Ru (0.06) > Sm (0.04) = Eu (0.04) = Tm (0.04) > Gd (0.03) > Sc (0.02) = Y (0.02) > Lu (0.01) = Yb (0.01) = V (0.01). The contents of Au, Be, Dy, Ga, Ge, Hf, and Tb were below the limits of detection (0.02, 0.02, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.01, 0.02 mg kg^-1 respectively). The concentrations of Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Er, Fe, In, Lu, Mn, Nd, Sr, Ti, Tm, and Zr were comparable over the period the mushrooms were cultivated. The study revealed that Lentinula edodes contained As and Cd at levels potentially adverse to human health. This highlights the need to monitor these elements in food products obtained from this mushroom species and ensure that only low levels of these elements are present in cultivation substrates.

Efficiency of a novel "Food to waste to food" system including anaerobic digestion of food waste and cultivation of vegetables on digestate in a bubble-insulated greenhouse

At urban locations certain challenges are concentrated: organic waste production, the need for waste treatment, energy demand, food demand, the need for circular economy and limited area for food production. Based on these factors the project presented here developed a novel technological approach for processing organic waste into new food. In this system, organic waste is converted into biogas and digester residue. The digester residue is being used successfully as a stand-alone fertilizer as well as main substrate component for vegetables and mushrooms for the first time - a "digeponics" system - in a closed new low energy greenhouse system with dynamic soap bubble insulation. Biogas production provides energy for the process and CO2 for the greenhouse. With very limited land use highly efficient resource recycling was established at pilot scale. In the research project it was proven that a low energy dynamic bubble insulated greenhouse can be operated continuously with 80% energy demand reduction compared to conventional greenhouses. Commercial crop yields were achieved based on fertilization with digestate; in individual cases they were even higher than the control yields of vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce among others. For the first time an efficient direct use of digestate as substrate and fertilizer has been developed and demonstrated.

Vasculogenesis and Its Cellular Therapeutic Applications

Vasculogenesis was originally defined by Risau in 1997 [Nature 386: 671-674] as the de novo formation of vessels from endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), so-called angioblasts. Initially, this process was believed to be related only to embryonic life; however, further studies reported vasculogenesis to occur also in adult tissues. This overview presents the current knowledge about the origin, differentiation and significance of EPCs that have been observed in various diseases, tumors, and reparative processes. We also summarize the knowledge of how to activate these cells for therapeutic purposes and the outcomes of the therapies.

What influences the level of oxidative stress as measured by 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in patients on hemodialysis?

Oxidative stress is at play in the progression of chronic renal failure (CRF) and in the genesis of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the factors that might influence the oxidative-antioxidative balance in patients on hemodialysis. The study group consisted of 71 hemodialysis patients due to CRF. Sixteen healthy subjects constituted a control group. The levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), C-reactive protein (CRP), and the blood lipid profile were measured in both groups. The results showed significantly higher mean levels of both 8-OHdG and CRP in the hemodialysis patients compared with that in the control subjects. The highest level of 8-OHdG was found in the subgroups of the patients with CRF primarily caused by diabetes (16.4 ng/ml) and with hypertensive nephropathy (15.8 ng/ml). More than a 2.5-fold higher level of 8-OHdG in the hemodialysis patients compared with the control subjects points to the presence of intensive oxidative stress in the patients.

The occurrence of allergic illnesses among children at the pre-school age in the rural and urban area

Allergic diseases have become recently an accretive medical as well as social problem, mainly in highly developed countries. Frequently they occur in the infancy and early childhood. In this analysis an attempt has been made to evaluate the occurrence of the allergic illnesses among 3-5 years old children living in the urban and rural environment. The research carried out has showed no significant differences in the occurrence of allergic diseases among children from cities and from rural areas.

Study and analytical application of ion-pair formation in the system fluoxetine-pyrocatechol violet and fluvoxamine-pyrocatechol violet

Pyrocatechol violet (PCV) reacts in aqueous media with fluoxetine (FLX) and fluvoxamine (FLV) forming coloured ion-association complexes, which are insoluble in water but quantitatively extracted into chloroform-n-butanol mixture. The composition of the compounds, studied by spectrophotometric methods showed that the molar ratio PCV : FLX and PCV : FLV is 1 : 1. The compounds were characterized by UV-VIS, IR and NMR spectrometry. Under optimal experimental conditions fluoxetine and fluvoxamine were determined in the range 1.3-18.0 microg/ml and 2.6-39.1 microg/ml, respectively. The proposed methods have been succesfully applied to the determination of these drugs in pharmaceuticals and natural samples.

Novel BRCA1 mutations and more frequent intron-20 alteration found among 236 women from Western Poland

Three different novel BRCA1 mutations, five independent cases of the same 12 bp insertion-duplication in intron-20 and two novel rare BRCA1 sequence variants were identified among 122 Polish women with positive, in most cases moderate family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer, 80 controls and 34 unselected breast cancer tissue specimens. All mutations and variants were germline. The 4153 delA frameshift mutation, the Tyr105Cys missense mutation and two cases of the alteration in intron-20 were found in the group of healthy women with positive family history. Two other cases of the intronic insertion were found in unselected controls. Their carriers had no family history of breast or ovarian cancer but other cancers occurred in their families. The 1782 Trp/STOP nonsense mutation and one case of the insertion in intron-20 were first found in tissue specimens of breast cancer patient and breast/ovarian cancer patient, respectively. Their carriers also had no family history of breast or ovarian cancer. The distribution of the insertion in intron-20 in analysed groups and results of RT-PCR experiments suggest a less prominent role for this variant considered earlier a splicing mutation. This study shows also, that more population-oriented research is needed, involving women with less profound or even no family history of breast and ovarian cancer, to better understand the role and significance of different BRCA1 variants and mutations.

[Serum C reactive protein as a laboratory indicator of infection in neonates]

CRP was measured in cord blood of 41 neonates born by healthy mothers and those with either risk of infection or its obvious clinical symptoms, and in sera of 122 newborn babies from infection risk group. Results excluded cord blood as a possible specimen for CRP estimation, because of very low values, at lower limit of sensitivity of the immunoturbidimetric method, and showed a correlation of serum CRP and clinical condition and its usefulness in monitoring of anti-bacterial therapy.

[Transferrin and ferritin as laboratory indices of body iron deposits]

The aim of the study was to present the relation between serum parameters connected with iron metabolism; serum iron, transferrin and ferritin. Biochemical data in 126 patients were not compared with microscopic evaluation of erythrocytes. The tendency to decrease of serum transferrin with increased of serum ferritin was found. Significant relations between those proteins and serum iron were observed only in patients with very low ferritin values. It can be concluded that ferritin and transferrin may be considered as independent diagnostic in differential diagnosis of real (latent) and false iron depletion.

Occurrence of the low-mobility H1 histones subfraction in embryonic, differentiated, and neoplastic tissues of the Syrian hamster

Electrophoretically slow H1 histone subfractions with mobilities identical to that of the subfraction found in the Kirkman-Robbins hamster hepatoma chromatin have been shown to be present in 12-day hamster embryos and in a sarcoma-type hamster tumor induced by SV40. No subfractions of such mobility were found in hamster liver, regenerating liver, thymus, spleen, and a fast-growing transplantable amelanotic hamster melanoma. A suggestion is made that some defective mechanisms of differentiation may affect the regulation of expression of the genes coding for the H1 histone subfractions. The same mechanisms may possibly but not necessarily be connected with the molecular events leading to neoplastic growth.