Occurrence of Campylobacter spp. in poultry and poultry products for sale on the Polish retail market

In 2007 and 2008, a monitoring study was carried out in Poland to examine the occurrence of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. in raw and cooked chicken products available on the retail market. A total of 912 samples were tested: 443 samples of raw chicken meat, 146 samples of giblets, and 323 ready-to-eat poultry products (150 samples of spit-roasted chicken, 56 samples of smoked chicken, and 117 samples of paté and cold meats). A high level of contamination of raw chicken meat (51.7% of samples) and chicken giblets (47.3% of samples) was detected. However, thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. were found in only 1.2% of the ready-to-eat poultry products.     

Interaction of Cationic Carbosilane Dendrimers and Their siRNA Complexes with MCF-7 Cells

The application of siRNA in gene therapy is mainly limited because of the problems with its transport into cells. Utilization of cationic dendrimers as siRNA carriers seems to be a promising solution in overcoming these issues, due to their positive charge and ability to penetrate cell membranes. The following two types of carbosilane dendrimers were examined: CBD-1 and CBD-2. Dendrimers were complexed with pro-apoptotic siRNA (Mcl-1 and Bcl-2) and the complexes were characterized by measuring their zeta potential, circular dichroism and fluorescence of ethidium bromide associated with dendrimers. CBD-2/siRNA complexes were also examined by agarose gel electrophoresis. Both dendrimers form complexes with siRNA. Moreover, the cellular uptake and influence on the cell viability of the dendrimers and dendriplexes were evaluated using microscopic methods and XTT assay on MCF-7 cells. Microscopy showed that both dendrimers can transport siRNA into cells; however, a cytotoxicity assay showed differences in the toxicity of these dendrimers.     

Modeling of conductivity in composites with random resistor networks

Composite polymeric electrolytes (CPE) are well known systems in which an improvement in electrical conductivity of the polymer is achieved by the addition of a non-conductive additive (ceramic powders and immiscible polymers). A new class of conductivity models based on the application of the multi-value random resistor networks to the studies of CPE was developed by the authors. The first stage of the simulation is based on the virtual composite sample generation and its transformation into a form of the three-dimensional resistor network. The sample generation can take into account variable material parameters such as average grain diameter, shell thickness as well as their statistical distribution and different dependencies of local shell conductivity on the distance from the grain surface. The second stage of the algorithm is the use of the modified iteration procedure based on Kirkpatrick approach leading to the direct current resistivity of the virtual sample. The presented results were obtained for the matrix size 100 unit × 100 unit × 100 unit (with assumption 1 unit = 1 μm). The dependency of conductivity on the grain filler concentration was studied for varying grain sizes, changing shell thickness as well as for different statistical distributions of these parameters. The obtained results of simulation are in general agreement with the experimental data.     

Treatment results for ankle fracture with subluxation using bone plates for fixation of the fibula

A 51 year-old male admitted with petechiae and headache. Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) was diagnosed. He received all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) with enocitabine and daunomycin for induction chemotherapy, and supportive therapy for DIC. On 2nd day after admission, subacute subdural hematoma was confirmed with CT scan. He had anisocoria and disturbance of consciousness, and was treated with neurosurgical operation for his life saving on the 3rd day. Although DIC was continued at this time, the operation was done without problem. The recurrence of hematoma has not occurred after the operation. Furthermore, the findings of DIC disappeared by the day 6 following induction therapy. He achieved a complete remission including cytogenetic findings on 35th day after administration of ATRA and received 3 times of combination chemotherapy as consolidation therapy. It may be difficult to do neurosurgical treatment in the setting of DIC. However, we should consider whether the indications for surgery operation according to the condition of each patient.     

A Photoexcited Porphyrin System as a Biomimetic Catalyst for D-limonene Biotransformation

A photoexcited porphyrin system has been found to be an efficient catalyst for D-limonene biotransformation. The catalyst showed high selectivity in hydroxylation of D-limonene. The best catalyst for limonene biotransformation was 5,10,15,20-Tetraphenylporphyrin (H₂TPP), which gave the highest accumulation of carvone and an unknown product with a verbenone-like mass spectrum. The highest conversion yield of these products was favoured at 1:2 molar ratio of H₂TPP to limonene. Some factors affecting the biotransformation yield were also investigated. Maximal yield of carvone was obtained in the medium containing 90% of the substrate, within the period of 18–36 h. Mechanism involved in limonene biotransformation catalysed by H₂TPP is also discussed.     

Studies on the usefulness of Cucurbita maxima for the production of ready-to-eat dried vegetable snacks with a high carotenoid content

Recent research indicates a beneficial influence of a diet rich in β-carotene on human health. For that reason, experiments were undertaken to process winter squash with a high carotenoid content into ready-to-eat dried snacks. Sensory quality and dietary value of chips and crispy cubes made from different cultivars were investigated.The suitability of winter squash for drying purposes depended mainly on the dry matter content in the raw material. Although all the investigated cultivars can be used for producing chips, obtaining high quality porous cubes requires at least 15% of dry matter. ‘Justynka F1’ emerged as the most suitable cultivar for processing; both chips and cubes produced from its fruits were characterized by a high sensory quality and contained significant amounts of beta-carotene (225- 253 μg g-1). Also, the cultivar ‘Amazonka’ could be considered for the production of chips as it allowed us to obtain a product with a high beta-carotene content (200 μg g-1) and good sensory properties. The dried ready-to-eat crispy vegetable snacks made from the new cultivars of winter squash could be exploited as a novel attractive product with the attractive taste and colour to serve as a valuable source of carotenoids in human diet.     

Effect of Thermal Treatment on the Photocatalytic Activity in Visible Light of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-W Flame Spray Synthesised Nanopowders

Effect of W doping as well as a thermal treatment on the structural and photocatalytic properties of TiO₂ produced by flame spray synthesis (FSS) were the subject of investigation. Structural properties were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET adsorption isotherm and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface condition was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis (DTA-TGA). The photocatalytic properties were studied by optical measurements and photodecomposition of methylene blue under visible irradiation. It was found that the photoactivity in the visible region was enhanced significantly by the W-doping as well as by additional thermal treatment of those nanopowders. The obtained TiO₂-W nanopowders exhibited higher performance under visible light than P25.     

Bimetallic Au–Cu, Ag–Cu/CrAl3O6 Catalysts for Methanol Synthesis

The influence of silver and gold addition on the activity and physicochemical properties of supported Cu/CrAl₃O₆ catalysts was the aim of this work. The reduction of CrAl₃O₆ support shows only one reduction stage attributed to Cr (VI) species reduction originating from previously oxidized binary oxide. Supported copper catalysts reduce in one or two stages depending on copper concentration representing the reduction of copper oxide—CuO, copper oxide chemically combined with Cr(III) oxide as copper chromite—CuCr₂O₄ and Cr(VI) species originating from surface chromate ions CrO₄ ^2?. Additionally, the introduction of silver into supported copper catalysts Cu/CrAl₃O₆ can led to the appearance of silver chromate phase. XRD investigations of support CrAl₃O₆ alone, supported copper and gold and silver promoted copper supported catalysts calcined at 400, 700 and 900 °C indicated the presence of highly amorphous alumina γ-Al₂O₃ like structure network in which some of cationic locations of aluminum were occupied by chromium atoms and small quantities of α-Cr₂O₃ phase. Additionally, for copper, silver–copper, and gold–copper supported catalysts the following oxide phases were distinguished: monometallic oxides CuO, Ag₂O, binary oxides CuAl₂O₄, Ag₂CrO₄, CuCr₂O₄ and even ternary oxide CuAlCrO₄. In the case of gold promoted copper supported catalysts metallic gold phase was detected. Activity tests carried out for these catalysts show that the most active was 20 wt.% Cu/CrAl₃O₆ catalyst. Promotion of copper catalysts by silver improves the activity in methanol synthesis, what can be assigned to silver chromate formation. The analogical gold chromate like formation was not confirmed.     

Sialic Acid—Modified Nanoparticles—New Approaches in the Glioma Management—Perspective Review

The cell surface is covered by a dense and complex network of glycans attached to the membrane proteins and lipids. In gliomas, the aberrant sialylation, as the final stage of glycosylation, is an important regulatory mechanism of malignant cell behavior and correlates with worse prognosis. Better understanding of the role of sialylation in cellular and molecular processes opens a new way in the development of therapeutic tools for human brain tumors. According to the recent clinical observation, the cellular heterogeneity, activity of brain cancer stem cells (BCSCs), immune evasion, and function of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) are attractive targets for new therapeutic strategies. In this review, we summarize the importance of sialic acid-modified nanoparticles in brain tumor progression.     

UVB Radiation and Selected Tryptophan-Derived AhR Ligands—Potential Biological Interactions in Melanoma Cells

Excessive UV exposure is considered the major environmental factor in melanoma progression. Human skin is constantly exposed to selected tryptophan-derived aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligands, including kynurenine (KYN) and kynurenic acid (KYNA), as they are endogenously produced and present in various tissues and body fluids. Importantly, recent studies confirmed the biological activity of KYN and KYNA toward melanoma cells in vitro. Thus, in this study, the potential biological interactions between UVB and tryptophan metabolites KYN and KYNA were studied in melanoma A375, SK-MEL-3, and RPMI-7951 cells. It was shown that UVB enhanced the antiproliferative activity of KYN and KYNA in melanoma cells. Importantly, selected tryptophan-derived AhR ligands did not affect the invasiveness of A375 and RPMI-7951 cells; however, the stimulatory effect was observed in SK-MEL-3 cells exposed to UVB. Thus, the effect of tryptophan metabolites on metabolic activity, cell cycle regulation, and cell death in SK-MEL-3 cells exposed to UVB was assessed. In conclusion, taking into account that both UVB radiation and tryptophan-derived AhR ligands may have a crucial effect on skin cancer formation and progression, these results may have a significant impact, revealing the potential biological interactions in melanoma cells in vitro.