The Composition and Properties of Purified Rapeseed Lecithins

The chemical and physical parameters of various quality grade rapeseed lecithins obtained from raw lecithin and from lecithin wet gum were evaluated. The chemical composition, fatty acids and metals contents, acid, peroxide and iodine values were determined. From the data it could be suggested, that the purified rapeseed lecithins obtained from 00-varieties, especially prepared directly from rapeseed wet gum are the interesting and valuable material for use in pharmacy, food industry and cosmetics.     

Copper,Iron, and Manganese Toxicity in Neuropsychiatric Conditions

Copper, manganese, and iron are vital elements required for the appropriate development and the general preservation of good health. Additionally, these essential metals play key roles in ensuring proper brain development and function. They also play vital roles in the central nervous system as significant cofactors for several enzymes, including the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) and other enzymes that take part in the creation and breakdown of neurotransmitters in the brain. An imbalance in the levels of these metals weakens the structural, regulatory, and catalytic roles of different enzymes, proteins, receptors, and transporters and is known to provoke the development of various neurological conditions through different mechanisms, such as via induction of oxidative stress, increased α-synuclein aggregation and fibril formation, and stimulation of microglial cells, thus resulting in inflammation and reduced production of metalloproteins. In the present review, the authors focus on neurological disorders with psychiatric signs associated with copper, iron, and manganese excess and the diagnosis and potential treatment of such disorders. In our review, we described diseases related to these metals, such as aceruloplasminaemia, neuroferritinopathy, pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) and other very rare classical NBIA forms, manganism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ephedrone encephalopathy, HMNDYT1-SLC30A10 deficiency (HMNDYT1), HMNDYT2-SLC39A14 deficiency, CDG2N-SLC39A8 deficiency, hepatic encephalopathy, prion disease and “prion-like disease”, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, Friedreich’s ataxia, and depression.     

Boosted Pro-Inflammatory Activity in Human PBMCs by Lipopolysaccharide and SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Is Regulated by α-1 Antitrypsin

For the treatment of severe COVID-19, supplementation with human plasma-purified α-1 antitrypsin (AAT) to patients is currently considered. AAT inhibits host proteases that facilitate viral entry and possesses broad anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. Researchers have demonstrated that an interaction between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) enhances pro-inflammatory responses in vitro and in vivo. Hence, we wanted to understand the potential anti-inflammatory activities of plasma-derived and recombinant AAT (recAAT) in a model of human total peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) exposed to a combination of CHO expressed trimeric spike protein and LPS, ex vivo. We confirmed that cytokine production was enhanced in PBMCs within six hours when low levels of LPS were combined with purified spike proteins (“spike”). In the presence of 0.5 mg/mL recAAT, however, LPS/spike-induced TNF-α and IL-1β mRNA expression and protein release were significantly inhibited (by about 46–50%) relative to LPS/spike alone. Although without statistical significance, recAAT also reduced production of IL-6 and IL-8. Notably, under the same experimental conditions, the plasma-derived AAT preparation Respreeza (used in native and oxidized forms) did not show significant effects. Our findings imply that an early pro-inflammatory activation of human PBMCs is better controlled by the recombinant version of AAT than the human plasma-derived AAT used here. Considering the increasing clinical interest in AAT therapy as useful to ameliorate the hyper-inflammation seen during COVID-19 infection, different AAT preparations require careful evaluation.     

Evaluation of Polymeric Matrix Loaded with Melatonin for Wound Dressing

The development of scaffolds mimicking the extracellular matrix containing bioactive substances has great potential in tissue engineering and wound healing applications. This study investigates melatonin—a methoxyindole present in almost all biological systems. Melatonin is a bioregulator in terms of its potential clinical importance for future therapies of cutaneous diseases. Mammalian skin is not only a prominent melatonin target, but also produces and rapidly metabolizes the multifunctional methoxyindole to biologically active metabolites. In our methodology, chitosan/collagen (CTS/Coll)-contained biomaterials are blended with melatonin at different doses to fabricate biomimetic hybrid scaffolds. We use rat tail tendon- and Salmo salar fish skin-derived collagens to assess biophysical and cellular properties by (i) Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy—attenuated total reflectance (FTIR–ATR), (ii) thermogravimetric analysis (TG), (iii) scanning electron microscope (SEM), and (iv) proliferation ratio of cutaneous cells in vitro. Our results indicate that melatonin itself does not negatively affect biophysical properties of melatonin-immobilized hybrid scaffolds, but it induces a pronounced elevation of cell viability within human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK), dermal fibroblasts (NHDF), and reference melanoma cells. These results demonstrate that this indoleamine accelerates re-epithelialization. This delivery is a promising technique for additional explorations in future dermatotherapy and protective skin medicine.     

Synthesis of Novel Pyrido[1,2-c]pyrimidine Derivatives with 6-Fluoro-3-(4-piperidynyl)-1,2-benzisoxazole Moiety as Potential SSRI and 5-HT1A Receptor Ligands

Two series of novel 4-aryl-2H-pyrido[1,2-c]pyrimidine (6a–i) and 4-aryl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrido[1,2-c]pyrimidine (7a–i) derivatives were synthesized. The chemical structures of the new compounds were confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and ESI-HRMS spectrometry. The affinities of all compounds for the 5-HT_1A receptor and serotonin transporter protein (SERT) were determined by in vitro radioligand binding assays. The test compounds demonstrated very high binding affinities for the 5-HT_1A receptor of all derivatives in the series (6a–i and 7a–i) and generally low binding affinities for the SERT protein, with the exception of compounds 6a and 7g. Extended affinity tests for the receptors D₂, 5-HT_2A, 5-HT₆ and 5-HT₇ were conducted with regard to selected compounds (6a, 7g, 6d and 7i). All four compounds demonstrated very high affinities for the D₂ and 5-HT_2A receptors. Compounds 6a and 7g also had high affinities for 5-HT₇, while 6d and 7i held moderate affinities for this receptor. Compounds 6a and 7g were also tested in vivo to identify their functional activity profiles with regard to the 5-HT_1A receptor, with 6a demonstrating the activity profile of a presynaptic agonist. Metabolic stability tests were also conducted for 6a and 6d.     

Aromagrams – Aromatic profiles in the appreciation of food quality

In this review a new approach to the food aroma analysis using various instrumental techniques is described. In the last decade extensive studies have been performed concerning aroma profiles (called in this article ‘aromagrams’) of food products and beverages. Aromagram is characteristic or even individual fingerprint of the odour, obtained usually by chromatographic methods or electronic nose. Basing on the fact that each product has its own unique pattern of volatile components, it is possible to get desired information about organoleptic quality and health safety of the product by qualitative and quantitative comparison of aromagrams of different foodstuffs. Appearance of aromagrams and their usefulness depend on the assay method, particularly on the extraction step. The paper reviews the methods developed to analyse volatiles in food products basing upon their aroma profiles.     

Salivary Adipokine and Cytokine Levels as Potential Markers for the Development of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders

Currently, the number of people suffering from obesity is increasing worldwide. In addition, the disease is affecting younger individuals. Therefore, it is essential to search for new diagnostic methods and markers for early assessment of the risk of obesity, metabolic disorders, and other comorbidities. The discovery of the secretory function of adipose tissue and coexistence of low-grade chronic inflammation with obesity set a new direction in this disease diagnosis using the assessment of the concentration of inflammatory markers secreted by adipose tissue. The aim of this review was to determine, based on previous findings, whether saliva can be useful in the diagnosis of obesity and its early metabolic complications and whether it can be an alternative diagnostic material to serum.     

Spectrogoniometric determination of refractive indices of GaSe

A simple interference spectroscopy technique of determining real parts of refractive indices in thin isotropic or anisotropic films is presented. This method is based on the evaluation of the orders of extrema in interference spectra of optical transmittance and/or reflectance measured for various angles of light incidence. It also makes possible to determine thickness of the investigated sample. This method of investigations was used to determine the parameters of gallium selenide (GaSe). The determined spectral characteristics of ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices of GaSe are compared with the data presented in literature by other authors.