Investigating the Potential Use of Chemical Biopsy Devices to Characterize Brain Tumor Lipidomes

The development of a fast and accurate intraoperative method that enables the differentiation and stratification of cancerous lesions is still a challenging problem in laboratory medicine. Therefore, it is important to find and optimize a simple and effective analytical method of enabling the selection of distinctive metabolites. This study aims to assess the usefulness of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) probes as a sampling method for the lipidomic analysis of brain tumors. To this end, SPME was applied to sample brain tumors immediately after excision, followed by lipidomic analysis via liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The results showed that long fibers were a good option for extracting analytes from an entire lesion to obtain an average lipidomic profile. Moreover, significant differences between tumors of different histological origin were observed. In-depth investigation of the glioma samples revealed that malignancy grade and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status impact the lipidomic composition of the tumor, whereas 1p/19q co-deletion did not appear to alter the lipid profile. This first on-site lipidomic analysis of intact tumors proved that chemical biopsy with SPME is a promising tool for the simple and fast extraction of lipid markers in neurooncology.     

Application of ATR-FTIR for a rapid and simultaneous determination of sugars and organic acids in apricot fruit

A simple, fast and accurate Fourier transform mid-infrared spectroscopy method was developed for simultaneously determining sugar and organic acid contents in apricot fruit slurries using the attenuated total reflectance. The potential of this method coupled with chemometric techniques based on partial least squares was assessed by comparison with currently used enzymatic determination of sucrose, glucose, fructose, malic acid and citric acid. Fruits of eight contrasted cultivars harvested at different ripening stages were used in this study and randomly divided in a calibration set (505 apricots) and in a validation set (252 apricots). The most suitable region was found in the range between 1500 and 900 cm⁻¹. Good prediction performances were obtained (R² ? 0.74 and RMSEP ? 18%). Results concerning the prediction of other quality traits such as firmness, skin colour, ethylene production, soluble solids content and titratable acidity were discussed.     

Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Inflammation on Selected Organ Systems of the Human Body

Introduction and purpose of the study: SARS-CoV-2 virus does not only affect the respiratory system. It may cause damage to many organ systems with long-term effects. The latest scientific reports inform that this virus leaves a long-term trace in the nervous, circulatory, respiratory, urinary and reproductive systems. It manifests itself in disturbances in the functioning of the organs of these systems, causing serious health problems. The aim of the study was to review the latest research into the long-term effects of COVID-19 and determine how common these symptoms are and who is most at risk. Based on a literature review using the electronic scientific databases of PubMed and Web of Science on the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, 88 studies were included in the analysis. The information contained in the analyzed literature shows that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can cause multi-organ damage, causing a number of long-term negative health complications. Conclusions: There is evidence that the virus can cause long-term complications lasting more than six months. They mainly concern disturbances in the functioning of the nervous, circulatory and respiratory systems. However, these studies are small or short-lasting, and many are speculative.     

Characterizing dissolved and particulate phosphorus in water with 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Management of aquatic ecosystems is hampered because current methodology limits characterization of phosphorus (P)forms. We developed a procedure to characterize dissolved (DP) and particulate (PP) P from river waters by solution 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, using 4-L samples, and tested this procedure with a spiking trial. Most P was orthophosphate. Organic P forms included phosphonates, myo-inositol hexakisphosphate, and orthophosphate diesters. This research represents an important technical advance to characterize DP and PP in natural waters. It is simple, uses samples small enough for routine collection, and puts PP and DP into the same chemical environment for direct comparison. The technique is sensitive, detecting changes in spectra from P additions as small as 2% of total P, and identifying differences from two points along the flow path of a single river. However, lyophilizing samples in NaOH-ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA) may alter some P forms, which requires further investigation.     

Functional properties of reduced moisture fruits as ingredients in food systems

Fruit pieces of some species have been processed to be used as ingredients in various food systems, either by partial dehydration alone or by osmosis and partial dehydration, to achieve different levels of water activity and solids contents in the final products.

The relationships existing among processing, phase composition after processing and functional properties of the products have been assessed within a useful range of water content and water activity.

The functional properties are expressed as diagrams relating the phase composition (soluble solids, insoluble solids and water) to the range of consistencies obtainable at various water activities. These diagrams provide a useful tool for preparing fruit ingredients suitable for specific food systems.     

Enzymes in organic synthesis. 2. Synthesis of enantiomerically pure prostaglandin intermediates by Enzymatic Hydrolysis of (1SR, 5RS, 6RS, 7RS)-7-acetoxy-6-acetoxymethyl-2-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-3-one

Subtilisin DY as well as alkaline protease from Bacillus licheniformis 41 p catalyze the hydrolysis of (1SR, 5RS, 6RS, 7RS)-7-acetoxy-6-acetoxymethyl-2-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-3-one ( rac-1 ) with practically useful enantio- and regioselectivity. Under the hitherto found optimal conditions (1S, 5R, 6R, 7R)-7-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-2-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-3-one ( 4 ), an important intermediate in prostaglandin syntheses, could be prepared in a yield of 16% with an enantiomeric excess of 99%. The enantiomer ( ent-4 ) was obtained with the same enantiomeric excess in 20% yield. The chemical yields are related to the racemic starting material rac-1 .     

Computerized and written questionnaires: Are they equivalent?

In this set of three studies, comparisons were made between computer-administered questionnaires and those administered in written form. Specifically, we examined nonclinical subjects' affective reactions to the two modes of questionnaire administration and their responses to a variety of commonly used attitude and personality measures. Subjects' affective reactions to the two modes of administration did not differ. With respect to questionnaire responses, there is some evidence suggesting that computer administration may slightly increase socially desirable responding amongst those subjects with relatively little computer experience. Overall, however, the differences between the two conditions were negligible, suggesting that social scientists should not hesitate to take advantage of the benefits of computer-administered questionnaires.     

Partialsynthesen von Cardenoliden und Cardenolid-Analogen. IX. Cardenolidderivate mit einer ungesättigten Aldehydfunktion am Lactonring

Partial Syntheses of Cardenolides and Cardenolide Analogues. IX. Cardenolide Derivatives with an Unsaturated Aldehyde Function at the Lactone Ring Oxidation of 22-allyl-digitoxigenin-3-acetate [ 1 ] and 22-allyl-digitoxin ( 4 ) with selenium dioxide resulted in the introduction of an oxygen function into the unsaturated C-22 substituent of the cardenolide molecule. The isolated compounds were the 22-(3′-oxo-prop-1′-en-1′-yl)-derivatives 3 and 6 of 1 and 4 , respectively. The molecular biological activity of 3 was estimated to be about six times higher than that of the parent compound 1 .     

Micro-RNA and Proteomic Profiles of Plasma-Derived Exosomes from Irradiated Mice Reveal Molecular Changes Preventing Apoptosis in Neonatal Cerebellum

Cell communication via exosomes is capable of influencing cell fate in stress situations such as exposure to ionizing radiation. In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that exosomes might play a role in out-of-target radiation effects by carrying molecular signaling mediators of radiation damage, as well as opposite protective functions resulting in resistance to radiotherapy. However, a global understanding of exosomes and their radiation-induced regulation, especially within the context of an intact mammalian organism, has been lacking. In this in vivo study, we demonstrate that, compared to sham-irradiated (SI) mice, a distinct pattern of proteins and miRNAs is found packaged into circulating plasma exosomes after whole-body and partial-body irradiation (WBI and PBI) with 2 Gy X-rays. A high number of deregulated proteins (59% of WBI and 67% of PBI) was found in the exosomes of irradiated mice. In total, 57 and 13 miRNAs were deregulated in WBI and PBI groups, respectively, suggesting that the miRNA cargo is influenced by the tissue volume exposed to radiation. In addition, five miRNAs (miR-99b-3p, miR-200a-3p, miR-200a, miR-182-5p, miR-182) were commonly overexpressed in the exosomes from the WBI and PBI groups. In this study, particular emphasis was also given to the determination of the in vivo effect of exosome transfer by intracranial injection in the highly radiosensitive neonatal cerebellum at postnatal day 3. In accordance with a major overall anti-apoptotic function of the commonly deregulated miRNAs, here, we report that exosomes from the plasma of irradiated mice, especially in the case of WBI, prevent radiation-induced apoptosis, thus holding promise for exosome-based future therapeutic applications against radiation injury.