Achievement of a Fortifying Product based on Apples, Quinces and Sea Buckthorn

The aim of the research was to achieve a fortifying product Apple, Quince and Sea Buckthorn Nectar rich in antioxidants (vitamin C, β-carotene) and dietary fibers (cellulose, pectic substances) from fruit. In the experiments were used fruit (apples, quinces and sea buckthorn) with a high content of these nutrients. The antioxidants are chemical substances that inhibit, decompose or prevent forming of free radicals or other substances that induce cancerogenesis. Also, dietary fibers are another group of natural compounds with an important role in the prevention of the digestive diseases. In the experiments were used biochemical methods for analysis of fruit and processed products (determination of soluble dry substance, glucides, proteins, lipids, mineral elements, total acidity, vitamin C, β-carotene, cellulose, pectic substances etc.). Also were performed microbiological analysis and sensorial analysis for processed products. In order to obtain the product Apple, Quince and Sea Buckthorn Nectar, four variants of experiments were carried out at the laboratory level. Following the sensorial and biochemical analyses, the optimum variant of the product Apple, Quince and Sea Buckthorn Nectar was selected, namely the variant V3 in which the ratio apple puree and quince puree was 1:1 and the percentage of added sea buckthorn juice was 3%

Non-Coding RNAs: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment in Myocardial Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury

Recent knowledge concerning the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury provides new insight into their possible roles as specific biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have fewer than 200 nucleotides, while long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) have more than 200 nucleotides. The three types of ncRNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs) act as signaling molecules strongly involved in cardiovascular disorders (CVD). I/R injury of the heart is the main CVD correlated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), cardiac surgery, and transplantation. The expression levels of many ncRNAs and miRNAs are highly modified in the plasma of MI patients, and thus they have the potential to diagnose and treat MI. Cardiomyocyte and endothelial cell death is the major trigger for myocardial ischemia–reperfusion syndrome (MIRS). The cardioprotective effect of inflammasome activation in MIRS and the therapeutics targeting the reparative response could prevent progressive post-infarction heart failure. Moreover, the pharmacological and genetic modulation of these ncRNAs has the therapeutic potential to improve clinical outcomes in AMI patients

Enterococcus faecium strains characterization through polymorphism study of VNTR loci

Enterococci are commensally bacteria of the gastrointestinal and female genital tract in humans and some mammals and birds, and one of the significant causes of hospital-acquired infections, especially in immuno-compromised patients. Genetic fingerprinting (DNA fingerprinting) is a tool for identifying, marking and prevention of infectious agents dissemination. SSR (short sequence repeat) are known to suffer frequent variations in the number of repetitive units.MLVA (multiple locus variable number tandem repeats analysis) is a variant of genetic fingerprinting, in epidemiological studies on the pathogenetic Enterococcus faecium. Our study included laboratory Enterococcus faecium strains or isolated from clinical cases or from the environment (2003-2008). All analyzed strains of Enterococcus faecium were sensitive to vancomycin, except BM4147, and resistant to oxacilin. Strains isolated from the birds’ samples have shown a smaller resistance profile than those of human origin. 33 Enterococus faecium strains were analyzed by PCR amplification. 27 MT (VNTR profiles) were obtained: six in the case of the strains isolated from birds, 15 in the case of the strains isolated form humans, 4 in the case of the collection strains and 2 in the case of the strains isolated from water samples. Among the strains isolated from humans and those isolated from animals, identical profiles were not recorded. Within the strains isolated from clinical cases, and those isolated from birds, circulating genotypes were noted, which can be considered as epidemical. The strains used as probiotics proved to be different from those circulating in birds. All MLVA profiles codes compared with those published on line in the UMC Utrecht database proved to be different. Results obtained in this study support the usefulness of the polymorphic VNTR analysis, as genetic marker, inepidemiological investigations