Obesity, microbiota and immunomodulation

Prekomjerna težina i pretilost predstavljaju rastući medicinski i socioekonomski problem modernog društva s brojnim zdravstvenim posljedicama. Prekomjerna težina povećava rizik od nastanka kroničnih i degenerativnih oboljenja, od metaboličkih, kardiovaskularnih i malignih bolesti preko podložnosti infekcijama do više stope smrtnosti. Masno tkivo pored uloge skladištenja energije ima i brojne endokrine i imunološke funkcije. Ono može utjecati na razvoj inzulinske neosjetljivosti, nastanak metaboličkog sindroma, a lučenjem adipokina, čimbenika stvorenih u masnim stanicama, doprinosi upalnim procesima, pa se i iz tog razloga pretilost smatra kroničnom upalnom bolešću. U razvoju pretilosti značajnu ulogu imaju crijevne mikrobiote, koje obavljaju važne metaboličke funkcije u probavi, apsorpciji i metabolizmu hranjivih tvari. Također, pravilan razvoj crijevnog epitela i imunološkog sustava pod izravnim je utjecajem mikrobiote u crijevima. Metabolička endotoksemija jedan je od načina kako mikrobiote doprinose upalnim procesima u organizmu. Uz farmakološke i kirurške pristupe liječenju pretilosti, balansiranom prehranom i modulacijom crijevne mikrobiote primjenom probiotika i prebiotika može se doprinijeti kontroliranom mršavljenju.Overweight and obesity represent a growing medical and socioeconomic problem of modern society with numerous consequences on human health. Overweight individuals are at increased risk for developing chronic and degenerative conditions, from metabolic, cardiovascular and malignant diseases to increased susceptibility to infections and higher mortality rates. Apart from being an energy storage, fat tissue also has numerous endocrine and immune functions. Fat tissue can induce insulin resistance, development of metabolic syndrome and by secreting adipokines directly contribute to inflammatory processes which makes obesity a chronic inflammatory disease. Gut microbiota have an important role in obesity development since they perform important metabolic functions in nutrients digestion, absorption and metabolism. Also, specific development of gut epithelia and immune system are under direct influence of gut microbiota. By inducing metabolic endotoxemia microbiota contributes to the development of inflammatory processes in the organism. Along with pharmacological and surgical treatments, controlled weight loss in obesity can also be achieved by balanced diet and by modulating gut microbiota with probiotics and prebiotics

Diet and Respiratory Health

Disanje je proces izmjene plinova kroz pluća, ali i stanična oksidacija hrane u procesu metabolizma. Razumljiva je stoga činjenica da je zdravlje respiratornog sustava usko povezano s pravilnom prehranom. Osim energetske vrijednosti, hrana posjeduje i brojne farmakološke aktivnosti koje pridonose zdravlju respiratornog sustava. Pazeći na uravnoteženi unos hraniva i uzimajući u obzir respiratorne koeficijente pojedinih hranjivih tvari, može se uvelike pridonijeti oporavku od bolesti i bržem uspostavljanju funkcije dišnih organa. Posebnu pozornost potrebno je posvetiti unosu svježe hrane u obliku svježeg voća i povrća jer su posebno bogati vitaminima i mineralima te važnim biološki aktivnim tvarima (karotenoidi, polifenoli). Najnovija istraživanja također upućuju na povezanost respiratornog, imunosnog i probavnog sustava, posebice uravnotežene flore mikroorganizama (mikrobiote) za koju je dokazano da bitno može ublažiti simptome infekcija i alergija. No hrana ima i svoju psihološku komponentu te može pridonijeti boljem zdravlju živčanog sustava i tako posredno pozitivno utjecati na oporavak i ublažavanje simptoma respiratornih bolesti.Respiration is a process of gas exchange in the lungs, but also a cellular process of food metabolism for energy production. The health of the respiratory system is therefore tightly connected with the appropriate diet. Food not only provides energy for the body, but many food ingredients exert various biological effects which are important for health of the respiratory system. The function and health of the airways could be maintained by balancing the respiratory quotient of nutrients. Consuming plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutraceuticals (carotenoids, polyphenols) is especially important. New research fi ndings have demonstrated the important connections between the immune system and the healthy digestive tract, in particular the balanced microbiota that can alleviate symptoms of infections and allergies. However, food also possesses psychological effects and may contribute to the improved health of the nervous system and consequently ease the symptoms of respiratory diseases

New Bicyclic Azalide Macrolides Obtained by Tandem Palladium Catalyzed Allylic Alkylation/Conjugated Addition Reaction

Unprecedented tandem allylic alkylation/intermolecular Michael addition was used in the preparation of novel bicyclic azalides. NMR spectroscopy was used not only to unambiguously determine and characterize the structures of these unexpected products of chemical reaction but also to investigate the effect the rigid bicyclic modification has on the conformation of the whole molecule. Thus, some of the macrolides prepared showed antibacterial activity in the range of well-known antibiotic drug azithromycin

Translating the Mediterranean diet: from chemistry to kitchen

The Mediterranean diet has been an area of popular and scientific intrigue for more than 30 years. Research has focused on both whole-diet compliance as well as individual component effects and many questions remain open as to the full spectrum of effects from this olive oil rich eating pattern. This paper summarizes key findings related to the Mediterranean diet including the health effects of olive oil as one tool in a whole-organism approach to modifying risk factors for cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic and other chronic illnesses. Suggestions for the utilization of these findings are summarized in a new »Holistic Food Pyramid«, optimized according to the basic principles of the Mediterranean diet and overall metabolic needs

Diet and Respiratory Health

Disanje je proces izmjene plinova kroz pluća, ali i stanična oksidacija hrane u procesu metabolizma. Razumljiva je stoga činjenica da je zdravlje respiratornog sustava usko povezano s pravilnom prehranom. Osim energetske vrijednosti, hrana posjeduje i brojne farmakološke aktivnosti koje pridonose zdravlju respiratornog sustava. Pazeći na uravnoteženi unos hraniva i uzimajući u obzir respiratorne koeficijente pojedinih hranjivih tvari, može se uvelike pridonijeti oporavku od bolesti i bržem uspostavljanju funkcije dišnih organa. Posebnu pozornost potrebno je posvetiti unosu svježe hrane u obliku svježeg voća i povrća jer su posebno bogati vitaminima i mineralima te važnim biološki aktivnim tvarima (karotenoidi, polifenoli). Najnovija istraživanja također upućuju na povezanost respiratornog, imunosnog i probavnog sustava, posebice uravnotežene flore mikroorganizama (mikrobiote) za koju je dokazano da bitno može ublažiti simptome infekcija i alergija. No hrana ima i svoju psihološku komponentu te može pridonijeti boljem zdravlju živčanog sustava i tako posredno pozitivno utjecati na oporavak i ublažavanje simptoma respiratornih bolesti.Respiration is a process of gas exchange in the lungs, but also a cellular process of food metabolism for energy production. The health of the respiratory system is therefore tightly connected with the appropriate diet. Food not only provides energy for the body, but many food ingredients exert various biological effects which are important for health of the respiratory system. The function and health of the airways could be maintained by balancing the respiratory quotient of nutrients. Consuming plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutraceuticals (carotenoids, polyphenols) is especially important. New research fi ndings have demonstrated the important connections between the immune system and the healthy digestive tract, in particular the balanced microbiota that can alleviate symptoms of infections and allergies. However, food also possesses psychological effects and may contribute to the improved health of the nervous system and consequently ease the symptoms of respiratory diseases

The Role of Gut, Vaginal, and Urinary Microbiome in Urinary Tract Infections: From Bench to Bedside

The current paradigm of urinary tract infection (UTI) pathogenesis takes into account the contamination of the periurethral space by specific uropathogens residing in the gut, which is followed by urethral colonization and pathogen ascension to the urinary bladder. Consequently, studying the relationship between gut microbiota and the subsequent development of bacteriuria and UTI represents an important field of research. However, the well-established diagnostic and therapeutic paradigm for urinary tract infections (UTIs) has come into question with the discovery of a multifaceted, symbiotic microbiome in the healthy urogenital tract. More specifically, emerging data suggest that vaginal dysbiosis may result in Escherichia coli colonization and prompt recurrent UTIs, while urinary microbiome perturbations may precede the development of UTIs and other pathologic conditions of the urinary system. The question is whether these findings can be exploited for risk reduction and treatment purposes. This review aimed to appraise the three aforementioned specific microbiomes regarding their potential influence on UTI development by focusing on the recent studies in the field and assessing the potential linkages between these different niches, as well as evaluating the state of translational research for novel therapeutic and preventative approaches

Antibacterial Activity of Polyoxometalates Against Moraxella catarrhalis

The antibacterial activity of 29 different polyoxometalates (POMs) against Moraxella catarrhalis was investigated by determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The Preyssler type polyoxotungstate (POT) [NaP5W30O110]14− demonstrates the highest activity against M. catarrhalis (MIC = 1 μg/ml) among all tested POMs. Moreover, we show that the Dawson type based anions, [P2W18O62]6−, [(P2O7)Mo18O54]4−, [As2Mo18O62]6−, [H3P2W15V3O62]6−, and [AsW18O60]7− are selective on M. catarrhalis (MIC range of 2-8 μg/ml). Among the six tested Keggin type based POTs ([PW12O40]3−, [H2PCoW11O40]5−, [H2CoTiW11O40]6−, [SiW10O36]8−, [SbW9O33]9−, [AsW9O33]9−), only the mono-substituted [H2CoTiW11O40]6− showed MIC value comparable to those of the Dawson type group. Polyoxovanadates (POVs) and Anderson type POMs were inactive against M. catarrhalis within the tested concentration range (1-256 μg/ml). Four Dawson type POMs [P2W18O62]6−, [(P2O7)Mo18O54]4−, [As2Mo18O62]6−, [H3P2W15V3O62]6− and the Preyssler POT [NaP5W30O110]14− showed promising antibacterial activity against M. catarrhalis (MICs < 8 μg/ml) and were therefore tested against three additional bacteria, namely S. aureus, E. faecalis, and E. coli. The most potent antibacterial agent was [NaP5W30O110]14−, exhibiting the lowest MIC values of 16 μg/ml against S. aureus and 8 μg/ml against E. faecalis. The three most active compounds ([NaP5W30O110]14−, [P2W18O62]6−, and [H3P2W15V3O62]6−) show bacteriostatic effects in killing kinetics study against M. catarrhalis. We demonstrate, that POM activity is mainly depending on composition, shape, and size, but in the case of medium-size POTs (charge is more than −12 and number of addenda atoms is not being higher than 22) its activity correlates with the total net charge

Izvanstanični glikoproteini u embriogenoj kulturi bundeva (Cucurbita pepo L.)

The extracellular proteins in three distinctly induced embryogenic lines of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) cultivated in four MS media modified regarding the nitrogen composition or auxin presence/absence have been analyzed. Extracellular glycoproteins containing α-D-mannose were specifically detected by the lectine concavalin A. During the cultivation of embryogenic tissue in the medium supplemented with reduced nitrogen, the embryos were mostly arrested at preglobular and globular developmental stages, which coincide with the absence of protein secretion. Secreted glycoproteins of 76, 68, 37 and 34 kDa were detected only if any of the three lines were cultivated in the medium that stimulates embryo development, irrespectively of the addition of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid or tunicamycin. The glycoprotein of 64 kDa was detected in all lines cultivated in hormone-free MS medium with conventional nitrogen sources and it appears to be associated with embryo maturation. Tunicamycin treatment did not influence embryogenesis, although it specifically affected glycosylation of proteins in the investigated lines. Our results show that besides auxin, the source of nitrate is of great importance for proper protein glycosylation, excretion and developmental transition of pumpkin somatic embryos.Analizirani su izvanstanični proteini tri ustaljene embriogene linije bundeva (Cucurbita pepo L.) koje su uzgajane na četiri različite podloge MS s obzirom na udjel dušika i prisutnost/odsutnost auksina. Izvanstanični proteini što sadrže α-D-manozu specifično su dokazani lektinom konkavalinom A. Tijekom uzgoja embriogenoga tkiva na podlozi s dodatkom reduciranog dušika, razvitak većine embrija bio je zakočen u predglobularnom i globularnom razvojnom stadiju, što se podudaralo s nedostatkom izlučivanja proteina. Izlučivanje proteina od 76, 68, 37 i 34 kDa dokazano je u sve tri linije tijekom uzgoja na podlozi koja pospješuje razvoj embrija, neovisno o dodatku 2,4-diklorofenoksioctene kiseline ili tunikamicina. Glikoprotein od 64 kDa utvrđen je u sve tri linije uzgajane na podlozi MS bez dodatka hormona i s nepromijenjenim izvorima dušika, te se mogao povezati sa sazrijevanjem embrija na ovoj podlozi. Izlaganje tunikamicinu nije utjecalo na embriogenezu, iako je imalo specifično djelovanje na glikozilaciju proteina ispitanih linija. Rezultati pokazuju da osim auksina i izvori dušika imaju važnu ulogu u pravilnoj glikozilaciji proteina, njihovom izlučivanju i dinamici razvitka somatskih embrija bundeve

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity of Different Extracts of Poplar Type Propolis

Chemical composition, antioxidant activity and in vitro antibacterial activity of propolis from the central, continental part of Croatia were studied. Propolis hydro-ethanolic extracts (PHEE), prepared using three different methods and two solvent mixtures contained high amounts of flavonoids (20.95–28.11 % TIC), aromatic acids (8.17–15.91 % TIC) and their esters (9.27-11.91 % TIC). The PHEE obtained in this study showed high antioxidant activity (DPPH IC50 values from 9.96–19.95 µg/ml and FRAP 38.0–41.9 mM Fe2+/mg PHEE). Despite differences in composition, the PHEE samples exhibited significant antibacterial activities, affecting tested strains of Staphylococcus aures, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Moraxella catarrhalis. The use of different solvent ratio and extraction procedures selectively increases or decreases the content of specific propolis components in the extract which can have a beneficial effect on the application of propolis extracts. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License