Blood serum DSC analysis of well-trained men response to CrossFit training and green tea extract supplementation

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been used for the detection of post-exercise changes in blood serum resulting from participation in the CrossFit (CF) training combined with green tea extract (GTE) supplementation. Blood samples from 20 well-trained men were collected at rest, immediately post-exercise and after 1 h of recovery in two trials: first before and second after CF training combined with GTE or placebo administration in the supplemented (S) and control (C) groups, respectively. Selected muscle damage biomarkers have been compared in different phases of the experiment. A significant increase in blood lactate content has been observed post-exercise in both trials in both participants’ groups. The opposite trends have been noted for the C and S groups in creatine kinase (CK) activity changes recorded during the first to the second trial: an increase in CK for the control and a decrease for the supplemented group in all phases of the experiment: pre-exercise, post-exercise and after recovery. In the second trial, all CK values for the S group have been found significantly lower than the corresponding values recorded in the C group. These results suggest a mitigate effect of GTE supplementation on post-training muscle damage. DSC results did not reveal clear effects of training nor GTE supplementation on serum denaturation transition. However, interesting dependences of thermodynamic parameters describing this transition have been observed in different phases of the experiment. Statistically significant negative correlations have been found between post-training VO2max and post-exercise thermodynamic parameters associated with haptoglobin contribution to serum denaturation transition

Whole-body cryostimulation impact on blood serum thermal denaturation profiles of cross-country skiers

Blood plasma and serum are important diagnostic materials as they clearly reflect an individual’s metabolism. The study has evaluated the effect of whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) on the blood serum of professional cross-country skiers. The experiment involved eight athletes (two women and six men) who underwent a series of ten WBC treatments. Aqueous solutions of human blood serum samples before WBC procedures, after one treatment and after a series of ten treatments were measured by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), a relatively novel diagnostic tool. DSC results showed rather little impact of cryostimulation on heat capacity changes accompanying the process of thermal denaturation of blood serum proteins in elite athletes. However, the statistically significant reduction in the intensity of the serum denaturation transition in its low temperature range has been observed after ten WBC treatments. The results have been interpreted by changes in the serum proteome profile, notably in the ratio of ligated to unligated albumin molecules. As a side result, the relationships between the relative change in body fat mass after ten WBC treatments and the levels of alpha2-globulins and beta2-globulins fractions have been found

Differential scanning calorimetry reveals that whole‑body cryostimulation in cross‑country skiers can modify their response to physical effort

In sport medicine, cryostimulation is used to help athletes to better support the training workload, to prevent the deleterious effects of strenuous exercise and to improve recovery. In this study, eight elite cross-country skiers had two experimental exercise sessions differing in that the second one was carried out after a series of 10 whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) treatments. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was applied to compare changes in athlete’s blood serum during both sessions. Mean DSC curves of serum collected in four stages of the training session: before exercise, after exercise, at 1 h recovery and after 24 h of rest have shown a similar nature of post-exercise changes and recovery regardless of the WBC. Statistically significant effect of the exercise, reflected in some parameters of serum denaturation transition, has been found. Too small number of participants in our study did not allow to verify the hypothesis

Comparison of human blood serum DSC profiles in aqueous and PBS buffer solutions

The results of studies of physiological fluids by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for the purpose of diagnosis and monitoring of diseases are promising. Before the DSC method is accepted in medical diagnostics, it is worth experimenting with various environmental conditions at the research stage. Among other things, it is important to choose an appropriate solvent to dilute the tested biological fluids. In this work, human blood sera DSC profiles in aqueous and PBS (phosphatebuffered saline) solutions have been compared. Visibility of haptoglobin in the DSC profile of human blood serum is much better in water solution. In addition, contributions from albumin and haptoglobin are well separated in contrast to the PBS serum solutions. The peak or shoulder at about 83 °C which represents contributions from the CH3 domain of immunoglobulin IgG1 and/or transferrin is more clearly visible in PBS solution. The results show that the type of solvent is essential when interpreting the serum DSC profile

Blood serum denaturation profile examined by differential scanning calorimetry reflects the effort put into ultramarathon by amateur long-distance runners

The impact of participation in the ultramarathon on the health and mental and physical condition is very complex. Undoubtedly, exercise brings many benefits but also involves health risks. Especially such an extreme effort as the one associated with finishing the ultramarathon run, can be dangerous to the health of the runner. With the variety of possible biomarkers of excessive fatigue that threaten health and life, a question arises which of them are the best and which should be considered in amateur long-distance runners showing particularly high individual variability. In this study differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been applied to show the overall effect of the 12-h run on blood sera of participants. Serum samples were obtained from the blood of ten male amateur long-distance runners, collected before and immediately after the run. Distinct changes in the shape of DSC curves have been observed for serum after finishing the run relative to pre-race serum. Statistically significant differences between stages “before” and “after” ultramarathon running have been found for parameters of the endothermic transition associated with denaturation of serum proteins. An increase in the temperature (from 70.9 ± 0.9 to 75.8 ± 2.9 ◦C) and excess heat capacity (from 0.859 ± 0.201 to 1.102 ± 0.226 Jg-1 ◦C-1) at peak maximum, the enthalpy of serum denaturation (from 18.55 ± 6.52 to 22.08 ± 5.61 Jg-1) and the first moment of the thermal transition with respect to the temperature (from the value of 67.0 ± 2.1 to 72.6 ± 2.1 ◦C) has been observed. These results show a clear impact of running an ultramarathon on the participant’s blood serum

Analysis of the costs of GERD therapy based on information from questionnaire surveys among patients

ChRP jest chorobą przewlekłą, której wzrost zachorowalności oraz narastające zapotrzebowanie na preparaty w celu jej leczenia, jest notowany na całym świecie. W Polsce ChRP dotyczy 20% społeczeństwa. Większość osób posiadających objawy choroby nie poszukuje od razu pomocy lekarskiej, a jedynie stosuje preparaty zmniejszające wydzielanie soku żołądkowego, lub go neutralizujące dostępne bez recepty. Postępowaniem z wyboru w celu leczenia ChRP jest dostosowana do potrzeb pacjenta terapia IPP, doraźnie oraz w łagodniejszym przebiegu choroby stosowane są AH2. W związku z rosnącymi wydatkami państwa ze środków publicznych na dofinansowania leczenia ChRP przeprowadzono analizę kosztów choroby na podstawie rekordów 150 pacjentów przyjmujących leki obniżające nadkwaśność żoładka. Celem badania była analiza kosztów choroby pacjentów cierpiących na ChRP z perspektywy społeczeństwa oraz NFZ, w zależności od przyjmowanej grupy leków, substancji aktywnej, kategorii dostępności oraz płci w ciągu roku. Przeprowadzone badanie wykazało, że średni roczny koszt całkowity terapii ChRP wynosi 182,81zł, średnio 52,36zł tej kwot finansuje NFZ. Zdecydowana większość pacjentów stosuje IPP lub AH2 ponad rok, IPP są częściej kupowane w oparciu o receptę, a AH2 w sprzedaży odręcznej. Najdroższą substancją aktywną stosowaną w leczeniu ChRP w przeliczeniu na miligram był omeprazol. Zaobserwowano, że kobiety częściej stosują IPP niż mężczyźni oraz średnio więcej wydają na leki związane z łagodzeniem objawów ChRP. Średni roczny koszt terapii choroby refluksowej na receptę wynosił 148,67zł.GERD is a chronic disease, which increases in morbidity, and in demand for preparations for its treatment is recorded over the world. It is concerned that more than 20% of the Polish population has GERD. Most people with the disease's symptoms, do not immediately seek for medical help but use only OTC preparations that reduce the secretion of the gastric juice or neutralize it. GERD treatment of choice is, adapted to the patient's needs, PPIs therapy and H2-blockers used in case of the milder course of the disease. Due to the growing government expenditure for the reimbursement of GERD treatment, cost of illness analyze was carried out, based on the records of 150 patients, taking drugs reducing stomach hyperacidity. The aim of the study was to analyze the cost of illness of patients suffering from GERD, from the perspective of the society and payer - National Health Fund (NFZ), depending on the group of drugs, the active substance, the availability category and sex, during the period of one year. The study showed that the average annual cost of total GERD pharmacotherapy is PLN 182.81, of which NFZ covers PLN 52.36. The vast majority of patients use PPI or H2-blockers for over a year, and IPP are more frequently bought on prescription, and AH2 as OTC. The most expensive active substance used in the treatment of GERD per milligram was omeprazole. It has been observed that women use PPI more often than men and that women on average spend more money on drugs associated with alleviation of symptoms of GERD. The average annual cost of prescription reflux disease treatment was PLN 148.67

Radiation-Induced Oxidation Reactions of 2-Selenouracil in Aqueous Solutions: Comparison with Sulfur Analog of Uracil

One-electron oxidation of 2-selenouracil (2-SeU) by hydroxyl (●OH) and azide (●N3) radicals leads to various primary reactive intermediates. Their optical absorption spectra and kinetic characteristics were studied by pulse radiolysis with UV-vis spectrophotometric and conductivity detection and by the density functional theory (DFT) method. The transient absorption spectra recorded in the reactions of ●OH with 2-SeU are dominated by an absorption band with an λmax = 440 nm, the intensity of which depends on the concentration of 2-SeU and pH. Based on the combination of conductometric and DFT studies, the transient absorption band observed both at low and high concentrations of 2-SeU was assigned to the dimeric 2c-3e Se-Se-bonded radical in neutral form (2●). The dimeric radical (2●) is formed in the reaction of a selenyl-type radical (6●) with 2-SeU, and both radicals are in equilibrium with Keq = 1.3 × 104 M−1 at pH 4 (below the pKa of 2-SeU). Similar equilibrium with Keq = 4.4 × 103 M−1 was determined for pH 10 (above the pKa of 2-SeU), which admittedly involves the same radical (6●) but with a dimeric 2c-3e Se-Se bonded radical in anionic form (2●−). In turn, at the lowest concentration of 2-SeU (0.05 mM) and pH 10, the transient absorption spectrum is dominated by an absorption band with an λmax = 390 nm, which was assigned to the ●OH adduct to the double bond at C5 carbon atom (3●) based on DFT calculations. Similar spectral and kinetic features were also observed during the ●N3-induced oxidation of 2-SeU. In principle, our results mostly revealed similarities in one-electron oxidation pathways of 2-SeU and 2-thiouracil (2-TU). The major difference concerns the stability of dimeric radicals with a 2c-3e chalcogen-chalcogen bond in favor of 2-SeU

Different Oxidation Pathways of 2-Selenouracil and 2-Thiouracil, Natural Components of Transfer RNA

Sulfur- and selenium-modified uridines present in the wobble position of transfer RNAs (tRNAs) play an important role in the precise reading of genetic information and tuning of protein biosynthesis in all three domains of life. Both sulfur and selenium chalcogens functionally operate as key elements of biological molecules involved in the protection of cells against oxidative damage. In this work, 2-thiouracil (S2Ura) and 2-selenouracil (Se2Ura) were treated with hydrogen peroxide at 1:0.5, 1:1, and 1:10 molar ratios and at selected pH values ranging from 5 to 8. It was found that Se2Ura was more prone to oxidation than its sulfur analog, and if reacted with H2O2 at a 1:1 or lower molar ratio, it predominantly produced diselenide Ura-Se-Se-Ura, which spontaneously transformed to a previously unknown Se-containing two-ring compound. Its deselenation furnished the major reaction product, a structure not related to any known biological species. Under the same conditions, only a small amount of S2Ura was oxidized to form Ura-SO2H and uracil (Ura). In contrast, 10-fold excess hydrogen peroxide converted Se2Ura and S2Ura into corresponding Ura-SeOnH and Ura-SOnH intermediates, which decomposed with the release of selenium and sulfur oxide(s) to yield Ura as either a predominant or exclusive product, respectively. Our results confirmed significantly different oxidation pathways of 2-selenouracil and 2-thiouracil

Adding Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) Powder to Wheat Bread: Effects on Physicochemical, Sensory and Microbiological Qualities of the End-Product

Entomophagy, that is, the consumption of insects, is gaining more and more popularity. The research carried out so far on the use of edible insects in the food industry has shown that they are a valuable source of protein, and do not significantly affect the functional and sensory properties of food. Edible insects also contribute to sustainable, environment friendly food production. Taking the above into account, the influence of adding insect powder on the physicochemical properties, sensory characteristics, and microbiological qualities of wheat bread was evaluated. This study aimed to partially replace wheat flour (5, 10, and 15%) in bread with mealworm powder (T. molitor) to produce protein-fortified bread. Bread containing mealworm powder showed similar density and water activity compared to the control wheat bread. The addition of mealworm powder did not negatively affect the properties of bread. The total color difference increased significantly (p < 0.05) with the insect flour share in bread formulation and ranged between 2.27 for M5, 4.00 for M10, and 4.50 for M15. The protein content in bread fortified with 5–15% mealworm powder increased by 15–59% compared to the control bread, whereas fat content increased by 35% to 113%. Results of sensory evaluation revealed that modification of the recipe, depending on the mealworm powder addition level, significantly (p < 0.05) affected bread color, odor, flavor, and overall sensory quality. The research showed that the optimal enrichment level is using 5% mealworm flour in the bread recipe. Moreover, the obtained variants of bread were characterized by good microbiological quality after baking. In bread M10, no yeasts and molds were found during a period of 2 days of storage. The number of yeasts and molds in the other bread variants was relatively low. To conclude, the results confirmed the usefulness of insect powder in making protein-fortified bread of good quality comparable to traditional wheat bread