Simvastatin attenuates abdominal aortic aneurysm formation favoured by lack of Nrf2 transcriptional activity

Surgical intervention is currently the only option for an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), preventing its rupture and sudden death of a patient. Therefore, it is crucial to determine the pathogenic mechanisms of this disease for the development of effective pharmacological therapies. Oxidative stress is said to be one of the pivotal factors in the pathogenesis of AAAs. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the significance of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) transcriptional activity in the development of AAA and to verify if simvastatin, administered as pre- and cotreatment, may counteract this structural malformation. Experiments were performed on mice with inhibited transcriptional activity of Nrf2 (tKO) and wild-type (WT) counterparts. We used a model of angiotensin II- (AngII-) induced AAA, combined with a fat-enriched diet. Mice were administered with AngII or saline for up to 28 days via osmotic minipumps. Simvastatin administration was started 7 days before the osmotic pump placement and then continued until the end of the experiment. We found that Nrf2 inactivation increased the risk of development and rupture of AAA. Importantly, these effects were reversed by simvastatin in tKO mice, but not in WT. The abrupt blood pressure rise induced by AngII was mitigated in simvastatin-treated animals regardless of the genotype. Simvastatin-affected parameters that differed between the healthy structure of the aorta and aneurysmal tissue included immune cell infiltration of the aortic wall, VCAM1 mRNA and protein level, extracellular matrix degradation, TGF-β1 mRNA level, and ERK phosphorylation, but neither oxidative stress nor the level of Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor (AT1R). Taken together, the inhibition of Nrf2 transcriptional activity facilitates AAA formation in mice, which can be prevented by simvastatin. It suggests that statin treatment of patients with hypercholesterolemia might have not only a beneficial effect in terms of controlling atherosclerosis but also potential AAA prevention

Willingness to Adopt Biochar in Agriculture: The Producer’s Perspective

Most research on biochar has focused either on the mechanistic or the biophysical aspects, and there has been relatively little research into the social applicability and acceptance of biochar as a soil enhancer in agriculture. However, whether to adopt biochar in their practice is ultimately the farmers’ decision, and their willingness to do so is crucial. Here, we show the producer’s perspective on adopting biochar, using Polish farmers as a case study. Poland is an interesting case study because biochar has only recently attracted the attention of researchers, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders there. We performed standardized, semi-structured interviews with 161 Polish farmers to evaluate the socioeconomic potential of biochar application in practice. We found that 27% of the respondents claimed to be familiar with biochar. The respondents with a technical, non-agricultural level of education were most familiar with the term ‘biochar’ (36%), followed by the group of respondents with a higher-level agricultural education (31%). It was surprising that among the latter respondents, the majority (69%) did not know the term ‘biochar’, either in the context used for this study or in any other context. Twenty percent of the respondents expressed an interest in using biochar, while 43% were not willing to adopt it in their agricultural practice (37% ‘did not know yet’). If a farmer was familiar with the concept of sustainable agriculture, the probability of familiarity with biochar increased by 16% (p < 0.05). In addition, farmers interested in using biochar indicated that sustainable agriculture might improve the financial situation of their farms (52%). The perceived benefits of biochar that drive the willingness to adopt it included improved soil quality and increased income due to increased yields, while the constraints on its adoption were associated mainly with high costs. Our results also point to the necessity of information flow as well as engaging farmers in participatory research to adjust the research to their needs. Furthermore, our results highlight the importance of transparency with the farmers and appropriate dissemination and presentation of both the positive and the negative aspects of biochar adoption. We urge those studying biochar to engage in more interdisciplinary research and to go beyond laboratory and field research. Many innovations, even those that work, will not be adopted if socioeconomic considerations are not incorporated into the research

Technologia produkcji i ocena jakości napojów fermentowanych®

Fermented milk drinks MNF are becoming more and more popular among consumers. They owe their popularity to their health and dietary properties. They are known for their beneficial effects on our body. As the demand for fermented dairy products increases, so does the variety of these products on the market. Consumers more and more often know what to pay attention to in order to choose the most valuable for our body among so many products.The article presents the production technology and characteristics of fermented milk beverages. Selected quality features of products available in the commercial circulation were examined (titratable acidity [° SH], dry matter content [%] and protein content [g]).Mleczne napoje fermentowane MNF cieszą się coraz większym zainteresowaniem wśród konsumentów. Swoją popularność zawdzięczają posiadanym właściwościom zdrowotnym oraz dietetycznym. Znany jest ich dobroczynny wpływ na nasz organizm. Wraz ze wzrostem popytu na fermentowane artykuły mleczne zwiększa się różnorodność tych produktów dostępnych na rynku. Konsumenci coraz częściej wiedzą na co należy zwracać uwagę, aby wśród tak wielu produktów wybrać najbardziej wartościowe dla naszego organizmu. W artykule przedstawiono technologię produkcji oraz charakterystykę mlecznych napojów fermentowanych. Zbadano wybrane cechy jakościowe produktów dostępnych w obiegu handlowym (kwasowość miareczkową [°SH], zawartość suchej masy [%] oraz zawartość białka [g])

Assesment selected guality markings for bredcrums®

W artykule przedstawiono badania oceny jakości bułki tartej pszennej oraz ryżowej. Opracowano receptury pozyskania bułek tartych pszennych oraz ryżowych, sprawdzono ich zdolność do odparowywania wody w procesie suszenia, a następnie rozkruszone pieczywa wykorzystano do dań gastronomicznych, w celu oceny ich jakości kulinarnej i organoleptycznej.The article presents the research results of the evaluation of the quality of wheat and rice crumbs. The recipes for obtaining breadcrumbs and rice rolls were developed, their ability to evaporate water in the drying process was checked, and then the crushed bread was used for gastronomic dishes to assess their culinary and organoleptic quality

Zarządzanie innowacyjnymi technikami oceny wybranych parametrów jakości w przemyśle spożywczym®

The meat industry is looking for quick evaluation methods due to the fact that meat has a relatively short shelf life and is subject to rapid technological changes, e.g. under the influence of storage conditions. The reference methods, despite the relatively short time of analysis, do not determine the accuracy of measurements. In order to ensure the repeatable quality of meat, it is necessary to search for new evaluation methods that will eliminate, among others, subjectivity resulting from the human factor and will allow for quick results. In the case of using computer-based evaluation methods, it is important to obtain a good-quality, distortion-free image of the test sample as well as proper classification and recognition of the recorded images. The article analyzes the content of fat visible in poultry meat using the traditional method – organoleptic, and using visual techniques – computer analysis image. A computer application based on the RGB model to recognize individual colors was used for the tests.Przemysł mięsny poszukuje szybkich metod ocen ze względu na to, iż mięso ma stosunkowo krótki termin przydatności do spożycia oraz szybko ulega zmianom technologicznym, np. pod wpływem warunków przechowywania. Metody referencyj-ne, mimo stosunkowo krótkiego czasu analiz, nie odznaczają się dokładnością pomiarów. W celu zapewnienia powtarzalnej jakości mięsa niezbędne jest poszukiwanie nowych metod oceny, które wyeliminują m.in. subiektywność wynikającą z czynnika ludzkiego oraz pozwolą na szybkie uzyskanie wyników. W przypadku wykorzystania metod oceny opartych na analizie komputerowej istotne jest pozyskanie dobrej jakości, wolnego od zniekształceń obrazu badanej próbki oraz właściwej klasyfikacji i rozpoznawania rejestrowanych obrazów. W artykule dokonano analizy zawartości tłuszczu widocznego w mięsie drobiowym metodą tradycyjną – organoleptyczną oraz za po-mocą technik wizyjnych – komputerowa analiza obrazu. Do badań wykorzystano aplikację komputerową opartą na mode-lu RGB do rozpoznawania poszczególnych barw

Neural Modeling of the Distribution of Protein, Water and Gluten in Wheat Grains during Storage

An important requirement in the grain industry is to obtain fast information on the quality of purchased and stored grain. Therefore, it is of great importance to search for innovative solutions aimed at the monitoring and fast assessment of quality parameters of stored wheat The results of the evaluation of total protein, water and gluten content by means of near infrared spectrometry are presented in the paper. Multiple linear regression analysis (MLR) and neural modeling were used to analyze the obtained results. The results obtained show no significant changes in total protein (13.13 &plusmn; 0.15), water (10.63 &plusmn; 0.16) or gluten (30.56 &plusmn; 0.54) content during storage. On the basis of the collected data, a model artificial neural network (ANN) MLP 52-6-3 was created, which, with the use of four independent features, allows us to determine changes in the content of water, protein and gluten in stored wheat. The chosen network returned good error values: learning, below 0.001; testing, 0.015; and validation, 0.008. The obtained results and their interpretation are an important element in the warehouse industry. The information obtained in this way about the state of the quality of stored grain will allow for a fast reaction in case of the threat of lowering the quality parameters of the stored grain

Physicochemical properties of selected herbicidal products containing nicosulfuron as an active ingredient

Nicosulfuron is a herbicide used for plant protection. This paper presents the results of research on the physicochemical properties of three herbicidal preparations containing nicosulfuron as the active substance by measuring and comparing its concentration by the chromatographic method. These preparations are in the form of a concentrated suspension intended for dilution with water, and due to the fact that nicosulfuron contained in the tested preparations is sensitive to water quality, while checking the physicochemical properties of the preparations, a dispersion for soft (pH: 5–7) and hard (pH: 8–9) water was also determined. It is important to note that high content of mineral salts in water may have a negative effect on the biological activity of the substance. In addition, the use of herbicides does not only apply to the use of appropriate dilutions, which are effective and not harmful to the environment. However, it is also important to consider specific farmer and equipment used, so that the preparation is easy to use and does not adversely affect the kit used for spraying. This study has shown that depending on the preparation used based on the amount of active substance 40 g/l, the amount of nicosulfuron varies. The test indicators in the form of pH and density are similar, while during the tested dispersion, differences depending on the tested water were observed (sediments were observed in only one preparation tested). Differences depending on the occurrence of sediments in the water used, both at 0 and 24 h, are signaling in favor of the soft water. Therefore, it is important to assess the hardness of the water, which in turn guarantees a reduction of the amount of deposits and protection of agricultural equipment used for spraying