Effect of age of Japanese quail on physical and biochemical characteristics of eggs

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of age of birds on egg quality in Japanese quail. The eggs were randomly selected from among all eggs laid on the same day when the birds were 15, 23 and 31 weeks old. At each time point, 90 fresh eggs were evaluated for their physical and biochemical characteristics. Egg weights were similar over time. At 23 and 31 weeks, the eggs had less shell than at 15 weeks. Crude fat and ash contents of the eggs increased with the age of the birds. Crude protein was also highest in eggs of the oldest quail. At 31 weeks old, the eggs were lowest in pH of yolk and white. Quail that were 23 and 31 weeks old laid eggs with significantly higher polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and lower saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents. The lowest cholesterol content was in egg yolks from 23-week-old quail. The oldest birds had the highest contents of sodium, potassium, zinc, selenium, copper, and manganese. The content and activity of lysozyme decreased with ageing of the birds. From the consumers’ point of view, eggs from older birds appeared to be the most valuable. At the same time, as the quail ages, the antibacterial properties of eggs deteriorate, which may indicate a shorter shelf life

Cromatografía en columna como método para la eliminación de componentes menores del aceite de colza

The purpose of this study was to verify the influence of different chromatographic column beds (silicic acid, activated charcoal, aluminum oxide, silica gel) on the concentration of individual minor components (sterols, tocopherols, carotenoids and chlorophyll) in rapeseed oil. With the use of a combination of these beds, a three-stage optimized method for removing minor components from rapeseed oil was developed. It was demonstrated that the combination of silicic acid and activated charcoal removed about half of the sterols present from the oil. Aluminum oxide turned out to be the most effective bed in removing tocopherols, purifying the oil to their minimum level (2.6 mg/kg). All adsorbents used had similar capacity to purify oil from pigments (carotenoids and chlorophyll). In the three-stage purification process free sterols were almost completely removed (to the level 90.0 mg/kg). Purification of β-carotene and chlorophyll from the oil was also very effective. Tocopherols were completely removed with this method, except for a small amount of α-tocopherol (0.4 mg/kg), which results from its relatively weak interaction with a hydrophilic bed. The developed method may be used in studies on the effect of association colloids on bulk oil autoxidation processes.El propósito de este estudio fue verificar la influencia de diferentes rellenos de columnas cromatográficas (ácido silícico, carbón activo, óxido de aluminio, gel de sílice) sobre la concentración de componentes menores individuales (esteroles, tocoferoles, carotenoides y clorofila) en aceite de colza. Gracias a esto, se desarrolló un método optimizado de tres etapas para eliminar los componentes secundarios del aceite de colza (utilizando una combinación de todos los rellenos descritos anteriormente). Se ha demostrado que con la combinación de ácido silícico y carbón activo se elimina del aceite alrededor de la mitad de los esteroles presentes. El óxido de aluminio resultó ser el relleno más eficaz para eliminar los tocoferoles, purificando el aceite hasta su nivel mínimo (2,6 mg/kg). Todos los adsorbentes utilizados tenían una capacidad similar para purificar el aceite de pigmentos (carotenoides y clorofila). En el proceso de purificación en tres etapas, los esteroles libres se eliminaron casi por completo (hasta el nivel de 90,0 mg/kg). La purificación de aceite de β-caroteno y clorofila también fue muy efectiva. En este método, los tocoferoles se eliminaron completamente, excepto pequeñas cantidades de α-tocoferol (0,4 mg/kg), lo que resulta de su interacción relativamente débil con un relleno hidrófilo. El método desarrollado se puede usar en los estudios sobre el efecto de los coloides de asociación en los procesos de autooxidación de aceites a granel

Current Status and Perspectives of Protease Inhibitors and Their Combination with Nanosized Drug Delivery Systems for Targeted Cancer Therapy

Abstract: In cancer treatments, many natural and synthetic products have been examined; among them, protease inhibitors are promising candidates for anti-cancer agents. Since dysregulated proteolytic activities can contribute to tumor development and metastasis, antagonization of proteases with tailored inhibitors is an encouraging approach. Although adverse effects of early designs of these inhibitors disappeared after the introduction of next-generation agents, most of the proposed inhibitors did not pass the early stages of clinical trials due to their nonspecific toxicity and lack of pharmacological effects. Therefore, new applications that modulate proteases more specifically and serve their programmed way of administration are highly appreciated. In this context, nanosized drug delivery systems have attracted much attention because preliminary studies have demonstrated that the therapeutic capacity of inhibitors has been improved significantly with encapsulated formulation as compared to their free forms. Here, we address this issue and discuss the current application and future clinical prospects of this potential combination towards targeted protease-based cancer therapy

NOWY TOM Z SERII ZBIORY MUZEUM NARODOWEGO W GDAŃSKU. KOLEKCJA JACOBA KABRUNA

The article reviews the catalogue of prints by Daniel Chodowiecki (1726–1801) from the collection of Jacob Kabrun (1759–1814), a merchant, diplomat and bibliophile from Gdańsk, which he offered as a bequest to his home town. This comprehensive and richly illustrated publication by Kalina Zabuska is the second part of a catalogue comprising prints by the German school from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 19th century, from this collection which survived in the collections of the National Museum in Gdańsk. The volume presents 858 verified works by Chodowiecki which have been meticulously analysed with regard to the latest state of research. The author presents the artist’s achievement through his personal life, and brings us closer to the historical period of his activity. Chodowiecki was born in Gdańsk and worked in Berlin. He was also an outstanding watercolour painter, a popular illustrator and the author of 2000 prints. The works from Kabrun’s collection reveal a representative selection of the artist’s achievement and draw special attention to the variety of subjects of his illustrations which accompanied scientific works, editions of novels, as well as diverse periodical and occasional publications. The catalogue entries include extensive comments which refer to the literary plotlines or historical events which are being illustrated, which makes it easier to understand Chodowiecki’s prints for the contemporary viewer. The author presents Jacob Kabrun and emphasises his merits as the creator of the artistically valuable collection of European-school prints which formed the nucleus of the collections in Gdańsk. Moreover, the review points out that the collections of prints in Polish museums and libraries have to a large extent been created thanks to such donations, and that they house exquisite representative sets of prints by the most eminent artists of European prints in all periods. They deserve to be popularised further by the organisation of temporary exhibitions

Melting Process of the Sn-45 wt.% In and Sn-77 wt.% In Alloys as Viewed by Positron Annihilation

The temperature dependences of the positron annihilation parameters F and R were determined for Sn-45 wt.% In and Sn-77 wt.% In alloys. The obtained results enabled to verify the vacancy and the quasicrystalline models of the melting process. It was found that for metals transforming into the liquid state from the structures different than the close packed structure, the melting transition are hardly explainable in terms of the vacancy model of melting. The strong trapping of positrons in metallic liquids is an indication of the presence of microvoids (vacancy clusters) or microcrystals containing defects more immense than vacancies. The share of these positron trapping centers in the volume of metallic liquids is constant or decreases with increasing temperature. The obtained results demonstrate the particular applicability of the positron annihilation method for studies of defect kinetics in metallic liquids

The influence of used drying and storage method on composition of fatty acids in rape seeds

Celem niniejszej pracy było określenie wpływu zastosowanej metody suszenia na skład kwasów tłuszczowych w nasionach rzepaku po zbiorze oraz po rocznym przechowywaniu. Rzepak zebrany z pola suszono 2 metodami: nisko i wysokotemperaturową w zakresie temperatur od 60°C do 120°C. Próby nasion po wysuszeniu do około 6% przechowywano przez rok w temperaturze 20š1°C. Uzyskane wyniki wskazują na to, że suszenie metodą niskotemperaturową na równi z wysokotemperaturową pozwala na zachowanie w nasionach rzepaku korzystnych proporcji kwasów wielonienasyconych.The purpose of this work was determining the effect of the applied drying method on composition of fatty acids in rape seeds after harvesting and after one-year storage period. The harvested rape was dried using two methods: low and high-temperature ranging from 60°C to 120°C. Seed samples after drying to approx. 6% were stored for one year at a temperature of 20š1°C. The obtained results indicate that drying using both low-temperature method and high-temperature method allows to maintain in rape seeds beneficial proportions of polienic acids

Melting Process of the Sn-45 wt.% In and Sn-77 wt.% In Alloys as Viewed by Positron Annihilation

The temperature dependences of the positron annihilation parameters F and R were determined for Sn-45 wt.% In and Sn-77 wt.% In alloys. The obtained results enabled to verify the vacancy and the quasicrystalline models of the melting process. It was found that for metals transforming into the liquid state from the structures different than the close packed structure, the melting transition are hardly explainable in terms of the vacancy model of melting. The strong trapping of positrons in metallic liquids is an indication of the presence of microvoids (vacancy clusters) or microcrystals containing defects more immense than vacancies. The share of these positron trapping centers in the volume of metallic liquids is constant or decreases with increasing temperature. The obtained results demonstrate the particular applicability of the positron annihilation method for studies of defect kinetics in metallic liquids