Effective antioxidant phenolic compounds in selected varieties of apples

Polyphenolic compounds are effective antioxidant regarding their ability to reat with free radicals of fatty acid and oxygen(free radical scavening effect). One of the richest source of polyphenolic compounds in human nutrition are apples (Malus Mill.). Our work was focused on determinaton of total polyphenols contents and antioxidant activity and evaluate the presence of dislocation active antioxidant components in four of selected varieties of apples Idared, Jonagold, Pinova, Topaz (peel extract and pulp extract).The total contents of phenolic compounds,determined according to the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent spectrofotometric by Lachman and antioxidant activity was measured using a free radical used in this study was 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Average content of total polyphenols in selected varieties of apples was 622,67 mg.kg-1 (peel extract) and 568,7mg.kg-1 (pulp etract) after harvesting. Relationships between content of total polyphenols and antioxidant activity is affected by varietal difrences

Synthesis and In Vitro Anticancer Evaluation of Chrysin Containing Hybrids and Other Chrysin Derivatives

Chrysin, a well-known naturally occurring flavonoid having several biological effects including antiproliferative activity, was coupled with different pharmacophore structures. Coupling was carried out with spacers of different lengths and types. Structures selected for hybrid formation were amines, cyclic amino acid esters, and (hetero)aromatic compounds. In addition, vindoline, which is a Vinca alkaloid containing an indole skeleton, was also used. The alkylation of amines in the presence of carbonate base resulted in an interesting carbamate side product formation beside the expected amine. We also present the detailed structure elucidation of the carbamates. The in vitro anticancer activities of the synthesized derivatives were examined against 60 human tumor cell lines in National Cancer Institute (NCI, USA)

Fecal calprotectin levels in pediatric cow's milk protein allergy

Introduction: The most prevalent food allergy in younger children is cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA), a hypersensitivity reaction to cow’s milk protein and its most common clinical manifestation is allergic colitis. The goal of our recent study was to assess somatic symptoms of CMPA and to prospectively observe the

A gyermekkori tehéntejfehérje-allergia diagnosztikai kihívásai = Diagnostic challenges in pediatric cow’s milk protein allergy

Absztrakt: Bevezetés és célkitűzés: Kisgyermekek körében a leggyakrabban előforduló ételallergia a tehéntejfehérje-allergia, melynek klinikai megnyilvánulása igen változatos; emiatt a betegség diagnosztizálása sok esetben kihívást jelent, ami a korrekt diagnózis késői felállításához vezethet. Humánrészvizsgálatunk célja az allergia fennállásának kimutatására szolgáló diagnosztikai módszerek vizsgálata, valamint a betegséggel összefüggő viselkedésbeli problémák objektív paraméterekkel való alátámasztása. Módszer: Vizsgálatunkba tehéntejfehérje-allergia gyanúját felvető tünetekkel érkező gyermekeket vontunk be (n = 47). A kutatásban részt vevő gyermekektől nyál- és vérmintát vettünk, valamint saját szerkesztésű kérdőívet (a DSM-5 figyelemhiányos hiperaktivitási zavarra vonatkozó tünetlistáját is tartalmazza) töltettünk ki a szülőkkel. A klinikumban az allergia kimutatásának egyik leggyakoribb diagnosztikai módszere a Prick-teszt, mely esetünkben 47 (n = 47, átlagéletkor: 7,36 év) gyermekből 2-nél adott tejre pozitív eredményt. A gyakorlatban leginkább gyógyszerallergia kimutatására használt lymphocytatranszformációs teszt 8 gyermeknél pozitív, további 4-nél kétes eredményt mutatott. A pszichés eltéréseket vizsgáló részkutatásunkban (n = 43, átlagéletkor: 7,88 év,) a figyelemhiányos hiperaktivitási zavar tünetlistája alapján a kapott pontok a diéta előtti értékhez képest (6,88, SD: 4,43) szignifikáns csökkenést mutattak 3 hónap eliminációs diétát követően (4,48, SD: 3,69, p = 0,001). Az alvászavart panaszként említők figyelemhiányra/hiperaktivitásra vonatkozó pontjainál (10,62, SD: 4,23) szignifikáns csökkenést tapasztaltunk a diétát követően (6,69, SD: 4,59, p = 0,009). A nyálkortizolszintek tekintetében a diéta előtti és utáni értékekben nem tapasztaltunk szignifikáns eltérést. Eredmények: Elmondhatjuk, hogy önmagában a Prick- és a lymphocytatranszformációs teszt nem alkalmas a tehéntejfehérje-allergia fennállásának kimutatására. Tapasztalataink azt mutatják, hogy a tejfehérje indukálta figyelemzavar, fokozott impulzivitás, illetve alvászavar tekintetében az eliminációs diéta a tünetek mérsékeltebb előfordulását vagy akár teljes megszűnését eredményezi. Következtetés: Vizsgálataink eredményeinek tükrében elmondhatjuk, hogy a klinikai tünetekben látványos javulás csak a szigorúan betartott diéta mellett várható. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(33): 1311–1318. | Abstract: Introduction and aim: The aim of our research is to evaluate and compare commonly performed diagnostic tests, and to examine the psychological disorders induced by this food allergy. Children with symptoms suggesting cow’s milk protein allergy were included in this study (n = 47). Blood and saliva samples were collected from the participants. Parents were asked to fill in a questionnaire constructed by the research team (containing the DSM-5 symptoms checklist about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Method: One of the most widely used diagnostic tool is the skin allergy test, which was performed in 47 subjects (n = 47, mean age: 7.36 years); only 2 children showed positive test result for cow’s milk. Lymphocyte transformation test was observed to be positive in 8 children (17%), 4 subjects demonstrated questionable results. In our sub-study about psychological symptoms (n = 43, mean age: 7.88 years), the score was according to the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptom checklist before the diet (6.88, SD: 4.43) and showed significant decrease after 3 months of the elimination diet (4.48, SD: 3.69, p = 0.001). Scores of children with sleep disorder (10.62, SD: 4.23) also represented a significant reduction after 3 months of the diet (6.69, SD: 4.59, p = 0.009). Salivary cortisol levels did not show significant changes before and after elimination diet. Results: According to our data, skin allergy testing and lymphocyte transformation test are not reliable diagnostic tools for establishing the diagnosis. Conclusion: We conclude that a significant improvement in clinical symptoms can only be achieved with a strict elimination diet. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(33): 1311–1318

Reconstructed historical distribution and phylogeography unravels non-steppic origin of Caucasotachea vindobonensis (Gastropoda: Helicidae)

Existing data on the phylogeography of European taxa of steppic provenance suggests that species were widely distributed during glacial periods but underwent range contraction and fragmentation during interglacials into “warm-stage refugia.” Among the steppe-related invertebrates that have been examined, the majority has been insects, but data on the phylogeography of snails is wholly missing. To begin to fill this gap, phylogeographic and niche modeling studies on the presumed steppic snail Caucasotachea vindobonensis were conducted. Surprisingly, reconstruction of ancestral areas suggests that extant C. vindobonensis probably originated in the Balkans and survived there during the Late Pleistocene glaciations, with a more recent colonization of the Carpatho-Pannonian and the Ponto-Caspian regions. In the Holocene, C. vindobonensis colonized between the Sudetes and the Carpathians to the north, where its recent and current distribution may have been facilitated by anthropogenic translocations. Together, these data suggest a possible non-steppic origin of C. vindobonensis. Further investigation may reveal the extent to which the steppic snail assemblages consist partly of Holocene newcomers

Comprehensive frailty assessment with multidimensional frailty domains as a predictor of mortality among vascular and cardiac surgical patients

Purpose: The frailty concept has become a fundamental part of daily clinical practice. In this study our purpose was to create a risk estimation method with a comprehensive aspect of patients’ preoperative frailty. Patients and methods: In our prospective, observational study, patients were enrolled between September 2014 and August 2017 in the Department of Cardiac Surgery and Department of Vascular Surgery at Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. A comprehensive frailty score was built from four main domains: biological, functional-nutritional, cognitive-psychological and sociological. Each domain contained numerous indicators. In addition, the EUROSCORE for cardiac patients and the Vascular POSSUM for vascular patients were calculated and adjusted for mortality. Results: Data from 228 participants were included for statistical analysis. A total of 161 patients underwent vascular surgery, and 67 underwent cardiac surgery. The preoperatively estimated mortality was not significantly different (median: 2.700, IQR (interquartile range): 2.000–4.900 vs. 3.000, IQR: 1.140– 6.000, P 5 0.266). The comprehensive frailty index was significantly different (0.400 (0.358–0.467) vs. 0.348 (0.303–0.460), P 5 0.001). In deceased patients had elevated comprehensive frailty index (0.371 (0.316–0.445) vs. 0.423 (0.365–0.500), P < 0.001). In the multivariate Cox model an increased risk for mortality in quartiles 2, 3 and 4 compared with quartile 1 as a reference was found (AHR (95% CI): 1.974 (0.982–3.969), 2.306 (1.155–4.603), and 3.058 (1.556–6.010), respectively). Conclusion: The comprehensive frailty index developed in this study could be an important predictor of long-term mortality after vascular or cardiac surgery. Accurate frailty estimation could make the traditional risk scoring systems more accurate and reliable

Transcriptional Alterations by Ischaemic Postconditioning in a Pig Infarction Model: Impact on Microvascular Protection

Although the application of cardioprotective ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) stimuli after myocardial infarction (MI) is a promising concept for salvaging the myocardium, translation to a clinical scenario has not fulfilled expectations. We have previously shown that in pigs, ischaemic postconditioning (IPostC) reduces myocardial oedema and microvascular obstruction (MVO), without influencing myocardial infarct size. In the present study, we analyzed the mechanisms underlying the IPostC-induced microvascular protection by transcriptomic analysis, followed by pathway analysis. Closed-chest reperfused MI was induced by 90 min percutaneous balloon occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery, followed by balloon deflation in anaesthetised pigs. Animals were randomised to IPostC (n = 8), MI (non-conditioned, n = 8), or Control (sham-operated, n = 4) groups. After three hours or three days follow-up, myocardial tissue samples were harvested and subjected to RNA-seq analysis. Although the transcriptome analysis revealed similar expression between IPostC and MI in transcripts involved in cardioprotective pathways, we identified gene expression changes responding to IPostC at the three days follow-up. Focal adhesion signaling, downregulated genes participating in cardiomyopathy and activation of blood cells may have critical consequences for microvascular protection. Specific analyses of the gene subsets enriched in the endothelium of the infarcted area, revealed strong deregulation of transcriptional functional clusters, DNA processing, replication and repair, cell proliferation, and focal adhesion, suggesting sustentative function in the endothelial cell layer protection and integrity. The spatial and time-dependent transcriptome analysis of porcine myocardium supports a protective effect of IPostC on coronary microvasculature post-MI

In vivo MRI and ex vivo histological assessment of the cardioprotection induced by ischemic preconditioning, postconditioning and remote conditioning in a closed-chest porcine model of reperfused acute myocardial infarction: importance of microvasculature

BACKGROUND: Cardioprotective value of ischemic post- (IPostC), remote (RIC) conditioning in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is unclear in clinical trials. To evaluate cardioprotection, most translational animal studies and clinical trials utilize necrotic tissue referred to the area at risk (AAR) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, determination of AAR by MRI' may not be accurate, since MRI-indices of microvascular damage, i.e., myocardial edema and microvascular obstruction (MVO), may be affected by cardioprotection independently from myocardial necrosis. Therefore, we assessed the effect of IPostC, RIC conditioning and ischemic preconditioning (IPreC; positive control) on myocardial necrosis, edema and MVO in a clinically relevant, closed-chest pig model of AMI. METHODS AND RESULTS: Acute myocardial infarction was induced by a 90-min balloon occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in domestic juvenile female pigs. IPostC (6 x 30 s ischemia/reperfusion after 90-min occlusion) and RIC (4 x 5 min hind limb ischemia/reperfusion during 90-min LAD occlusion) did not reduce myocardial necrosis as assessed by late gadolinium enhancement 3 days after reperfusion and by ex vivo triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining 3 h after reperfusion, however, the positive control, IPreC (3 x 5 min ischemia/reperfusion before 90-min LAD occlusion) did. IPostC and RIC attenuated myocardial edema as measured by cardiac T2-weighted MRI 3 days after reperfusion, however, AAR measured by Evans blue staining was not different among groups, which confirms that myocardial edema is not a measure of AAR, IPostC and IPreC but not RIC decreased MVO. CONCLUSION: We conclude that IPostC and RIC interventions may protect the coronary microvasculature even without reducing myocardial necrosis

Personalised health education against health damage of COVID-19 epidemic in the elderly Hungarian population (PROACTIVE-19): protocol of an adaptive randomised controlled clinical trial

Early reports indicate that COVID-19 may require intensive care unit (ICU) admission in 5-26% and overall mortality can rise to 11% of the recognised cases, particularly affecting the elderly. There is a lack of evidence-based targeted pharmacological therapy for its prevention and treatment. We aim to compare the effects of a World Health Organization recommendation-based education and a personalised complex preventive lifestyle intervention package (based on the same WHO recommendation) on the outcomes of the COVID-19.PROACTIVE-19 is a pragmatic, randomised controlled clinical trial with adaptive "sample size re-estimation" design. Hungarian population over the age of 60 years without confirmed COVID-19 will be approached to participate in a telephone health assessment and lifestyle counselling voluntarily. Volunteers will be randomised into two groups: (A) general health education and (B) personalised health education. Participants will go through questioning and recommendation in 5 fields: (1) mental health, (2) smoking habits, (3) physical activity, (4) dietary habits, and (5) alcohol consumption. Both groups A and B will receive the same line of questioning to assess habits concerning these topics. Assessment will be done weekly during the first month, every second week in the second month, then monthly. The composite primary endpoint will include the rate of ICU admission, hospital admission (longer than 48 h), and mortality in COVID-19-positive cases. The estimated sample size is 3788 subjects per study arm. The planned duration of the follow-up is a minimum of 1 year.These interventions may boost the body's cardiovascular and pulmonary reserve capacities, leading to improved resistance against the damage caused by COVID-19. Consequently, lifestyle changes can reduce the incidence of life-threatening conditions and attenuate the detrimental effects of the pandemic seriously affecting the older population.The study has been approved by the Scientific and Research Ethics Committee of the Hungarian Medical Research Council (IV/2428- 2 /2020/EKU) and has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT04321928 ) on 25 March 2020