Calidad nutricional y contenido fitoquímico de aceites prensados en frío de semillas de chía, cardo mariano, nigella, y amapola blanca y negra

Cold pressed oils obtained from chia (Salvia hispanica L.), milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.), nigella (Nigella sativa L.), and white and black varieties of poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) seeds were character­ized. The nutritional quality was determined based on the analysis of fatty acids, tocochromanol and phytos­terol contents, as well as antioxidant activity and general physico-chemical properties. Among the oils analyzed the fatty acid composition most beneficial for health was found in chia seed oil, with 65.62% of α-linolenic acid and the n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratio of 1:3.5. Other oils studied were rich sources of linoleic acid (18.35-74.70%). Chia seed oil was also distinguished by high contents of phytosterols, mainly β-sitosterol (2160.17 mg/kg oil). The highest content of tocochromanols was found in milk thistle oil with dominant α-tocopherol (530.2 mg/kg oil). In contrast, the highest antioxidant activity was recorded for nigella oil (10.23 μM Trolox/g), which indi­cated that, in addition to tocopherols, other antioxidants influenced its antioxidant potential.Se caracterizaron aceites prensados en frío obtenidos de semillas de chía (Salvia hispanica L.), cardo mariano (Silybum marianum L.), nigella (Nigella sativa L.) y de variedades blancas y negras de amapola (Papaver somniferum L.). La calidad nutricional se determinó en base al análisis de ácidos grasos, el contenido de tococromanoles y fitosteroles, así como la actividad antioxidante y las propie­dades fisicoquímicas generales. Entre los aceites analizados, la composición de ácidos grasos más beneficiosa para la salud se encontró en el aceite de semilla de chía, con un 65,62% de ácido α-linolénico y una relación de ácido graso n-6:n-3 de 1:3,5. Los demás aceites estudiados fueron ricos en ácido linoleico (18,35-74,70%). El aceite de semilla de chía también se distinguió por el alto contenido de fitosteroles, principalmente β-sitosterol (2160,17 mg/kg de aceite). El mayor contenido de tococromanoles se encontró en el aceite de cardo mariano con α-tocoferol dominante (530,2 mg/kg de aceite). Por el contrario, se registró la mayor actividad antioxidante para el aceite de nigella (10,23 μM Trolox/g), lo que indica que, además del tocoferol, otros antioxidantes influyeron en su potencial antioxidante

The effect of microwave pre-treatment of rapeseed on the degradation kinetics of lipophilic bioactive compounds of the oil during storage

This study examined the storage stability of tocochromanols and carotenoids in the oils prepared from microwave pre-treated (MV) rapeseeds (2-10 min, 800W) during storage at 20 °C for 12 months. In line with lipophilic antioxidant degradation throughout the storage period, changes in the antioxidant capacity of the oil were monitored. Microwaving significantly affected the concentration of lipophilic antioxidants in the oil. After 10 min of MV pre-treatment the highest content of total tocochromanols (76.64 mg/100g) was achieved, whereas a maximum carotenoid concentration (861.28 μg/100g) was obtained following 6 min seed MV pre-treatment. The degradation kinetics for the tocochromanols and carotenoids followed a zero-order kinetic model. From the kinetic analysis, it was shown that the degradation rate constant (k) of both tocochromanols and carotenoids decreased with longer seed exposure to MV radiation. The kinetics of antioxidant capacity degradation during the storage of oils followed a zero-order reaction. The rate of antioxidant capacity degradation in the control oil was higher (k=9.1 x 10-2 mmol TEAC/l/month) compared with oils prepared from MV pre-treated seeds (k=6.8-8.0 x 10-2 mmol TEAC/l/month)

Diagnostyka stwardnienia rozsianego metodą rezonansu magnetycznego

Badanie rezonansu magnetycznego (MRI, magnetic resonance imaging) jest badaniem z wyboru w diagnostyce i ocenie skuteczności terapii chorych na stwardnienie rozsiane (SM, sclerosis multiplex). Na jego podstawie można ocenić zarówno zakres uszkodzenia mózgowia, jak i etapy ewolucji procesu demielinizacyjnego. Rezonansowe kryteria rozpoznania SM stanowią zasadniczy parametr kryteriów diagnostycznych tego schorzenia według McDonalda. W znacznym stopniu ułatwiają także diagnostykę różnicową choroby. Obrazy uzyskiwane techniką MRI wykorzystuje się także do oceny ryzyka wystąpienia SM u chorych z izolowanym uszkodzeniem układu nerwowego i analizy przebiegu naturalnego choroby

High-resolution analysis of the pneumococcal transcriptome under a wide range of infection-relevant conditions

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an opportunistic human pathogen that typically colonizes the nasopharyngeal passage and causes lethal disease in other host niches, such as the lung or the meninges. The expression and regulation of pneumococcal genes at different life-cycle stages, such as commensal or pathogenic, are not entirely understood. To chart the transcriptional responses of S. pneumoniae, we used RNA-seq to quantify the relative abundance of the transcriptome under 22 different infection-relevant conditions. The data demonstrated a high level of dynamic expression and, strikingly, all annotated pneumococcal genomic features were expressed in at least one of the studied conditions. By computing the correlation values of every pair of genes across all studied conditions, we created a co-expression matrix that provides valuable information on both operon structure and regulatory processes. The co-expression data are highly consistent with well-characterized operons and regulons, such as the PyrR, ComE and ComX regulons, and have allowed us to identify a new member of the competence regulon. Lastly, we created an interactive data center named PneumoExpress (https://veeninglab.com/pneumoexpress) that enables users to access the expression data as well as the co-expression matrix in an intuitive and efficient manner, providing a valuable resource to the pneumococcal research community

Guidelines of the Polish Medical Society of radiology for the routinely used MRI protocol in patients with multiple sclerosis

Magnetic resonance imaging is widely used in diagnosing multiple sclerosis as a basic method for detecting and monitoring the disease. Introduction: Polish Medical Society of Radiology presents the second version of the recommendations for the routinely conducted MRI in multiple sclerosis, which include new data and practical remarks for radiographers and radiologists. The recommended protocol aims to improve the imaging procedure and, most importantly, to standardize conducting MRI scans in all MRI departments. This is crucial for monitoring the patients with MS, which directly contributes to essential clinical decisions. Aim of the guidelines: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating and degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with its etiology still unknown. The fundamental requirement of the disease is the CNS destruction process disseminated in time (DIT) and space (DIS). MR imaging detects focal lesions in white and gray matter with high sensitivity and is the best way to assessbrainatrophy in MS patients. It isunquestionably the best diagnostic tool to follow-up the clinical course of the disease and treatment of MS patients. However, to achieve a diagnosis based on MRI scans, and follow-up MS patients according to the latest standards, an MRI scan has to meet certainquality criteria that are the subject of this work