Antiviral Activity of a Cyclic Pro-Pro-β3-HoPhe-Phe Tetrapeptide against HSV-1 and HAdV-5

The core of Cyclolinopeptide A (CLA, cyclo(LIILVPPFF)), responsible for its high immunosuppressive activity, contains a Pro-Pro-Phe-Phe sequence. A newly synthesized cyclic tetrapeptide, cyclo(Pro-Pro-β³-HoPhe-Phe) (denoted as 4B8M) bearing the active sequence of CLA, was recently shown to exhibit a wide array of anti-inflammatory properties in mouse models. In this investigation, we demonstrate that the peptide significantly inhibits the replication of human adenovirus C serotype 5 (HAdV-5) and Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) in epithelial lung cell line A-549, applying Cidofovir and Acyclovir as reference drugs. Based on a previously established mechanism of its action, we propose that the peptide may inhibit virus replication by the induction of PGE2 acting via EP2/EP4 receptors in epithelial cells. In summary, we reveal a new, antiviral property of this anti-inflammatory peptide.     

Chemical Characteristics of Ethanol and Water Extracts of Black Alder (Alnus glutinosa L.) Acorns and Their Antibacterial,Anti-Fungal and Antitumor Properties

The aim of this study was to identify polyphenolic compounds contained in ethanol and water extracts of black alder (Alnus glutinosa L.) acorns and evaluate their anti-cancer and antimicrobial effects. The significant anti-cancer potential on the human skin epidermoid carcinoma cell line A431 and the human epithelial cell line A549 derived from lung carcinoma tissue was observed. Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of alder acorns inhibited the growth of mainly Gram-positive microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus mutans) and yeast-like fungi (Candida albicans, Candida glabrata), as well as Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) strains. The identification of polyphenols was carried out using an ACQUITY UPLC-PDA-MS system. The extracts were composed of 29 compounds belonging to phenolic acids, flavonols, ellagitannins and ellagic acid derivatives. Ellagitannins were identified as the predominant phenolics in ethanol and aqueous extract (2171.90 and 1593.13 mg/100 g DM, respectively) The results may explain the use of A. glutinosa extracts in folk medicine.     

The use of DSC and FT-IR spectroscopy for evaluation of oxidative stability of interesterified fats

The aim of this paper was to assess the oxidative stability of structured lipids synthesized by enzymatic interesterification of a blend of lard and rapeseed oil with concentrates of n ? 3 fatty acids. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to evaluate the oxidation induction time of interesterified fats as a parameter assessing resistance of tested fats to their thermal-oxidative decomposition. Moreover, the IR spectra registered in the classic spectral range (4000–400 cm^?1) were used to differentiate the samples of interesterified fats. The results show that the interesterification process decreased the induction time. Increased content polar fraction in the interesterified fatty product can reduce its resistance to oxidation. FT-IR data of selected spectral ranges correlate with the value of induction time at a statistically significant level. This is a proof that chemical changes occurring during different treatments of the starting mixture can be monitored by FT-IR spectroscopy. Moreover, obtained correlations can be used for the evaluation of an induction value of an unknown oil sample.     

Thermal properties of fats extracted from powdered baby formulas

The aim of this research was to analyse composition, fatty acids distribution and oxidative stability of fats extracted from four samples of baby formulas. The fats were oxidized in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) under polythermal (dynamic) conditions and at normal pressure. The DSC experiments were carried out in an oxygen flow atmosphere using different, linearly programmed, heating rates in the range of 4?C12.5?°C/min. The extrapolated onset temperatures were determined using DSC exotherms and used for the assessment of the thermal oxidative stabilities of the samples. Activation energies (E _a), pre-exponential factors (Z) and reaction rate constants (k) for oil oxidation under DSC conditions were calculated using the Ozawa?CFlynn?CWall method and the Arrhenius equation. The melting characteristics of the studied fats were obtained. The fats extracted from the agglomerated samples with higher onset temperatures were more stable than the fats extracted from the initial samples of baby formulas.     

Capillary electrophoresis in the diagnosis of surgical site infections

A surgical site infection (SSI) is an infection that occurs after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. An SSI may range from a spontaneously limited wound discharge within 7–10 days of an operation to a life‐threatening postoperative complication, such as a sternal infection after open heart surgery. Most SSIs are caused by contamination of an incision with microorganisms from the patient's own body during surgery. From the analytical point of view, the complex nature of these samples as well as the low concentrations of analytes require a system with high sensitivity and efficiency. Such situation requires a technique such as CE, which is a powerful and versatile separation technique that promises to rival HPLC when applied to the separation of both charged and neutral species. During the study, it has been demonstrated that CZE identifies characteristics of such groups of pathogens such as bacteria Gram (+) and different species of bacteria Gram (?), and also develops weekly individual profiles for patients after application of antibiotics. This was done in order to show the impact of antibiotic therapy in change “numbers” of bacteria present in the wound after surgery. The method proved to be the ideal straight specificity in the case of Escherichia coli (100%). Finally, analysis of the spectra and the second derivatives of the UV‐Vis spectra confirmed the similarity in the profiles and showed that the CZE is a great method for fast screening test in bacterial infection.     

Chemotherapy control by breath profile with application of SPME‐GC/MS method

Chemotherapy used as a treatment against lung cancer has influence on metabolic processes occurring in healthy cells. The changes of biochemical pathways proceeded inside cells might be observed in expired air. In the experiment, breath analysis was carried out before and after anticancer therapy. Expired air samples were collected from 22 patients with a biopsy confirmed lung cancer. Volatile organic compounds present in breath were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. For enrichment of analytes solid‐phase microextraction technique was applied. Eight fibers covered by different sorbents were tested. Carboxen‐polydimethylsiloxane fiber revealed the highest extraction efficiency in relation to analytes in breath. The data showed that cytostatic drugs increase the concentration of acetone and isoprene in the breath collected after chemotherapy. Volatile metabolites of administrated drugs were not identified in expired air.     

Structural studies of metal ligand complexes by ion mobility-mass spectrometry

Collision cross sections (CCS) have been measured for three salen ligands, and their complexes with copper and zinc using travelling-wave ion mobility-mass spectrometry (TWIMS) and drift tube ion mobility-mass spectrometry (DTIMS), allowing a comparative size evaluation of the ligands and complexes. CCS measurements using TWIMS were determined using peptide and TAAH calibration standards. TWIMS measurements gave significantly larger CCS than DTIMS in helium, by 9 % for TAAH standards and 3 % for peptide standards, indicating that the choice of calibration standards is important in ensuring the accuracy of TWIMS-derived CCS measurements. Repeatability data for TWIMS was obtained for inter- and intra-day studies with mean RSDs of 1.1 % and 0.7 %, respectively. The CCS data obtained from IM-MS measurements are compared to CCS values obtained via the projection approximation, the exact hard spheres method and the trajectory method from X-ray coordinates and modelled structures using density functional theory (DFT) based methods.     

Thermal and utility properties of amide clay modifying agents

This article presents the results of investigation into receiving amide modification agents of smectic clays, used as nanofillers in polymer nanocomposites. Prepared materials were obtained on the base of terephthalic and isophthalic acids and simple aliphatic amines. Such structure makes them good layered silicates modifying agents as well as makes them well affiliate to structure of polymers containing aromatic, carbonyl, amide, etc. groups. Obtained compounds were introduced into clays’ structure in protonated form, according to formulated method. Conducted research confirmed that the modification of montmorillonite clay (MMT) with received compounds had taken place. In order to establish that fact elementary analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods were used. Modificator molecules must display thermal resistance in full range of polymer processing temperatures. To investigate these properties the Thermogravimetric analysis (TG) of obtained compounds was carried out. These studies indicate that among the obtained compounds there were the ones with thermal stability over 523 K. Thermal resistance makes it possible for these substances to be used in poly(ethylene terephthalate) processing.