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Summary: Despite prolific efforts to characterize the antibody response to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) mono-infections, the response to chronic co-infection with these two ever-evolving viruses is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the antibody repertoire of a chronically HIV-1/HCV co-infected individual using linking B cell receptor to antigen specificity through sequencing (LIBRA-seq). We identify five HIV-1/HCV cross-reactive antibodies demonstrating binding and functional cross-reactivity between HIV-1 and HCV envelope glycoproteins. All five antibodies show exceptional HCV neutralization breadth and effector functions against both HIV-1 and HCV. One antibody, mAb688, also cross-reacts with influenza and coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We examine the development of these antibodies using next-generation sequencing analysis and lineage tracing and find that somatic hypermutation established and enhanced this reactivity. These antibodies provide a potential future direction for therapeutic and vaccine development against current and emerging infectious diseases. More broadly, chronic co-infection represents a complex immunological challenge that can provide insights into the fundamental rules that underly antibody-antigen specificity.

BackgroundJanus kinase (JAK) inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of several immune-mediated diseases (IMIDs) including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis and are in clinical trials for numerous other IMIDs. However, detailed studies investigating the effects of different JAK inhibitors on B cells are missing. Within this study, we therefore aimed to characterize the effect of JAK inhibition on the B cell compartment.MethodsTo this end, we investigated the B cell compartment under JAK inhibition and compared the specific effects of the different JAK inhibitors tofacitinib (pan-JAK), baricitinib (JAK1/2), ruxolitinib (JAK1/2), upadacitinib (JAK1/2) as well as filgotinib (selective JAK1) on in-vitro B cell activation, proliferation, and class switch recombination and involved pathways.ResultsWhile B cell phenotyping of RA patients showed an increase in marginal zone (MZ) B cells under JAK inhibition, comparison with healthy donors revealed that the relative frequency of MZ B cells was still lower compared to healthy controls. In an in-vitro model of T-cell-independent B cell activation we observed that JAK1/2 and selective JAK1 inhibitor treatment led to a dose-dependent decrease of total B cell numbers. We detected an altered B cell differentiation with a significant increase in MZ-like B cells and an increase in plasmablast differentiation in the first days of culture, most pronounced with the pan-JAK inhibitor tofacitinib, although there was no increase in immunoglobulin secretion in-vitro. Notably, we further observed a profound reduction of switched memory B cell formation, especially with JAK1/2 inhibition. JAK inhibitor treatment led to a dose-dependent reduction of STAT3 expression and phosphorylation as well as STAT3 target gene expression and modulated the secretion of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines by B cells.ConclusionJAK inhibition has a major effect on B cell activation and differentiation, with differential outcomes between JAK inhibitors hinting towards distinct and unique effects on B cell homeostasis.

Wskaźniki biegłości językowej (A1–C2) zawarte w Europejskim systemie opisu kształcenia językowego (wyd. w j. angielskim i francuskim: 2001, w j. polskim: 2003) to zasadnicza wartość i główna oś dokumentu Rady Europy. Zostały one bardzo szybko zaakceptowane przez odbiorców i zastosowane w dydaktyce językowej. Nierzadko jednak opis umiejętności na poszczególnych poziomach był przedmiotem niedomówień i błędnych interpretacji. Dotyczy to m.in. poziomu C2, który niejednokrotnie utożsamiany jest z kompetencjami wykształconego native speakera. Celem artykułu jest kompleksowa i zaktualizowana charakterystyka najwyższego poziomu biegłości językowej, opisanego w ESOKJ (2001; 2003), a doprecyzowanego i rozszerzonego w CEFR – Companion Volume (2020). Eksperci Rady Europy, zachowując filozofię i strukturę ESOKJ, zmodyfikowali i uzupełnili zawarte w nim skale deskryptorów oraz dostosowali je do współczesnego kontekstu posługiwania się językiem. Opis poziomu C2 w dokumencie z 2020 roku został znacznie rozszerzony w porównaniu z jego pierwotną wersją, zawiera bowiem charakterystykę nowych umiejętności i kompetencji użytkownika języka. Zaprezentowane w artykule wyniki ilościowych i jakościowych analiz deskryptorów dla najwyższego poziomu biegłości w skali Rady Europy mogą być pomocne w tworzeniu materiałów dydaktycznych oraz testów egzaminacyjnych.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic multifactorial inflammatory disease characterized by intense itching and inflammatory eczematous lesions. Biological disease-modifying drugs, such as dupilumab are recommended for patients with moderate-to-severe AD, refractory to systemic immunosuppressive therapies. Disease monitoring is performed by clinical scores. Since 1970, however, the use of ultrasound and particularly high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS), has identified alterations in dermal echogenicity, called the subepidermal low-echogenic band (SLEB), that correlates with disease severity and response to treatment. We enrolled 18 patients with moderate-to-severe AD, divided into two groups: twelve patients in the dupilumab treatment (Group A) and six patients in standard treatment, from February 2019 to November 2019. We performed ultra-high frequency ultrasound (UHFUS) evaluation of lesional and non-lesional skin, focusing on SLEB average thicknesses measurement, epidermal thickness, and vascular signal in correlation with objective disease scores (EASI, IGA), patient’s reported scores (Sleep Quality NRS and Itch NRS), and TEWL and corneometry at baseline (T0), after 1 month (T1) and 2 months (T2). The SLEB average thickness measurement, vascular signal, and epidermal thickness showed a statistically significant reduction in lesional skin of the biological treatment group and no significant reduction in non-lesional skin in both groups. In the lesional skin of the standard treatment group, only epidermal thickness showed a statistically significant reduction. Our study demonstrates that SLEB measurement, vascular signals, and epidermal thickness could be used as objective parameters in monitoring the AD treatment response, while the presence of SLEB in non-lesional skin could be used as a marker of subclinical inflammation and could predict development of clinical lesions, suggesting a pro-active therapy. Further follow-up and research are needed to clarify the association of SLEB decrease/disappearance with a reduction of flares/prolongment of the disease remission time.

A series of novel Mannich bases were designed, synthesized, and screened for their antimicrobial activity. The target compounds were synthesized from 4-(3-chlorophenyl)-5-(3-fluorophenyl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione and different piperazine derivatives. The structures of the products were confirmed by 1H and 13C NMR and elemental analysis. The activity of piperazine derivatives against bacteria (Gram-positive: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus subtilis; Gram-negative: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis) and yeasts (Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, and Candida parapsilosis) was determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values. Significant activity was observed against Gram-positive bacteria, mainly staphylococci (PG7–PG8) and bacteria of the genes of Micrococcus and Bacillus (PG1-3), as well as selected strains of Gram-negative bacteria, including bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family (PG7), while all tested compounds showed high fungistatic activity against Candida spp. yeasts, especially C. parapsilosis, with MICs ranging from 0.49 µg/mL (PG7) to 0.98 µg/mL (PG8) and 62.5 µg/mL (PG1-3). In conclusion, the results obtained confirm the multidirectional antimicrobial activity of the newly synthesized piperazine derivatives. Furthermore, in silico studies suggest that the tested compounds are likely to have good oral bioavailability. The results obtained will provide valuable data for further research into this interesting group of compounds. The library of compounds obtained is still the subject of pharmacological research aimed at finding new interesting biologically active compounds.

Introduction Paraformaldehyde has been used in endodontics when effective anaesthesia could not be achieved. However, this agent has many adverse effects including gingival, bone necrosis, osteomyelitis and allergy on account of systemic exposure. Therefore, the use of pastes containing paraformaldehyde should be avoided in contemporary dental practice. Objective The aim of this case report was to present the application of platelet-rich fibrin(PRF) in combination with a coronally advanced flap in the treatment of gingival and bone necrosis associated with paraformaldehyde containing devitalizing paste toxicity. PRF is an autogenous resorbable membrane composed of platelets, cytokines, leukocytes and growth factors. Results and conclusions Four weeks following burgery, the wound was completely healed with epithelial cells covering the interdental crater. On the basis of literature and of the present case, it can be stated that the use of PRF significantly reduces postoperative pain and promotes tissue healing.

Geophytes are a very important group among ornamental plants, for which more and more plant growth regulators (PGRs) are being used to improve the plant quality, flowering intensity, and vase life of flowers and leaves. PGRs constitute a large group of naturally occurring or synthetically produced organic chemical compounds. There are many factors that influence the efficiency of PGRs, and the method of their application plays a key role in determining their success. In the case of geophytes, the most common method of application is spraying and soaking the storage organs before planting. This article presents information on the application of PGRs to different species of geophytes, both at the cultivation stage and during the post-harvest treatment of flowers and leaves.

The treatment of infectious diseases is a challenging issue faced by the medical community. The emergence of drug-resistant strains of bacteria and fungi is a major concern. Researchers and medical professionals are working to develop new and innovative treatments for infectious diseases. Schiff bases are one a promising class of compounds. In this work, new derivatives were obtained of the 4-amino-5-(3-fluorophenyl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione reaction, with corresponding benzaldehydes with various substituents at position 4. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of all synthesized compounds were tested. Several new substances have shown moderate antifungal activity against Candida spp. The highest activity directed against C. albicans was shown by compound RO4, with a 4-methoxyphenyl moiety and an MIC value of 62.5 µg/mL. In order to check the toxicity of the synthesized compounds, their effect on cell lines was examined. Additionally, we tried to elucidate the mechanism of the antibacterial and antifungal activity of the tested compounds using molecular docking to topoisomerase IV, D-Alanyl-D-Alanine Ligase, and dihydrofolate reductase.

Summary Hydrogen–Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS) is a powerful protein characterization technique that provides insights into protein dynamics and flexibility at the peptide level. However, analyzing HDX-MS data presents a significant challenge due to the wealth of information it generates. Each experiment produces data for hundreds of peptides, often measured in triplicate across multiple time points. Comparisons between different protein states create distinct datasets containing thousands of peptides that require matching, rigorous statistical evaluation, and visualization. Our open-source R package, HDXBoxeR, is a comprehensive tool designed to facilitate statistical analysis and comparison of multiple sets among samples and time points for different protein states, along with data visualization. Availability and implementation HDXBoxeR is accessible as the R package (https://cran.r-project.org/web//packages/HDXBoxeR) and GitHub: mkajano/HDXBoxeR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) presents challenges in management due to its chronic nature and high risk of recurrence. Post‐surgical wound care plays a crucial role in treatment, even if standardized methods for assessing and predicting healing times are lacking. The aim of the study is to introduce the Wound Area Severity Index (WASI) as a novel tool to guide clinicians in assessing postsurgical wound progression and predicting potential healing times. A team of wound healing experts assessed 93 post‐surgical HS wounds resulting from wide excision and secondary intention healing. For each wound healing time, wound area, wound bed score (WBS), and WASI were evaluated. WASI includes four parameters: area, temperature, depth and wound Bed, each with four severity levels. The total WASI score ranges from 4 to 16. Spearman correlation and Kruskal–Wallis tests were employed for statistical analysis. WASI strongly correlated with wound healing time (rho: 0.813, p < 0.001). Higher WASI scores were associated with prolonged healing, while lower scores indicated almost healed wounds. The WASI score has proven to be more highly predictive of healing times when compared to the individual parameter of the Area (moderate positive correlation, r: 0.77) and the WBS (negative correlation, r: −0.72). A total WASI score of 4 corresponded to a median healing time of 7 days, while a score exceeding 9 suggested a median healing time of 56 days. WASI has proven to be a valuable tool for assessing and predicting healing times in post‐surgical HS wounds. Its simplicity, cost‐effectiveness, and ability to integrate multiple parameters make it a promising addition to wound care practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid waste utilization in synthesizing porous carbon materials for supercapacitor electrodes has been a fast‐progressing research domain in past decades. Different types of agricultural and industrial waste have the potential to act as a precursor supply for carbon with porous structures. In this study, the waste generated from a furnace‐grade conductive carbon black manufacturing industry was utilized to synthesize porous carbon through pyrolysis at 400°C for 2 hours, followed by chemical activation at 800°C for 1 hour. Different activating agents, precisely, potassium hydroxide, orthophosphoric acid, and zinc chloride, were used. Similar activation conditions as well as the mass ratio of activating agent to sample (4:1), were maintained to make a comparative study. All three samples were then tested in a three‐electrode set‐up through cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for their performance as electrode material for supercapacitors with a mass loading of 4.0 mg/cm2 in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. The largest specific capacitance was obtained for the KOH‐activated sample, that is, 21.3 F/g, followed by 17.9 F/g for H3PO4 activated sample and 13.7 F/g for the ZnCl2‐activated sample, at a scan rate of 50 mV/s. Though the obtained capacitance is much smaller for its practical application, the study acts as a base for further modifications and upgrades to utilize this high carbon‐containing waste in energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic wounds pose a significant clinical challenge due to their complex pathophysiology and the burden of long-term management. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are emerging as a novel therapeutic option in managing difficult wounds, although comprehensive data on their use in wound care are lacking. This study aimed to explore existing scientific knowledge of mAbs in treating chronic wounds based on a rationale of direct inhibition of the main molecules involved in the underlying inflammatory pathophysiology. We performed a literature review excluding primary inflammatory conditions with potential ulcerative outcomes (e.g., hidradenitis suppurativa). mAbs were effective in treating wounds from 16 different etiologies. The most commonly treated conditions were pyoderma gangrenosum (treated with 12 different mAbs), lipoid necrobiosis, and cutaneous vasculitis (each treated with 3 different mAbs). Fourteen mAbs were analyzed in total. Rituximab was effective in 43.75% of cases (7/16 diseases), followed by tocilizumab (25%, 4/16 diseases), and both etanercept and adalimumab (18.75%, 3/16 conditions each). mAbs offer therapeutic potential for chronic wounds unresponsive to standard treatments. However, due to the complex molecular nature of wound healing, no single target molecule can be identified. Therefore, the use of mAbs should be considered as a translational approach for limited cases of multi-resistant conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterocyclic compounds, particularly those containing azole rings, have shown extensive biological activity, including anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Among these, the imidazole ring stands out due to its diverse therapeutic potential. In the presented study, we designed and synthesized a series of imidazole derivatives to identify compounds with high biological potential. We focused on two groups: thiosemicarbazide derivatives and hydrazone derivatives. We synthesized these compounds using conventional methods and confirmed their structures via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), MS, and elemental analysis, and then assessed their antibacterial and antifungal activities in vitro using the broth microdilution method against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as Candida spp. strains. Our results showed that thiosemicarbazide derivatives exhibited varied activity against Gram-positive bacteria, with MIC values ranging from 31.25 to 1000 µg/mL. The hydrazone derivatives, however, did not display significant antibacterial activity. These findings suggest that structural modifications can significantly influence the antimicrobial efficacy of imidazole derivatives, highlighting the potential of thiosemicarbazide derivatives as promising candidates for further development in antibacterial therapies. Additionally, the cytotoxic activity against four cancer cell lines was evaluated. Two derivatives of hydrazide-hydrazone showed moderate anticancer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The challenge of integrating hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nHAp) with polymers is hindered by the conflict between the hydrophilic and hygroscopic properties of nHAp and the hydrophobic properties of polymers. This conflict particularly affects the materials when calcium phosphates, including nHAp, are used as a filler in composites in thermal processing applications such as 3D printing with fused filament fabrication (FFF). To overcome this, we propose a one‐step surface modification of nHAp with calcium stearate monolayer. Moreover, to build the scaffold with suitable mechanical strength, we tested the addition of nHAp with diverse morphology—spherical, plate‐ and rod‐like nanoparticles. Our analysis showed that the composite of polycaprolactone (PCL) reinforced with nHAp with rod and plate morphologies modified with calcium stearate monolayer exhibited a significant increase in compressive strength. However, composites with spherical nHAp added to PCL showed a significant reduction in compressive modulus and compressive strength, but both parameters were within the applicability range of hard tissue scaffolds. None of the tested composite scaffolds showed cytotoxicity in L929 murine fibroblasts or MG‐63 human osteoblast‐like cells, supporting the proliferation of the latter. Additionally, PCL/nHAp scaffolds reinforced with spherical nHAp caused osteoactivation of bone marrow human mesenchymal stem cells, as indicated by alkaline phosphatase activity and COL1, RUNX2, and BGLAP expression. These results suggest that the calcium stearate monolayer on the surface of the nHAp particles allows the production of polymer/nHAp composites suitable for hard tissue engineering and personalized implant production in 3D printing using the FFF technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant fungating wounds (MFWs) represent a major problem for public health. The most common symptoms associated with MFWs are pain, exudate, bleeding and odor. The aim of the study was to optimize the local management and dressing of MFWs. We developed a standardized 4- step approach to MFWs based on Pain, Exudate, Bleeding and Odor management in a case series of 24 patients: we call this the PEBO approach. We analyzed etiologies, localization, Quality of Life (QoL), pain and clinical signs and symptoms. We assessed the ulcers at baseline, after two weeks and after one month. In our study, most patients showed an improvement in the QoL using PEBO approach, although some experienced a deterioration in their general clinical conditions. Non-cytolesive cleansing, atraumatic dressings were applied to allow pain relief. Non-adherent dressings were combined with a secondary dressing in the case of exudate. Achieving hemostasis with dressing or medication is a priority in MFW management. Antibacterial dressings and odor absorbent dressings were used for odor absorption. Surgical debridement, adherent dressing and occlusive dressings were avoided. Dressing changes were programmed twice a week for four weeks. PEBO simplified the complex aspects of this type of ulcer, and could help physicians, nurses, and also the rest of the team, including the patients themselves and their family, in the multidisciplinary palliative care of MFWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare the influence of three species of fungi of the Trichoderma genus (T. aureoviride Rifai—Ta8, T. hamatum/Bonord/Bainier—Th15, and T. harzianum Rifai—Thr2) on the quality, flowering, and nutritional status of Tropaeolum majus L. 'Spitfire'. Early flowering was only influenced by T. hamatum, which delayed it by 6 days. T. aureoviride, T. hamatum, and T. harzianum stimulated the flowering of the 'Spitfire' cultivar but did not affect the size of the flowers. The plants treated with T. harzianum after being planted in pots flowered the most abundantly. Trichoderma spp. caused the plants to grow more intensively, producing longer and more leafy shoots with a greater number of offshoots. Trichoderma spp. stimulated the uptake of macronutrients, except for phosphorus (P). In the case of calcium (Ca) and sodium (Na), this phenomenon was only observed in plants treated with T. aureoviride and T. hamatum, and for magnesium (Mg), only when T. hamatum was applied to sown seeds. As for the developed root systems, as far as the micronutrients are concerned, Trichoderma spp. stimulated the uptake of zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn). Apart from that, there was a higher iron (Fe) content in the plants treated with T. harzianum on both dates and T. aureoviride after planting the plants in pots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of presented research work was the assessment of the impact of reduced straw content, as organic carbon source, on the course of sewage sludge composting process. During the research work performed in industrial conditions, the composting process going in periodically overturned windrows differing in proportion of dehydrated sludge, straw and structural material being 4:1:1 and 8:1:2 respectively, was observed. The consequence of increase of sludge concentration with relation to straw was decrease of C:N ratio in the input material from 11.5 to 8.5. The following parameters were analyzed as indicators for the assessment of the composting process: contents of fulvic acids (FA), humic acids (HA), lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose as well as absorbance in UV/VIS (λ=280, 465 and 665 nm) range. The results obtained have indicated that the increase of sludge content extends the elevated temperature (T>50°C) period from 42 days to approximately 65 days. Our tests did not confirm that limitation of straw content added to sewage sludge had any adverse effect on the course of composting. PI index (HA/FA), which qualifies the compost as mature in the first case – No 1, exceeds limit value of 3.6 on the 83rd day whereas, in the second case No 2, on the 48th day.

The flowering and quality of Freesia refracta Klatt 'Argentea' were assessed after the application of fungi of the Trichoderma genus and assimilation lighting. The assimilation lighting accelerated the flowering of the Freesia refracta 'Argentea' plants by 3-4 weeks. The fungi of the Trichoderma genus accelerated the flowering of the Freesia refracta 'Argentea' plants with light deficit by about one week. The assimilation lighting resulted in the development of shorter main inflorescence shoots regardless of the fact whether the plants had been treated with the fungi of the Trichoderma genus or not. The assimilation lighting and the fungi of the Trichoderma genus stimulated the development of lateral inflorescence shoots in the 'Argentea' cultivar. The fungi of the Trichoderma genus stimulated the development of flowers in the 'Argentea' cultivar. This effect was particularly noticeable when the plants were exposed to the assimilation lighting. The assimilation lighting stimulated the uptake of potassium in the 'Argentea' cultivar. The fungi of the Trichoderma genus stimulated the uptake of phosphorus and calcium in the plants underexposed to light. They also stimulated the uptake of potassium in the plants exposed to the assimilation lighting. The assimilation lighting stimulated the uptake of microelements. The fungi of the Trichoderma genus stimulated the uptake of iron, manganese and zinc both in the plants exposed to the assimilation lighting and those underexposed to light. The assimilation lighting combined with the treatment with the fungi of the Trichoderma genus stimulated the uptake of copper.

Hypopharyngeal cancer is a poorly characterized type of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with bleak prognosis and only few studies focusing specifically on the genomic profile of this type of cancer. We performed molecular profiling of 48 HPV (Human Papilloma Virus)-negative tumor samples including 23 originating from the hypopharynx and 25 from the larynx using a targeted next-generation sequencing approach. Among genes previously described as significantly mutated, TP53, FAT1, NOTCH1, KMT2C, and CDKN2A were found to be most frequently mutated. We also found that more than three-quarters of our patients harbored candidate actionable or prognostic alterations in genes belonging to RTK/ERK/PI3K, cell-cycle, and DNA-damage repair pathways. Using previously published data we compared 67 hypopharyngeal cancers to 595 HNSCC from other sites and found no prominent differences in mutational frequency except for CASP8 and HRAS genes. Since we observed relatively frequent mutations of KTM2C (MLL3) in our dataset, we analyzed their role, in vitro, by generating a KMT2C-mutant hypopharyngeal cancer cell line FaDu with CRISPR-Cas9. We demonstrated that KMT2C loss-of-function mutations resulted in increased colony formation and proliferation, in concordance with previously published results. In summary, our results show that the mutational profile of hypopharyngeal cancers might be similar to the one observed for other head and neck cancers with respect to minor differences and includes multiple candidate actionable and prognostic genetic alterations. We also demonstrated, for the first time, that the KMT2C gene may play a role of tumor suppressor in HNSCC, which opens new possibilities in the search for new targeted treatment approaches.

Introduction and purpose: There are many reasons why patients with specific health disorders, as well as people in good health, decide to follow special diets. Often their choice falls on dietary models that include limited carbohydrate intake. The most popular in this area are low-carbohydrate and high-protein diets, which have a significant impact on metabolism, making them of particular interest to people with excessive body weight. State of knowledge: Low-carbohydrate diets include many dietary models of varying restrictiveness, with or without achieving a state of ketosis. The ketogenic diet has the most promising clinical results in terms of effects on carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Long-term studies are still too few and inconsistent, also regarding the effects on weight loss compared to traditional approach. High-protein diets also include a reduction in carbohydrate intake, but with a higher protein content. Observations on the effect of weight reduction and metabolic modification are inconsistent. The possible multi-directional negative health effects seem to be a strong argument against recommending this approach. Conclusion: The basis of any reduction diet must be a reduced energy supply. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, which are designed to facilitate its implementation by patients, as well as to have the most beneficial effect on their impaired metabolism. Diversions from the traditional approach may have beneficial effects, but may also contribute to other health problems. It is important to consider the patients' health status as a whole, and to ensure specialist follow-up when using described special diets, because of possible side effects and difficulties in properly balancing the diet. They can only be recommended in specific cases. The standard in the management of excessive body weight remains the traditional approach, the effects of which are well documented and do not represent risk factors for other conditions.