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Psoriasis is one of the most frequent skin diseases. The cause of psoriasis is not fully expained as there are many factors (infectious, traumatic, hormonal, and chemical) that may play a role in the manifestation of its symptoms. One of the factors that may contribute to the appearance of psoriatic lesions may be the lesions in the oral cavity. The occurrence of lesions in the oral cavity is defined as rare, what can be explained by their nonspecific clinical image, and also by the possibility of being overlooked. Most characteristic symptoms of psoriasis occurring in the oral cavity are the geographic tongue and fissured tongue. It is also believed that there is a correlation between psoriasis and oral health- the periodontal and teeth condition as well as changes in saliva secretion. The psoriasis arthritis changes can also affect temporomandibular joint and impair the function of stomatognathic system. Because of these reports, cooperation of dermatologists and dentists in psoriasis care seems to be necessary.

The study investigated the zearalenone (ZEA) neutralization process as a consequence of metabolization and binding process by the probiotic bacterial strain Lactobacillus paracasei using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In order to determine the nature of the binding process the kinetic and spectroscopic approach were used. Moreover, the influence of ZEA on L. paracasei metabolism was examined by the determination of the proteome profile of cells and the profile of volatile compounds (VOCs) produced by bacteria cells. For this purpose the Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS) techniques were used. The obtained results indicate that in the mechanism of ZEA neutralization both - metabolization/biotransformation and binding/biosorption processes are involved. Furthermore, the biotransformation of ZEA to both α- and β-ZOL with a predominance of β-ZOL by lactic acid bacteria strain was recorded. The results suggest that the tested microorganism can be used as a potential detoxification agent for grain and feed.

Objective: Evaluation of the potential of combined multivariate chemometric methods for seeking markers of lung cancer. Methods: Statistical methods such as Mann-Whitney U test, discriminant function analysis (DFA), factor analysis (FA) and artificial neural network (ANN) were applied to evaluate the obtained data from GC/MS analysis of exhaled breath. Results: The total number of compounds identified by GC/MS in human breath was equal to 88. The statistical analysis indicates seven analytes which have the highest discriminatory power. Cross validation of the obtained model shows that the sensitivity was 80% and the specificity was 91.23%, while for the test group the sensitivity and specificity were both 86.36%. Conclusion: The application of combined statistical methods allowed to reduce the number of compounds to significant ones and indicates them as markers of lung cancer.

The aim of this study was to evaluate chemical and biological potential of garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) to receive valuable plant extracts with potential application in pharmacy or food industry. Four techniques of extraction and three environmentally friendly solvents such as water, supercritical CO2 and ethanol have been tested. Biological activity and chemical profile were evaluated in obtained extracts. GC/MS analysis showed that SFE extract from dried sprouts of L. sativum was especially rich in such glucosinolate derivatives as benzyl cyanide and benzyl thiocyanate. However, the extract obtained from freeze-dried sprouts by SFE with addition of 96% ethanol as co-solvent was especially rich in flavonoids and simultaneously exhibited the best antimicrobial activity. Comparison of MALDI-TOF-MS spectra of all obtained extracts clearly indicates that both SFE and maceration with water are the most selective techniques of extraction due to the lowest level of interfering substances with high molecular masses.

The article describes a possible application of Sc-CO2 extraction for isolation of polyphenols from germinated lupin seeds. Efficiency of germination duration was valorized, and the obtained results suggest that six-day-long germination process provides samples with the highest polyphenolic yield. Optimization of extraction parameters was done by using response surface methodology (RSM). Extracts obtained under optimal extraction conditions (73 °C, 147 bar, 16.1% of co-solvent) were characterized in terms of their chemical composition and biological activity. The yield of extraction was 3.25% while total phenolic content was 14.56 mg GAE/g. HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis confirmed the presence of different polyphenolic compounds in which apigenin and fisetin were proven to be dominant compounds. The GC–MS analysis revealed that the obtained extract is also rich in fatty acids, phytosterols and lupeol. Further tests determined the antioxidant, antiradical, antimicrobial and cytotoxic potential of samples. Fluorescence investigation was used to visualize the effect of Lupinus luteus extract on viability of bacterial cells. In addition, it has been shown that the extract tested in anti-bacterial concentrations does not exhibit cytotoxicity.

Significance Lipid droplets (LDs) are stored in the embryo throughout the preimplantation development. Yet, the role of LDs in the embryo remains unknown. Embryonic diapause (ED) is a temporary arrest of an embryo when it waits for the uterine receptivity signal to implant. We provide evidence that LDs play a crucial role in maintaining ED. Diapausing embryos exhibit increased release of exosomes reflecting elevated embryonic signaling to the mother. During ED, the decrease in lipid is caused by a switch from carbohydrate metabolism to lipid catabolism. We have also shown that presence of LDs in the oocytes of various mammals positively corelates with their species-specific length of diapause. Our results reveal the functional role of LDs in embryonic development., Embryonic diapause (ED) is a temporary arrest of an embryo at the blastocyst stage when it waits for the uterine receptivity signal to implant. ED used by over 100 species may also occur in normally “nondiapausing” mammals when the uterine receptivity signal is blocked or delayed. A large number of lipid droplets (LDs) are stored throughout the preimplantation embryo development, but the amount of lipids varies greatly across different mammalian species. Yet, the role of LDs in the mammalian egg and embryo remains unknown. Here, using a mouse model, we provide evidence that LDs play a crucial role in maintaining ED. By mechanical removal of LDs from zygotes, we demonstrated that delipidated embryos are unable to survive during ED. LDs are not essential for normal prompt implantation, without ED. We further demonstrated that with the progression of ED, the amount of intracellular lipid reduces, and composition changes. This decrease in lipid is caused by a switch from carbohydrate metabolism to lipid catabolism in diapausing blastocysts, which also exhibit increased release of exosomes reflecting elevated embryonic signaling to the mother. We have also shown that presence of LDs in the oocytes of various mammals positively corelates with their species-specific length of diapause. Our results reveal the functional role of LDs in embryonic development. These results can help to develop diagnostic techniques and treatment of recurrent implantation failure and will likely ignite further studies in developmental biology and reproductive medicine fields.

Aging as an irretrievable occurrence throughout the entire life is characterized by a progressive decline in physiological functionality and enhanced disease vulnerability. Numerous studies have demonstrated that epigenetic modifications, particularly DNA methylation (DNAm), correlate with aging and age-related diseases. Several investigations have attempted to predict chronological age using the age-related alterations in the DNAm of certain CpG sites. Here we categorize different studies that tracked the aging process in the DNAm landscape to show how epigenetic age clocks evolved from a chronological age estimator to an indicator of lifespan and healthspan. We also describe the health and disease predictive potential of estimated epigenetic age acceleration regarding different clinical conditions and lifestyle factors. Considering the revealed age-related epigenetic changes, the recent age-reprogramming strategies are discussed which are promising methods for resetting the aging clocks.

The zearalenone binding and metabolization ability of probiotic microorganisms, such as lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactococcus lactis, and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, isolated from food products, were examined. Moreover, the influence of cellular stress (induced by silver nanoparticles) and lyophilization on the effectiveness of tested microorganisms was also investigated. The concentration of zearalenone after a certain time of incubation with microorganisms was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. The maximum sorption effectiveness for L. paracasei, L. lactis, and S. cerevisiae cultured in non-stress conditions was 53.3, 41.0, and 36.5%, respectively. At the same time for the same microorganisms cultured at cellular stress conditions, the maximum sorption effectiveness was improved to 55.3, 47.4, and 57.0%, respectively. Also, the effect of culture conditions on the morphology of the cells and its metabolism was examined using microscopic technique and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry, respectively.

This work reports adsorption isotherms of propan-2-ol, methylbenzene, and tetrachloromethane vapors on commercial activated adsorbents: Norit RB4, Sorbonorit 3, and Sorbonorit 4. The adsorption isotherms were measured at 293.15, 323.15, 355.15, 373.15, 393.15, and 413.15 K and pressures up to component saturation pressures at 293.15 K. The isotherms were measured using the dynamic gravimetric method. The data obtained from experiments were correlated with following multitemperature adsorption isotherms equations: Toth, Langmuir–Freundlich, and Dubinin–Astakhov.

During the illness are released volatile organic compounds with specific smell which could have in diagnosis of diseases. The first aim of the study was qualitative and quantitative analysis of exhaled breath samples obtained from patients with lung cancer, healthy volunteers and people with other lung diseases by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This study showed that twenty compounds propane, ethanol, isobutane, butane, propanal, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 2-methylfuran, 2-butanone, benzene, 2-pentanone, pentanal, hexanal, cyclohexanone, 4-heptanone, 2,4-dimethylheptane, 2,3,4-trimethylhexane, 2,3,5-trimethylhexane, 4-methyloctane, α-pinene separated two research groups of patients and healthy controls. The second goal was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of canine scent detection using 5 station scent lineup. Among lung cancer patients and complementary samples, overall sensitivity of canine scent detection was 85.54%, while specificity was 71.84%.

The main aim of the study was qualitative and quantitative analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) occurring in biological samples such as exhaled air obtained from 108 patients with lung cancer, 121 healthy volunteers, and 24 persons with other lung diseases. For determination of VOCs in human breath, solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME/GC–MS) were applied. Statistical methods such as artificial neural network and chi-squared automatic interaction detector (CHAID) were applied for data evaluation. The concentration of acetone, isoprene, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, hexanal, and dimethyl sulfide were higher in patients with lung cancer than in case of healthy volunteers and persons with other lung diseases. The second goal was the application of trained dogs for detection of the same breath samples as in GC–MS research and evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of canine scent detection using 5 station scent lineup. Among lung cancer patients and complementary samples, overall sensitivity of canine scent detection was 86%, while specificity was 72%. There is a possibility that in the future these methods could allow for a fast, painless, and noninvasive diagnosis of cancer.

Finding a non-invasive, painless and simple screening method for early detection of cancer is a desirable goal. There is evidence that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) detectable in exhaled air and producing specific breath odor could be taken into consideration as possible cancer markers. Chemical analysis of VOCs in the breath that utilizes gas chromatography-mass spectrometry or an array of specific sensors (an electronic nose) could be useful for cancer screening. Preliminary reports show that canines, due to their extraordinary sense of smell and ability to perform well with operant conditioning, could also be used in the future as biological screeners for different forms of cancer. However, the question remains open whether specific VOCs or breath odors appear at very early (sub-clinical) stages of cancer disease or only at advanced stages of the disease during tumor decomposition.

In this work, a chromatographic method for identification of volatile organic compounds was compared with canine recognition. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–TOF MS) were used for determination of concentrations of trace gases present in human breath. The technique enables rapid determination of compounds in human breath, at the parts per billion level. Linear correlations were from 0.83–234.05 ppb, the limit of detection was the range 0.31–0.75 ppb, and precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), was less than 10.00 %. Moreover, trained dogs are able to discriminate breath samples of patients with diagnosed cancer. We found a positive correlation between dog indications and the ethyl acetate and 2-pentanone content of breath (r = 0.85 and r = 0.97, respectively). The methods presented for detection of lung cancer markers in exhaled air could be used as a potential non-invasive tool for screening. In addition, the canine method is relatively simple and inexpensive in comparison with chromatography.

A method for qualitative and quantitative the determination of concentrations volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in human breath samples using solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) has been carried out. They are employed for the preconcentration, separation and analysis of biological samples. The technique to rapid determination compounds present in human air, at the level of parts per billion (ppb) is applied. This method was optimized and evaluated. It showed linear correlations ranging from 0.83 to 234.05 ppb, limit of detection in the range of 0.31 to 0.75 ppb and precision, expressed as the RSD, was less then 10.00%. The unique combination of statistical methods allowed reduce the number of compounds to significant ones only and indicate the potential way to find the biomarkers of the lung cancer. Presented an analytical and statistical methods for detection composition of exhaled air could be applied as a potential non-intrusive tool for screening of lung cancer.

Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was applied for determination of concentrations volatile organic compounds present in human breath samples. The technique allows to rapid determination compounds in human air, at the level of parts per billion. It showed linear correlations ranging from 0.83-234.05 ppb, limit detection in the range of 0.31-0.75 ppb and precision, expressed as RSD, was less then 10.00%. Moreover, trained dogs are able to discriminate breath samples of patients with diagnosed cancer disease. We found positive correlation between dog indications and content of ethyl acetate and 2- pentanone in breath (r=0.85 and r=0.97, respectively)

Experimental studies using trained dogs to identify breath odour markers of human cancer, published in the recent decade, have been analyzed and compared with the authors' own results. Particular published studies differ as regards the experimental setup, kind of odour samples (breath, urine, tumor tissue, serum), sample collection methods, dogs' characteristics and dog training methods as well as in results presented in terms of detection sensitivity and specificity. Generally it can be stated that trained dogs are able to distinguish breath odour samples typical for patients with lung cancer and other cancers from samples typical for healthy humans at a 'better than by chance' rate. Dogs' indications were positively correlated with content of 2-pentanone and ethyl acetate (r = 0.97 and r = 0.85 respectively) and negatively correlated with 1-propanol and propanal in breath samples (r = -0.98 and -0.87 respectively). The canine method has some advantages as a potential cancer-screening method, due to its non-invasiveness, simplicity of odour sampling and storage, ease of testing and interpretation of results and relatively low costs. Disadvantages and limitations of this method are related to the fact that it is still not known exactly to which chemical compounds and/or their combinations the dogs react. So far it could not be confirmed that dogs are able to sniff out early preclinical cancer stages with approximately the same accuracy as already diagnosed cases. The detection accuracy may vary due to failure in conditioning of dogs, decreasing motivation or confounding factors. The dogs' performance should be systematically checked in rigorous double-blind procedures. Recommendations for methodological standardization have been proposed.

A number of studies have shown that tamoxifen increases the sensitivity of several types of solid tumours to cisplatin without increasing the associated side effects. The cellular mechanisms responsible for this increased sensitivity are currently unknown. In this study we have investigated whether tamoxifen alone or in combination with cisplatin could induce apoptosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines. We have shown that tamoxifen treatment resulted in G(1) arrest in two cell lines, HN5 and HN6. Tamoxifen induced growth suppression was independent of p53 status but resulted in up-regulation of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) p21/Waf-1, p27/Kip1 and p15/INK4a. Furthermore, tamoxifen treatment resulted in an increased level of hypophosphorylated active RB. Cisplatin induced p53 independent apoptosis in both head and neck cancer cell lines. There was a significant sensitizing effect of tamoxifen on cisplatin-induced apoptosis in HN5 and HN6 cells, with the combined treatment being more effective in inducing apoptosis. Addition of tamoxifen did not result in significant inhibition of PKC activity in HN5 and HN6 cells. However, tamoxifen treatment resulted in increased secretion of TGF-beta1 by HN5 and HN6 cells. An anti-TGF-beta blocking antibody prevented both the blockade of cellular proliferation and the increased expression of CDKIs associated with tamoxifen treatment of HN5 and HN6 cells. These results show that tamoxifen alone induces a transient G(1) arrest that greatly sensitizes the cells to apoptosis induced by cisplatin. We have shown that the mechanism for this p53-independent G(1) arrest and apoptosis is at least partly due to the activation of TGF-beta1 resulting in the induction of p15/INK4b, p27/Kip-1, p21/Waf-1 and RB hypophosphorylation. These in vitro results suggest that combination of tamoxifen and cisplatin might be a more effective treatment for head and neck cancers than single modality therapy.