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Liver transplantation (LT) is one of the most effective treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhotic livers. Neoadjuvant bridging treatment in patients qualifying and listed for LT is advised but is still debatable owing to the low level of evidence. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review to assess the prognostic value of bridging therapy, in terms of radiological and histopathological examination outcomes, for survival after LT. The systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The MEDLINE and Web of Science databases were searched. In total, five studies were included. An evaluation with the ROBINS-I resulted in studies classified as the following: moderate risk of bias ( n = 1) and serious risk of bias ( n = 4). The results of the analysis indicated that favorable LT outcomes were most common with complete response or partial radiological response. Poor radiological response or progressive disease during bridging treatment was generally associated with worse overall LT survival. There were not enough data to support the use of this approach to achieve a complete pathologic response. Radiological, pathological, histological, cellular, and molecular tumor features should be included in future LT qualification models.

Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who have progressed following primary treatment (PT) have a poor prognosis. In this group, nivolumab has been demonstrated to significantly improve outcomes. This study presents the efficacy of nivolumab in Polish patients with recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M) HNSCC using real-world data. The analyzed group consisted of 324 adult patients with R/M HNSCC following platinum-based therapy. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on the time from completion of PT to nivolumab initiation (tPT-N): within 6 months (refractory), between 6 and 24 months (sensitive, tPT-N ≤24), and beyond 24 months (sensitive, tPT-N >24). Survival analysis and the Cox proportional hazards model were performed to evaluate how various risk factors affect patient outcomes. The 1-year and 2-year overall survival (OS) was 19.1%, 6.1%, 30.7%, 9.4%, and 45.7%, 29.1% in refractory, sensitive tPT-N ≤24, sensitive tPT-N >24 patients, respectively and was higher for both sensitivity groups vs. refractory (p = .004) and for sensitive tPT-N >24 versus refractory and sensitive tPT-N ≤24 (p <.001). Patients with nasopharyngeal cancer had OS significantly higher than patients with other primary tumor localization. The multivariate Cox analysis showed a significant favorable effect of tPT-N >24 (HR = 0.53, p = .001) and nasopharyngeal cancer on OS (HR = 0.20, p = .008). Conversely, female sex was identified as an unfavorable factor for OS (HR = 1.48, p = .020). In our study, we established that the benefit of nivolumab increases with the increasing tPT-N. The probability of death is significantly lower in male patients and patients with nasopharyngeal cancer regardless of tPT-N., (© 2024 The Author(s). International Journal of Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of UICC.)

Stress in birds disrupts the homeostasis of the organism, leading to an inability to neutralize reactive oxygen species. Taurine, an effective antioxidant, affects various cellular mechanisms, including cation modulation, protein phosphorylation, and cell proliferation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of colloid with taurine applied in ovo to Albumin on embryonic development, oxidative stress indicators and the content of bioactive peptides-carnosine and anserine-in the pectoral muscle. The research materials were eggs of the parent flock (Ross 308) divided into four groups (K (without injection), T50-concentration of taurine hydrocolloid 50 ppm (mg/L); T100-colloid concentration 100 ppm (mg/L) taurine; T500-colloid concentration of 500 ppm (mg/L) taurine). The experimental solutions were injected in an amount of 0.3 mL into egg white. Eggs were incubated under standard incubation conditions. The addition of 100 and 500 ppm taurine had a highly significant ( p = 0.001) effect on the plasma antioxidant potential in chicks. The level of anserine increased with increasing concentrations of taurine. These changes were highly significant ( p = 0.007). The level of anserine in the T2 and T3 groups was determined to be 2.5 times higher than in the pectoral muscles of embryos not treated with taurine colloid. An analysis of the results showed that the administration of an increased dose of hydrocolloid with taurine increased the content of carnosine and anserine in the pectoral muscle. Colloid with taurine applied in ovo to chicken white egg reduces oxidative stress and increases homeostasis of the organism.

Background/Objectives: Primary vaginal melanoma (PVM) is a rare cancer representing five percent of vaginal cancers and less than one percent of all female vaginal melanomas, with an incidence rate of 0.46 per million women per year. The aim of this study was to present a case of combined therapy and conservative surgical treatment in a young patient with PVM and to perform a systematic review of the same subject. Methods : We performed a narrative review of the literature and presented a case report. Results : The review yielded a total of 43 articles. We presented treatment modalities and survival outcomes. The presented case involved a combination of surgical treatment with adjuvant therapy comprising nivolumab and ipilimumab. Conclusions : PVM is a disease with a poor prognosis; however, new treatment options are promising and have a great chance of significantly improving survival. The combination of the wide local excision of the primary lesion followed by adjuvant therapies results in the best outcomes in the treatment of PVM. Future clinical studies are warranted to provide new evidence for the treatment outcomes of nonsurgical, metastatic PVM and the adjuvant treatment of PVM., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Poultry meat is a highly esteemed product among consumers. However, the emphasis on increasing body weight has led to a rise in the proportion of rapidly shrinking fibers, adversely affecting the quality and shelf life of poultry meat. With a growing awareness of dietetics among consumers, there is an increasing challenge to produce chicken meat that is not only free of antibiotics but also beneficial for dietary and health reasons. Biogenic amines (BA) can serve as indicators of meat freshness and quality. While they play vital roles in the body, excessive consumption of BA can have toxic and carcinogenic effects. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of supplementing feed with garlic extract and β-alanine (β-Ala) on the formation of BA and amino acid (AA) levels in the breast and leg muscles of chickens stored under aerobic chilling conditions. The muscles were obtained from chickens fed with garlic extract and β-Ala in quantities of 0.5 and 2% for each additive, as well as 0.5 and 2% of their combination. Analyses were conducted on d 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 of storage. β-Ala supplementation increased the proportion of this AA in breast (P < 0.01) and leg muscles (P < 0.01), along with a rise in the proportion of nonessential AA (NEAA; sum of aspartic, aspartic acid, glutamic, glutamic acid, serine, β-Ala, and proline) (P < 0.01). The levels of BA changed during storage in breast and leg muscles (P < 0.001). The applied diet significantly influenced the formation of putrescine (P = 0.030), phenylethylamine (P = 0.003), agmatine (P = 0.025), and total BA (P < 0.001) in breast muscles. On the 10 d of storage, the breast muscles exhibited the lowest BA index (BAI) in the group, with a diet supplemented with 0.5% garlic extract and 0.5% β-Ala (P < 0.05). The leg muscles showed a similar BA trend as the breast muscles. These supplements may be utilized in production to augment the protein content of chicken muscles and potentially decrease the BAI index during meat storage., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Herein, we conducted a comparative study on the embryotoxicity of ochratoxin A (OTA) and its diastereomer 2'R-ochratoxin A (2'R-OTA) under in ovo conditions, as well as assess the in vitro embryotoxicity of these substances together with ochratoxin B and α-ochratoxin, using chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) embryo cell lines. In ovo tests involved egg incubation of 8 different groups (i.e., control "0"-no puncture or injection (standard incubation); "00"-punctured eggs without injection; "OTA 0.25," "OTA 0.50," "OTA 0.75," "2'R-OTA 0.25," "2'R-OTA 0.50," "2'R-OTA 0.75"-eggs containing OTA or 2'R-OTA at 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 µg/egg concentration, respectively). The results confirmed OTA's impact on early and late embryo mortality, where chick hatchability decreased with increasing toxin dosage. Both OTA and 2'R-OTA demonstrated embryotoxicity, however, in the case of the highest OTA diastereomer dose, nearly 11% higher chick hatchability was observed compared with the group that received OTA. 2'R-OTA dosage did not reduce parameters chick quality compared to chicks hatched from control group eggs. OTA concentrations were higher than 2'R-OTA detected in chicken organs such as liver and kidney, whereas 2'R-OTA concentrations were higher in blood serum and heart. The presented studies highlighted the differences in the ability to accumulate toxins in certain organs, which, to a certain extent, may affect the potential toxicity on individual organs. Additionally, during in vitro tests, when assessing the cytotoxic effects of OTA and its analogues toward the chicken embryonic cell line in an MTT assay, the cell metabolic activity was inhibited to a comparable extent at 27-times higher concentration of 2'R-OTA than OTA (0.24 µM). Also, comparably lower toxicity was attributed to the remaining OTA derivatives., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Brain metastases (BMs) in ovarian cancer (OC) are a rare event. BMs occur most frequently in high-grade serous (HGS) OC. The molecular features of BMs in HGSOC are poorly understood. We performed a whole-exome sequencing analysis of ten matched pairs of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples from primary HGSOC and corresponding BMs. Enrichment significance (p value; false discovery rate) was computed using the Reactome, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway collections, and the Gene Ontology Biological Processes. Germline DNA damage repair variants were found in seven cases (70%) and involved the BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, RAD50, ERCC4, RPA1, MLHI, and ATR genes. Somatic mutations of TP53 were found in nine cases (90%) and were the only stable mutations between the primary tumor and BMs. Disturbed pathways in BMs versus primary HGSOC constituted a complex network and included the cell cycle, the degradation of the extracellular matrix, cell junction organization, nucleotide metabolism, lipid metabolism, the immune system, G-protein-coupled receptors, intracellular vesicular transport, and reaction to chemical stimuli (Golgi vesicle transport and olfactory signaling). Pathway analysis approaches allow for a more intuitive interpretation of the data as compared to considering single-gene aberrations and provide an opportunity to identify clinically informative alterations in HGSOC BM., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Poultry meat is a source of many important nutrients, micro- and macro-elements, and biologically active substances. During meat storage, many physicochemical changes take place, also affecting the content of biologically active substances, including biogenic amines.They are formed as a result of three processes: decarboxylation of amino acids by microorganisms, reductive amination, and transamination of aldehydes and ketones, and as a result of activity of body tissues. Excessive consumption of biogenic amines shows toxic properties. The increasing consumption of poultry meat and the lack of established limits for biogenic amine content is a major challenge for scientists, producers, and consumer organisations, which have not yet established limits for biogenic amine content in meat (including poultry meat). Analyses of biogenic amine content in meat account for less than 10% of scientific papers, which raises the scope of the problem of limiting biogenic amines in meat. Among the methods of amine reduction are methods of destroying or reducing microorganisms' high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), ozonisation, radiation, or the use of essential oils.

Background: Liquid biopsy is a minimally invasive collection of a patient body fluid sample. In oncology, they offer several advantages compared to traditional tissue biopsies. However, the potential of this method in endometrial cancer (EC) remains poorly explored. We studied the utility of tumor educated platelets (TEPs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for preoperative EC diagnosis, including histology determination., Methods: TEPs from 295 subjects (53 EC patients, 38 patients with benign gynecologic conditions, and 204 healthy women) were RNA-sequenced. DNA sequencing data were obtained for 519 primary tumor tissues and 16 plasma samples. Artificial intelligence was applied to sample classification., Results: Platelet-dedicated classifier yielded AUC of 97.5% in the test set when discriminating between healthy subjects and cancer patients. However, the discrimination between endometrial cancer and benign gynecologic conditions was more challenging, with AUC of 84.1%. ctDNA-dedicated classifier discriminated primary tumor tissue samples with AUC of 96% and ctDNA blood samples with AUC of 69.8%., Conclusions: Liquid biopsies show potential in EC diagnosis. Both TEPs and ctDNA profiles coupled with artificial intelligence constitute a source of useful information. Further work involving more cases is warranted.

Biogenic amines (BA) are organic compounds commonly found in food, plants and animals, as well as microorganisms that are attributed with the production of BAs. They are formed as an effect of a chemical process: the decarboxylation of amino acids. Factors determining the formation of BAs include the availability of free amino acids and the presence of microorganisms that show activity with respect to carrying out the decarboxylation process. On the one hand, BAs are compounds that are crucial for maintaining cell viability, as well as the proper course of the organism's metabolic processes, such as protein synthesis, hormone synthesis and DNA replication. On the other hand, despite their positive effects on the functioning of the organism, an excessive content of BAs proves to be toxic (diarrhea, food poisoning, vomiting, sweating or tachycardia). Moreover, they can accelerate carcinogenesis. Amines are a natural component of plant and animal raw materials. As a result of the proven negative effects of amines on living organisms, the reduction of these compounds should be the subject of scientific research. The present review aims to synthesize and summarize the information currently available on BAs, as well as discuss the interpretation of the results. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.)

The use of intensive selection procedure in modern broiler chicken lines has led to the development of several skeletal disorders in broiler chickens. Therefore, current research is focused on methods to improve the bone quality in birds. In ovo technology, using nanoparticles with a high specificity to bones, is a potential approach. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of in ovo inoculation (IOI) of calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CCN) on chicken embryo development, health status, bone characteristics, and on broiler production results and bone quality. After assessing in vitro cell viability, the IOI procedure was performed with an injection of 500 μg/mL CCN. The control group was not inoculated with CCN. Hatchability, weight, and selected bone and serum parameters were measured in embryos. Part of hatchlings were reared under standard conditions until 42 days, and production results, meat quality, and bone quality of broilers were determined. CCN did not show cytotoxicity to cells and chicken embryo and positively influenced bone parameters of the embryos and of broilers later (calcification) without negatively affecting the production results. Thus, the IOI of CCN could modify the molecular responses at the stage of embryogenesis, resulting in better mineralization, and could provide a sustained effect, thereby improving bone quality in adult birds.

The aim of this study, focused on the nutritional value of wild berries, was to determine the contents of macronutrients, profiles of fatty (FAs) and amino acids (AAs), and the contents of selected elements in red arils (RA) of Taxus baccata L., grown in diverse locations in Poland. Protein (1.79-3.80 g/100 g) and carbohydrate (18.43-19.30 g/100 g) contents of RAs were higher than in many cultivated berries. RAs proved to be a source of lipids (1.39-3.55 g/100 g). Ten out of 18 AAs detected in RAs, mostly branched-chain AAs, were essential AAs (EAAs). The EAAs/total AAs ratio approximating were found in animal foods. Lipids of RA contained seven PUFAs, including those from n-3 family (19.20-28.20 g/100 g FA). Polymethylene-interrupted FAs (PMI-FAs), pinolenic 18:3Δ5,9,12; sciadonic 20:3Δ5,11,14, and juniperonic 20:4Δ5,11,14,17, known as unique for seeds of gymnosperms, were found in RAs. RAs may represent a novel dietary source of valuable n-3 PUFAs and the unique PMI-FAs. The established composition of RAs suggests it to become a new source of functional foods, dietary supplements, and valuable ingredients. Because of the tendency to accumulate toxic metals, RAs may be regarded as a valuable indicator of environmental contamination. Thus, the levels of toxic trace elements (Al, Ni, Cd) have to be determined before collecting fruits from natural habitats.

Meat from commercial breed cattle are very often used to crossbreed with dairy breeds. The effect of heterosis is most evident when crossbreeds are genetically different from each other. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the influence of breed types on the nutritional and pro-health quality of beef. The experiment was conducted on 62 bulls from three breeds: Limousin, Polish Holstein-Friesian, and Polish Holstein-Friesian (PHF) × Limousin. During the fattening period, the animals were fed ad libitum using the same diet. Bulls were slaughtered at 21-23 months of age. The meat of PHF × Limousin hybrids was characterized by the lowest level of SFA and the highest content of n-3 PUFA fatty acids, carnosine, and α-tocopherol compared to the values obtained for the Polish Holstein-Friesian and Limousin breeds. In the case of PHF × Limousin hybrids, there was a 6% increase in n-3 PUFA, 21% in carnosine, and 66% in α-tocopherol compared to the Polish Holstein-Friesian breed. Commodity crossbreeding significantly improved the quality of beef analyzed in this study, resulting in similar or even better results than purebred cattle. This meant that beef from the hybrids with PHF was of the best nutritional and health-promoting quality., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Intensive selection in modern lines of fast-growing chickens has caused several skeletal disorders. Therefore, current research is focused on methods to improve the bones of birds. A new potential solution is in ovo technology using nanoparticles with a high specificity for the bone tissue. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of in ovo application of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HA-NP) in different concentrations (50, 100 and 500 μg/ml colloids) on chicken embryo development, with a particular focus on the oxidative status and bone characteristics of the embryo. The results showed that in ovo treatment with HA-NP did not negatively affect hatchability and body weight. However, bone weight was reduced in 500 μg/ml group. The concentrations of calcium, phosphorus and crude ash were not affected. The modulatory effect of HA-NP was observed on the basis of antioxidative markers - superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant status, malondialdehyde in serum and selected tissues. Glutathione concentration in serum suggested higher metabolic stress. Among bone turnover markers, the concentration of osteocalcin was found to be significantly affected by HA-NP injection. Thus, the in ovo application of HA-NP could modify the molecular responses at the stage of embryogenesis but these changes were not reflected in embryo growth and even slowed down bone development. Nevertheless, the question for the follow-up research is whether in ovo administration of HA-NP would affect the antioxidative status and bone turnover resulting in improved bone conditions and body gain in post hatch chickens.

Colostrum as a secretion of the mammary gland is produced and accumulated in the final stage of pregnancy and in the first days after calving. It is designed to provide the calf with the necessary nutrients and biologically active ingredients. One of the most difficult periods in the life of animals is their rearing, and the most sensitive are the first days after birth. This is the time when most falls occur, and they are caused by mortality and morbidity, even at the level of 30%. Such losses affect the performance and profitability of animal production (the percentage of animals intended for reproduction or fattening is reduced and the intensity of selection in the herd is also reduced). Both diseases and mortality are the cause of serious economic, production, and breeding losses, which are the result of weak immune mechanisms. The adaptability of calves to the environment is determined by their immune status. Colostrum has a regulating function and stimulates the young organism to grow, and it has properties that support the functioning of systems: Endocrine and immunological. For colostrum to fulfil its role, it must be administered immediately after birth, because the immunoglobulins it contains are absorbed during the first 16-27 h after the birth of the calf, preferably within 2-4 h of age. Blood from calves that have been properly calved should have an antibody concentration of 15g/L (24-48 h of age). Therefore, immunoglobulins are the most important factor affecting infectious immunity; an adequate concentration of immunoglobulins in calves' blood is related to their survival and health. It is the intent of this review to synthesize and summarize the information currently available on colostrum, as well as to discuss the interpretation of the results., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. None of the authors has any other financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper.

The aim of the research was to develop new pectin-based hydrogels with excellent swelling properties. Superabsorbent hydrogels composed of high methylated pectin and partially neutralized poly(acrylic acid) was obtained by free radical polymerization in aqueous solution in the presence of crosslinking agent- N , N '-methylenebisacrylamide. The effect of crosslinker content and pectin to acrylic acid ratio on the swelling properties of hydrogels was investigated. In addition, the thermodynamic characteristic of hydrogels was obtained by DSC. Furthermore, the structure of pectin-based hydrogels was characterized by FTIR and GPC. It was also proved that poly(acrylic acid) is grafted on pectin particles. The results showed that introduction of small amount of pectin (up to 6.7 wt %) to poly(acrylic acid) hydrogel increase the swelling capacity, while further increasing of pectin ratio cause decrease of swelling.

We hypothesised that copper nanoparticles (NanoCu), because of their high physicochemical reactivity and bioavailability, could be used in much smaller quantities than bulk Cu, consequently reducing excretion of Cu into the environment. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of various levels of NanoCu on the development and growth of broiler chickens, in order to establish an optimum level of NanoCu dietary supplementation. Broiler chickens were randomly divided into five groups of 10 birds each. The control group received 7.5 mg Cu/kg feed (standard level) as CuSO 4 , while groups fed with complexes of NanoCu and starch received 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of the standard level of Cu used in the control group. Chicken growth and excretion of Cu, Fe and Zn were measured during the growth period from d 7 to 42. At d 42, the slaughter characteristics, the content of Cu, Fe and Zn in the breast muscle and liver, and the oxidative status were analysed. The results indicate that using NanoCu can reduce the standard level of Cu from CuSO 4 supplementation by 75% without jeopardising animal growth, and at the same time significantly decreasing Cu excretion into the environment.

A study was conducted to investigate the influence of copper administration in ovo to chicken embryos and/or supplied in drinking water to growing chickens in the form copper nanoparticles (Cu-NP) or copper sulphate (CuSO 4 ). The fertilised eggs were assigned to three groups (n = 50 per group): control (not injected), injected with 50 mg/kg Cu-NP or with 50 mg/kg CuSO 4 at day 1 of incubation. Thereafter, 126 one-day-old broiler chickens were randomly assigned to seven post-hatched groups: control not injected and not provided with Cu in the drinking water, injected with 50 mg/kg Cu-NP + 20 mg/kg in water, not injected + 20 mg/kg Cu-NP in water, injected with 50 mg/kg CuSO 4  + 20 mg/kg in water, not injected + 20 mg/kg CuSO 4 in water, injected with 50 mg/kg Cu-NP and injected with 50 mg/kg CuSO 4 . The experiment was carried out from day 1 to 35 post-hatching. The in ovo injection of Cu improved the final body weight, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio in relation to the control group. Conversely, the provision of Cu in the drinking water had less of an effect on growth performance in comparison with the injected groups. A significant improvement was shown in energy and nitrogen utilisation, being better for Cu-NP than CuSO 4 . The cholesterol, urea and glucose levels in the blood were reduced by Cu-NP treatment in relation to the other groups. The relative weight of the liver was decreased, while bursa of Fabricius was increased in Cu groups in relation to the control group. Cu excretion was only reduced in chickens injected with 50 mg/kg Cu-NP + 20 mg/kg in water. The immune-related genes were not affected by the treatments. The in ovo injection of Cu-NP might improve broiler performance more efficiently than the injection of CuSO 4 or the provision of Cu-NP and/or CuSO 4 in drinking water., (© 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

The objective of this study was to evaluate bone resistance after in ovo administration of copper nanoparticles (NanoCu) and to determine the number of cells positive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the femoral bones of broiler chickens (n = 12 per group). The study demonstrated that femoral bones from the NanoCu group were characterised by a higher weight and volume and by significantly greater resistance to fractures compared to the Control group. NanoCu promoted the proliferation of PCNA-positive cells in the long bones of chickens. A significantly higher number of PCNA-positive cells in the bones of birds in the NanoCu group compared with the Control group (137 and 122, respectively) indicate a stimulatory effect during embryogenesis. Considering the improvement in bone resistance to fractures and the effect of NanoCu on the number of PCNA-positive cells in femoral bones, NanoCu may be an alternative agent to minimise the ever-present problem of weak bones in broiler chickens.

Background: Copper (Cu) is a key trace mineral involved in a variety of physiological processes, and is commonly used in poultry production. However, regardless of the inclusion level the majority of Cu is excreted with poultry faeces. We hypothesise that in ovo administration will allow for better utilisation of Cu during embryo development than when supplied post-natally with feed to growing chickens. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate effects of in ovo administration of NanoCu and copper sulfate (CuSO4 ) on broiler chicken performance., Results: The study showed the positive influences of Cu nanoparticles and CuSO4 on broiler chickens performance. Body weight, at the end of the rearing period (day 42) was significantly higher in NanoCu (2206 g) and CuSO4 (2402 g) groups compared to the control group (2000 g). Both treatment groups had significantly lower feed conversion rate and mortality, and higher percentage of breast and leg muscles in the carcass versus control., Conclusion: The in ovo application of Cu colloids may ensure an efficient penetration of Cu into the embryonic tissue with long lasting effects on postnatal growth. The method may provide a successful alternative to using Cu as a feed additive. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.)

This paper presents the rheological instability (thixotropy/antithixotropy) of waxy potato starch (WPS) pastes depending on their concentration (1-5% w/w) and pasting temperature (80, 95 and autoclaved: 121°C, at 0.1MPa). The hysteresis loop, apparent viscosity at constant shear rate as well as the in-shear structural recovery tests with and without pre-shearing were applied. The pastes were also characterized by the granularity profile, molecular weight, polydispersity and optical transmittance. Differences in rheological properties of the pastes prepared at 80 and 95°C as well as autoclaved resulted from degree of granules pasting. At 121 °C dissolution of the granules occurred, while at the lower temperatures only the partial pasting of the granules took place. Pasting temperature of WPS significantly influenced rheological parameters of the resulted pastes which had thixotropic, antithixotropic or mixed thixotropic/antithixotropic behavior. Autoclaved pastes, regardless their concentration were antithixotropic as demonstrated by the areas of hysteresis loops derived from the flow curves signalized by the degree of structure recovery (DSR) which exceeded unity. The apparent viscosity of WPS pasted at 121°C strongly decreased as compared to the samples pasted at lower temperatures. Samples pasted at 80 and 95°C showed both thixotropic and antithixotropic behavior, with a predominance of the latter. The starch concentration played an important role in the formation of the rheological properties of the resulted pastes. Its influence was strongly connected with the degree of the granules pasting, therefore with the temperature of pastes preparation. For the pastes prepared at 80 and 95°C the values of thixotropy and apparent viscosity increased, while the values of DSR decreased with an increase of concentration. In the autoclaved pastes the antithixotropy, DSR and apparent viscosity increased with increasing starch concentration. It was also found that apart from the concentration and temperature also the shear rate influence the thixotropic behavior., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ultrathin "one-component" multilayer polymeric films for potential biomedical applications were designed based on polyvinyl alcohol,-a non-toxic, fully degradable synthetic polymer. Good uniformity of the obtained film and adequate adsorption properties of the polymeric layers were achieved by functional modification of the polymer, which involved synthesis of cationic and anionic derivatives. Synthesized polymers were characterized by FTIR, NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering measurements and elemental analysis. The layer by layer assembly technique was used to build up a multilayer film and this process was followed using UV-Vis spectroscopy and ellipsometry. The morphology and thickness of the obtained multilayered film material was evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Preliminary studies on the application of the obtained multilayer film for coating of liposomal nanocarriers containing phenytoin, an antiarrhythmic drug, were performed. The coating effectively stabilizes liposomes and the effect increases with an increasing number of deposited layers until the polymeric film reaches the optimal thickness. The obtained release profiles suggest that bilayer-coated liposomes release phenytoin less rapidly than uncoated ones. The cytotoxicity studies performed for all obtained nanocarriers confirmed that none of them has negative effect on cell viability. All of the performed experiments suggest that liposomes coated with ultrathin film obtained from PVA derivatives can be attractive drug nanocarriers., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of various doses of β-alanine administered in feed mixtures and of heat treatment on changes in the contents of dipeptides anserine and carnosine in meat of fast-growing Hubbard Flex chickens., Results: The study demonstrated a significant effect of dietary administration of β-alanine on anserine content in breast muscles and on carnosine content in leg muscles of the chickens. A successive increase in dipeptide content was observed with increasing β-alanine content in the feed mixture. As a result of heat treatment, a significant (P ≤ 0.01) increase was observed in the anserine content of both breast and leg muscles: over twofold higher anserine content was detected in heat-treated muscles compared with raw muscles. The study showed that interesting effects might occur during β-alanine administration to feed mixtures for chickens, especially including increased contents of anserine and carnosine in skeletal muscles of the birds., Conclusion: Taking into account the well-documented health-promoting effect of histidine dipeptides and possibilities of increasing their contents in the body by supplementation with β-alanine, anserine and carnosine might be considered as potential components of functional foods., (© 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the quality of meat and the histological structure of muscles of Ayam Cemani chickens, Ayam Cemani × Sussex hybrids and slow-growing Hubbard JA 957 chickens and to examine whether crossing generally available Sussex chickens with little available Ayam Cemani gives a good quality product of interest to the poultry industry and in food technology., Results: The size of breast and leg muscle fibers varied among genotypes. The breast and leg muscles of slow-growing Hubbard JA 957 chickens had the largest fiber diameter. The histological and biochemical properties of muscles, including the type, number, proportions, diameter and metabolic profile of fibers, had a significant effect on the pH and water-binding capacity of meat, thus affecting its quality. The muscle fibers of Ayam Cemani chickens were approximately half the size of the muscle fibers of Hubbard JA 957 chickens. Ayam Cemani and Ayam Cemani × Sussex gave a product of as good quality as Hubbard JA 957 chickens., Conclusion: Meat from Ayam Cemani chickens is a rich source of protein and could be highly valued by gourmet consumers, connoisseurs and dieticians for its rarity and originality. The results of this study show that genotype (Ayam Cemani, Ayam Cemani × Sussex, Hubbard JA 957) affected the quality and color of meat and the histological profile of chicken breast and leg muscles., (© 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Copper is a key element affecting blood vessel growth and muscle development. However, the ions released from Cu salts are toxic. Given their specific physicochemical properties, nanoparticles of Cu (NanoCu) may have different bioactivity and affect the development of blood vessel and muscles in a different manner than Cu salts. The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of NanoCu on embryo development and angiogenesis at the systemic and molecular level, in experiments using a chick embryo model. Fertilized chicken eggs were divided into a control group, and groups injected with a placebo, CuSO4 or NanoCu. Embryo development at the whole body level and molecular indices using an embryo chorioallantoic membrane model were measured during embryogenesis. The present study indicated for the first time that NanoCu have pro-angiogenic properties at the systemic level, to a greater degree than CuSO4 salt. The properties of NanoCu were confirmed at the molecular level, demonstrating significant effects on mRNA concentration and on mRNA gene expression of all pro-angiogenic and pro-proliferative genes measured herein.