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Melanoma is the least common form of skin tumor, but it is potentially the most dangerous and responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. We suggest that the skin microbiome might be changed during the progression of melanoma. The aim of this study is to compare the composition of the skin microbiota between different locations (skin and melanoma) of a MeLiM (Melanoma-bearing Libechov Minipig) pig model (exophytic melanoma). Ninety samples were used for PCR-DGGE analysis with primers specifically targeting the V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene. The profiles were used for cluster analysis by UPGMA and principal coordinate analysis PCoA and also to calculate the diversity index (Simpson index of diversity). By comparing the obtained results, we found that both bacterial composition and diversity were significantly different between the skin and melanoma microbiomes. The abundances of Fusobacterium and Trueperella genera were significantly increased in melanoma samples, suggesting a strong relationship between melanoma development and skin microbiome changes.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Persian shallot (Allium stipitatum) is a bulbous plant native to Turkey, Iran and Central Asia. It is frequently used in folk medicine for the treatment of a variety of disorders, including inflammation and stress. Antiinflammatory and neurological activities of pyrithione and four related sulfur-containing pyridine N-oxides which are prominent constituents of Allium stipitatum were tested. Methods The antiinflammatory activity was tested by the ability of the compounds to inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2), whereas the neurological activities were evaluated by assessing the compounds ability to inhibit monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The compounds׳ affinity for the serotonin transport protein (SERT) and the GABAA–benzodiazepine receptor were also investigated. Results 2-[(Methylthio)methyldithio]pyridine N-oxide showed very high antiinflammatory effects which are comparable with those of common pharmaceuticals (IC50 of 7.8 and 15.4 µM for COX-1 and COX-2, respectively). On the other hand, neurological activities of the compounds were rather modest. Some compounds moderately inhibited AChE (IC50 of 104–1041 µM) and MAO-A (IC50 of 98–241 µM) and exhibited an affinity for the SERT and GABAA–benzodiazepine receptor. Conclusions Our findings may help to rationalize the wide use of Persian shallot for the treatment of inflammatory disorders.

Similar magnitudes of proton–proton couplings across three, four, and five bonds and proton–carbon couplings across two and three bonds combined with difficult to predict substituent effects make the results of an indiscriminate use of routine (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, etc.) techniques for substitution site determination in C-monosubstituted five-membered heteroaromatics suspect. As demonstrated on two examples of natural products, the use of 1,1-ADEQUATE leads to unambiguous substitution site determination lending thus further support to suggested inclusion of 1,1-ADEQUATE data into computer-assisted structure elucidation (CASE) protocols. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of leptospirosis in Pardubice and Hradec Králové regions and a part of Vysočina region in 2002-2009. A group of patients was statistically analyzed and the incidence rates of leptospirosis in individual months and years were calculated.A group of 4,813 patients with suspected leptospirosis from Pardubice and Hradec Králové regions and a part of Vysočina region were examinated in our centre in 2002-2009. A total of 5,366 biological samples were studied. From 4,625 blood samples, 3,958 were examinated with the serological microagglutination-lysis method and the remaining 667 with the PCR method.From 4,813 patients suspected to have leptospirosis, 89 were found to be leptospirosis-positive. Leptospirosis was diagnosed in 63 males (70.7 %) a 26 females (29.3 %); the mean age were 39.52 ± 17.67 years in males and 46.85 ± 18.34 years in females; the mean age men + women was 41.66 ± 18.13 years (range 3-78 years). Most positive male patients (n = 28) were in 26-45 age group; the findings were similar in females (n = 10). The highest number of leptospirosis cases was noted in 2005. Most frequently, infection caused by pathogenic leptospires was diagnosed in November.The incidence rates of leptospirosis in Pardubice and Hradec Králové regions and a part of Vysočina region in 2002-2009 (with the exception of 2008) exceeded the overall reported levels 0.4/100,000 population.

The aim of this study was to evaluate diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the SERION ELISA classic IgM and SERION ELISA classic IgG kits and to confirm the results by the microagglutination test (MAT).A total of 45 blood serum samples from 45 patients, 30 from males and 15 from females (mean age 44.24 ± 15.56 range 19-82 year), were included in our study. Blood serum samples were examined using the ELISA and MAT methods and diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of both methods were calculated.The MAT was shown to have 100 % diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. The ELISA kits for detecting IgM and IgG antibodies against pathogenic leptospires had diagnostic sensitivity of 100 % and diagnostic specificity of 88.6 % and 54.3 %, respectively.The above results suggest that the MAT with diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 100 % remains the gold standard for detection of specific antibodies against pathogenic leptospires. The diagnostic sensitivity of both ELISA kits is high but due to their low diagnostic specificity, especially in the case of IgG antibodies, the kits are inappropriate for use in routine clinical practice.

The precursor of the orange-red pigment formed upon wounding the bulbs of Allium giganteum (Allium subg. Melanocrommyum) was isolated and shown to be S-(2-pyrrolyl)cysteine S-oxide. In addition, two other pyrrolylsulfinyl derivatives were found in an extract from the bulbs, namely, 3-(2-pyrrolylsulfinyl)lactic acid and S-(3-pyrrolyl)cysteine S-oxide. Contrary to a previous report, the latter compound was shown not to serve as the precursor of the pigment, being in fact only an artifact formed during isolation. The formation of pyrrolyl-containing compounds following disruption of A. giganteum bulbs was studied by a combination of LC-MS, LC-NMR and DART-MS. It was found that S-(2-pyrrolyl)cysteine S-oxide is cleaved by a C-S lyase (alliinase) to yield 2-pyrrolesulfenic acid. Two molecules of the latter compound give rise to highly reactive S-(2-pyrrolyl) 2-pyrrolethiosulfinate which in turn converts into red 2,2'-epidithio-3,3'-dipyrrole (dipyrrolo[2,3-d:2',3'-e]-1,2-dithiin). Several other pyrrolyl-containing compounds were detected in A. giganteum for the first time, including S-methyl 2-pyrrolethiosulfinate, S-(2-pyrrolyl) methanethiosulfinate, di(2-pyrrolyl) disulfide, and S-(2-pyrrolyl) 2-pyrrolethiosulfonate. It can be concluded that the formation of the orange-red pigment in Allium subg. Melanocrommyum species, despite sharing several analogous features, is of a different nature than the pink discoloration of onion (A. cepa).

Similar magnitudes of proton-proton couplings across three, four, and five bonds and proton-carbon couplings across two and three bonds combined with difficult to predict substituent effects make the results of an indiscriminate use of routine (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, etc.) techniques for substitution site determination in C-monosubstituted five-membered heteroaromatics suspect. As demonstrated on two examples of natural products, the use of 1,1-ADEQUATE leads to unambiguous substitution site determination lending thus further support to suggested inclusion of 1,1-ADEQUATE data into computer-assisted structure elucidation (CASE) protocols.