An Integrated Comprehensive Peptidomics and In Silico Analysis of Bioactive Peptide-Rich Milk Fermented by Three Autochthonous Cocci Strains.

Bioactive peptides (BPs) are molecules of paramount importance with great potential for the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals or therapeutics for the prevention or treatment of various diseases. A functional BP-rich dairy product was produced by lyophilisation of bovine milk fermented by the autochthonous strains subsp. ZGBP5-51, ZGBP5-52 and ZGBP5-53 isolated from the same artisanal fresh cheese.

Enhanced Microvascular Adaptation to Acute Physical Stress and Reduced Oxidative Stress in Male Athletes Who Consumed Chicken Eggs Enriched with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Antioxidants-Randomized Clinical Trial.

This randomized interventional study aimed to determine the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, selenium, vitamin E, and lutein supplementation in the form of enriched chicken egg consumption on microvascular endothelium-dependent vasodilation, oxidative stress, and microvascular response to an acute strenuous training session (ASTS) in competitive athletes. Thirty-one male athletes were assigned to a control (n = 17) or a Nutri4 group (n = 14) who consumed three regular or enriched chicken eggs per day, respectively, for 3 weeks. Significantly enhanced endothelium-dependent responses to vascular occlusion (PORH) and iontophoresis of acetylcholine (AChID) were observed in the Nutri4 group but not in the control group after egg consumption.

Hydrogen Bonding Drives Helical Chirality via 10-Membered Rings in Dipeptide Conjugates of Ferrocene-1,1'-Diamine.

Considering the enormous importance of protein turns as participants in various biological events, such as protein-protein interactions, great efforts have been made to develop their conformationally and proteolytically stable mimetics. Ferrocene-1,1'-diamine was previously shown to nucleate the stable turn structures in peptides prepared by conjugation with Ala () and Ala-Pro (). Here, we prepared the homochiral conjugates of ferrocene-1,1'-diamine with l-/d-Phe (), l-/d-Val (), and l-/d-Leu () to investigate (1) whether the organometallic template induces the turn structure upon conjugation with amino acids, and (2) whether the bulky or branched side chains of Phe, Val, and Leu affect hydrogen bonding.

Resveratrol-Maltol and Resveratrol-Thiophene Hybrids as Cholinesterase Inhibitors and Antioxidants: Synthesis, Biometal Chelating Capability and Crystal Structure.

New resveratrol-thiophene and resveratrol-maltol hybrids were synthesized as cholinesterase inhibitors and antioxidants. As with photostability experiments, biological tests also found remarkable differences in the properties and behavior of thiophene and maltol hybrids. While resveratrol-thiophene hybrids have excellent inhibitory and antioxidant properties (similar to the activity of reference drug galantamine), maltols have been proven to be weaker inhibitors and antioxidants.

Comprehensive Study of Traditional Plant Ground Ivy ( L.) Grown in Croatia in Terms of Nutritional and Bioactive Composition.

In the present study, ground ivy was harvested from different natural habitats in Croatia and subjected to screening analysis for nutritional and bioactive composition. To achieve maximum recovery of phenolic compounds, different extraction techniques were investigated-heat-assisted (HAE), microwave-assisted (MAE) and subcritical water (SWE) extraction. Prepared extracts were analysed by spectrophotometric methods, LC-MS/MS and HPLC-PAD methodologies.

Proteome changes in human bladder T24 cells induced by hydroquinone derived from Arctostaphylos uva-ursi herbal preparation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. (bearberry) is a well-known traditional herbal plant used as a urinary tract disinfectant.

A Lactic Acid Bacteria Consortium Impacted the Content of Casein-Derived Biopeptides in Dried Fresh Cheese.

This study aimed to define a consortium of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that will bring added value to dried fresh cheese through specific probiotic properties and the synthesis of bioactive peptides (biopeptides). The designed LAB consortium consisted of three strains: S-layer carrying D6, exopolysaccharides producing D12 and plantaricin expressing D13, and one strain, ZGZA7-10. Chosen autochthonous LAB strains exhibited efficient adherence to the Caco-2 cell line and impacted faecal microbiota biodiversity.

Formulation and characterization of liposomal encapsulated systems of bioactive ingredients from traditional plant mountain germander (Teucrium montanum L.) for the incorporation into coffee drinks.

Conventional and innovative (microwave-assisted and subcritical water extraction) techniques were applied to investigate the bioactive content of traditional plant - Teucrium montanum. Verbascoside and echinacoside, identified and quantified using LC-MS/MS and HPLC-PAD, were found to be the predominant phenolics in all extracts. Infusion (30 °C, 30 min) was characterized with the highest total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity and was further used for encapsulation into liposomes.

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro biocompatibility assessment of a novel tripeptide hydrogelator, as a promising scaffold for tissue engineering applications.

We have synthesized and characterized a self-assembling tripeptide hydrogelator Ac-l-Phe-l-Phe-l-Ala-NH2. A series of experiments showed that the hydrogel material could serve as a stabile and biocompatible physical support as it improves the survival of HEK293T cells in vitro, thus being a promising biomaterial for use in tissue engineering applications.

Surface coating affects behavior of metallic nanoparticles in a biological environment.

Silver (AgNPs) and maghemite, i.e., superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are promising candidates for new medical applications, which implies the need for strict information regarding their physicochemical characteristics and behavior in a biological environment.

Superparamagnetic Fe3O4 Nanoparticles: Synthesis by Thermal Decomposition of Iron(III) Glucuronate and Application in Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Monodisperse superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles coated with oleic acid were prepared by thermal decomposition of Fe(III) glucuronate. The shape, size, and particle size distribution were controlled by varying the reaction parameters, such as the reaction temperature, concentration of the stabilizer, and type of high-boiling-point solvents. Magnetite particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), as well as electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and magnetometer measurements.

Remarkably fast and selective aromatization of Hantzsch esters with MoOCl4 and MoCl5: a chemical model for possible biologically relevant properties of molybdenum-containing enzymes.

Mo(VI) and Mo(V) salts both react selectively with Hantzsch esters to produce substitute pyridines in good-to-excellent yield (75-99%). The remarkable reactivity and selectivity of MoOCl(4) under reflux of acetonitrile and MoCl(5) in dichloromethane at room temperature encouraged us to propose that molybdenum-containing enzymes (such as xanthine or aldehyde oxidase) also participate to some degree in the metabolism of 1,4-dihydropyridine drugs in the liver analogous to NADH in the respiratory chain.

Genome sequence of the bacteriocin-producing oral probiotic Streptococcus salivarius strain M18.

Streptococcus salivarius is a Gram-positive bacterial commensal and pioneer colonizer of the human oral cavity. Many strains produce ribosomally synthesized proteinaceous antibiotics (bacteriocins), and some strains have been developed for use as oral probiotics. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of the bacteriocin-producing oral probiotic S.

Novel spirotetracyclic zwitterionic dual H(1)/5-HT(2A) receptor antagonists for the treatment of sleep disorders.

Histamine H(1) and serotonin 5-HT(2A) receptors mediate two different mechanisms involved in sleep regulation: H(1) antagonists are sleep inducers, while 5-HT(2A) antagonists are sleep maintainers. Starting from 9'a, a novel spirotetracyclic compound endowed with good H(1)/5-HT(2A) potency but poor selectivity, very high Cli, and a poor P450 profile, a specific optimization strategy was set up. In particular, we investigated the possibility of introducing appropriate amino acid moieties to optimize the developability profile of the series.