Anti-Atherosclerotic Properties of Extracts Influenced by Their Chemical Composition Associated with the Ripening Stage of the Berries.

The high content of bioactive compounds in fruit offers health benefits. In this study, the anti-atherosclerotic effect of Aronia extracts was assessed. The impact on the level of adhesion molecules and the inflammatory response of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was shown in relation to the chemical composition and the stage of ripening of the fruits.

Integration of community-based testing data into national HIV surveillance in Poland, Serbia and Slovakia within the framework of INTEGRATE project.

Background: Community-based voluntary counselling and testing contributes to early HIV diagnoses among key populations. Testing data from such decentralized services is however often not standardized nor linked to national surveillance systems. This study aimed to support the integration of community testing data into respective national surveillance and monitoring and evaluation systems for those infections.

Recommendations for collection and integration of community-based testing and linkage to care data into national surveillance, monitoring and evaluation systems for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections: results from the INTEGRATE Joint Action.

Background: National testing strategy, including monitoring and evaluation, is critical in responding to HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and viral hepatitis. Community-based voluntary counselling and testing contributes to early HIV diagnoses among key populations. Countries providing community-based testing, should integrate some core data on testing and linkage to care in these services into national surveillance and monitoring and evaluation systems.

Increasing integrated testing in community settings through interventions for change, including the Spring European Testing Week.

Background: Maximising access to testing by targeting more than one infection is effective in identifying new infections in settings or populations. Within the EU funded Joint Action INTEGRATE, this paper examined the feasibility and impact of expanding integrated testing for HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), chlamydia, gonorrhoea and/or syphilis in four community-based pilots through targeted interventions in Croatia, Italy and Poland and the Spring European Testing Week since community settings are key in detecting new infections and reaching key populations.

Methods: Pilots led by local INTEGRATE partners prioritised testing for other infections or key populations.

Spirostanol Sapogenins and Saponins from L. Structural Characterization by 2D NMR, Theoretical GIAO DFT Calculations and Molecular Modeling.

Two new spirostanol sapogenins (5β-spirost-25(27)-en-1β,2β,3β,5β-tetrol and its 25,27-dihydro derivative, (25S)-spirostan-1β,2β,3β,5β-tetrol ) and four new saponins were isolated from the roots and rhizomes of L. together with known sapogenins (isolated from ): 5β-spirost-25(27)-en-1β,3β-diol , (25S)-spirostan-1β,3β-diol , 5β-spirost-25(27)-en-1β,3β,4β,5β-tetrol , (25S)-spirostan-1β,3β,4β,5β-tetrol , 5β-spirost-25(27)-en-1β,2β,3β,4β,5β-pentol and (25S)-spirostan-1β,2β,3β,4β,5β-pentol . New steroidal saponins were found to be pentahydroxy 5--glycosides; 5β-spirost-25(27)-en-1β,2β,3β,4β,5β-pentol 5--β-galactopyranoside , 5β-spirost-25(27)-en-1β,2β,3β,4β,5β-pentol 5--β-arabinonoside , 5β-(25S)-spirostan-1β,2β,3β,4β,5β-pentol 5--galactoside and 5β-(25S)-spirostan-1β,2β,3β,4β,5β-pentol 5--arabinoside were isolated for the first time.

Fruits as a Rich Dietary Source of Chlorogenic Acids and Anthocyanins: H-NMR, HPLC-DAD, and Chemometric Studies.

(Michx.) Elliott's (chokeberry) besides anthocyanins contains significant amounts of hydroxycinnamic acids: Chlorogenic and its isomer neochlorogenic acid. They exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antibacterial activities, thus they can have a significant impact on the health-promoting properties of .

Structural studies of two capsaicinoids: dihydrocapsaicin and nonivamide. C and N MAS NMR supported by genetic algorithm and GIAO DFT calculations.

Capsaicinoids are alkaloid type capsaicin analogs with prospective pharmacological activity. However their solid state conformations have not been studied yet. As part of the study, cross polarization (CP) magic angle spinning (MAS) solid state C and N NMR spectra of dihydrocapsaicin (DHCAP) and nonivamide (NVA) were recorded.

Hepatitis C services at harm reduction centres in the European Union: a 28-country survey.

Background: In the context of the WHO's 2016 Viral Hepatitis Strategy and the introduction of treatment that can cure more than 95% of cases with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the European Joint Action on HIV and Co-infection Prevention and Harm Reduction (HA-REACT) undertook a study in the member states of the European Union (EU). It aimed to determine service providers' understanding of the current services in their respective countries and the barriers experienced by PWID in accessing HCV testing, care and treatment services in their country.

Methods: In 2017, 38 purposively selected harm reduction service providers completed a 26-item English-language online survey addressing the availability, accessibility and funding of HCV services at harm reduction centres.

mRNA Decapping and 5'-3' Decay Contribute to the Regulation of ABA Signaling in .

Defects in RNA processing and degradation pathways often lead to developmental abnormalities, impaired hormonal signaling and altered resistance to abiotic and biotic stress. Here we report that components of the 5'-3' mRNA decay pathway, DCP5, LSM1-7 and XRN4, contribute to a proper response to a key plant hormone abscisc acid (ABA), albeit in a different manner. Plants lacking DCP5 are more sensitive to ABA during germination, whereas and mutants are affected at the early stages of vegetative growth.

[Sense of nonsense on the guard of the mRNA quality].

The proper gene expression required precise and strictly controlled mechanisms, which allows to remove damaged and unnecessary transcripts. One of the most important quality control mechanism is Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay (NMD). The evolutionary conserved process prevents the production of potentially harmful proteins by eliminating aberrant mRNAs carrying premature translation termination codons (PTC).

Spectroscopic and structural studies of the diosmin monohydrate and anhydrous diosmin.

Diosmin, a flavone glycoside frequently used in therapy of various veins diseases in monohydrate form, exhibits poor solubility in water and low bioavailability. Due to the fact that the anhydrous forms of drugs generally have better bioavailability than the corresponding hydrates, the aim of this study was to analyze the conversion of diosmin monohydrate (DSNM) to anhydrous diosmin (DSNA) that occurs upon heating. The mechanism of this transformation was examined as well as advanced structural studies of each form were performed using 13C CP/MAS SSNMR, DSC, FT-IR and PXRD techniques.

Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, and Antiproliferative Activities and Total Polyphenol Contents of the Extracts of Bark.

species are medically important plants due to their health-promoting effects. The objective of this study was to determine the antioxidant ability and antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of infusions, tinctures, and ethanolic extracts of barks in relation to the contents of total phenolics and flavonoids. Seven samples of barks were collected in various regions of Peruvian Amazonia.

¹³C solid-state NMR analysis of the most common pharmaceutical excipients used in solid drug formulations, Part I: Chemical shifts assignment.

Solid-state NMR is an excellent and useful method for analyzing solid-state forms of drugs. In the (13)C CP/MAS NMR spectra of the solid dosage forms many of the signals originate from the excipients and should be distinguished from those of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). In this work the most common pharmaceutical excipients used in the solid drug formulations: anhydrous α-lactose, α-lactose monohydrate, mannitol, sucrose, sorbitol, sodium starch glycolate type A and B, starch of different origin, microcrystalline cellulose, hypromellose, ethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium alginate, magnesium stearate, sodium laurilsulfate and Kollidon(®) were analyzed.

¹³C solid-state NMR analysis of the most common pharmaceutical excipients used in solid drug formulations Part II: CP kinetics and relaxation analysis.

Excipients used in the solid drug formulations differ in their NMR relaxation and (13)C cross-polarization (CP) kinetics parameters. Therefore, experimental parameters like contact time of cross-polarization and repetition time have a major impact on the registered solid state NMR spectra and in consequence on the results of the NMR analysis. In this work the CP kinetics and relaxation of the most common pharmaceutical excipients: anhydrous α-lactose, α-lactose monohydrate, mannitol, sucrose, sorbitol, sodium starch glycolate type A and B, starch of different origin, microcrystalline cellulose, hypromellose, ethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium alginate, magnesium stearate, sodium laurilsulfate and Kollidon(®) were analyzed.

Solid-state NMR in the analysis of drugs and naturally occurring materials.

This article presents some of the solid-state NMR (SSNMR) techniques used in the pharmaceutical and biomedical research. Solid-state magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR provides structural information on powder amorphous solids for which single-crystal diffraction structures cannot be obtained. NMR is non-destructive; the powder sample may be used for further studies.

Phosphorylation of the N- and C-terminal UPF1 domains plays a critical role in plant nonsense-mediated mRNA decay.

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is an essential quality control system that degrades aberrant transcripts containing premature termination codons and regulates the expression of several normal transcripts. Targets for NMD are selected during translational termination. If termination is slow, the UPF1 NMD factor binds the eRF3 protein of the termination complex and then recruits UPF2 and UPF3.

¹³C cross-polarization magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of the solid drug forms with low concentration of an active ingredient-propranolol case.

Solid State NMR is a method that could be widely used for analyzing solid state forms of drugs in their original formulations. However, when the concentration of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) in the final drug form is low, (13)C CP MAS NMR methods using standard parameters are not efficient. An example of this situation is propranolol, an important drug from the group of beta-blockers whose concentration in the final drug form is low (below 10%).

Changes in antioxidant capacity of blood due to mutual action of electromagnetic field (1800 MHz) and opioid drug (tramadol) in animal model of persistent inflammatory state.

Background: The biological effects and health implications of electromagnetic field (EMF) associated with cellular mobile telephones and related wireless systems and devices have become a focus of international scientific interest and world-wide public concern. It has also been proved that EMF influences the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in different tissues.

Methods: Experiments were performed in healthy rats and in rats with persistent inflammatory state induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) injection, which was given 24 h before EMF exposure and drug application.

¹H and ¹³C NMR-based sugar profiling with chemometric analysis and antioxidant activity of herbhoneys and honeys.

Background: Herbhoneys, relatively new bee products, are expected to have interesting medicinal properties. However, there is still a lack of data concerning their composition and antioxidant properties. ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy coupled with chemometric analysis (PCA and PLS-DA) and antioxidant assays (DPPH-ESR and ORAC-FL) were used to study 25 samples of Polish herbhoneys and honeys.

(1)H and (13)C magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the chicken eggshell.

The chicken eggshell, a product of biomineralization, contains inorganic and organic substances whose content changes during the incubation process. Bloch-decay (BD) (1)H, (13)C, and cross-polarization (CP) (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of chicken eggshells were acquired under magic-angle spinning (MAS). Variable contact time (13)C CP MAS NMR experiments revealed the signals of carbonyl groups from organic and inorganic compounds.

SNF1-related protein kinases type 2 are involved in plant responses to cadmium stress.

Cadmium ions are notorious environmental pollutants. To adapt to cadmium-induced deleterious effects plants have developed sophisticated defense mechanisms. However, the signaling pathways underlying the plant response to cadmium are still elusive.

1H, 13C MAS NMR and DFT GIAO study of quercetin and its complex with Al(III) in solid state.

Quercetin (Q) as a pentahydroxy flavonoid, has three possible chelating sites competing in complexation processes. (1)H and (13)C MAS NMR spectra were recorded for solid quercetin and its Al(III) complex (AlQ). (1)H MAS spectrum of quercetin shows a broad resonance at ca.

Application of 13C CPMAS NMR for qualitative and quantitative characterization of carvedilol and its commercial formulations.

(13) C cross-polarization magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (CPMAS NMR) spectroscopy was applied to the identification and characterization of carvedilol (1-(9H-carbazol-4-yloxy)-3-[2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)-ethylamino]-propan-2-ol) in pharmaceutical preparations. Solid-state spectra (standard linewidth and lack of signal multiplicity) of carvedilol indicate that its physical form is the same (freebase form II); no other polymorphic forms were detected. The spectra of excipients, recorded under the same conditions, were helpful in their identification.

SnRK2 protein kinases--key regulators of plant response to abiotic stresses.

The SnRK2 family members are plant-specific serine/threonine kinases involved in plant response to abiotic stresses and abscisic acid (ABA)-dependent plant development. SnRK2s have been classed into three groups; group 1 comprises kinases not activated by ABA, group 2 comprises kinases not activated or activated very weakly by ABA, and group 3 comprises kinases strongly activated by ABA. So far, the ABA-dependent kinases belonging to group 3 have been studied most thoroughly.