Zofia Zachwieja

Use of pattern recognition methods in the interpretation of heavy metal content (lead and cadmium) in children's scalp hair

A study has been performed to identify the exposure to toxic metals and possible adverse effects in children from various rural and industrial areas in southern Poland. The population studied consisted of school children of age 7–12. The concentrations of Pb and Cd were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean Pb and Cd content in the hair of the sampled individuals was found to be 4.85 ± 5.91 µg g–1 and 0.430 ± 0.569 µg g–1, respectively. The hair of boys (particularly those living in the areas of greater industrial contamination) exhibited statistically significant higher levels of Pb and Cd than the hair of girls from the same areas. No relationship was revealed between metal content and either anthropometric indices (weight : height ratio or height : age ratio) or educational achievements.

Some essential phytochemicals and the antioxidant potential in fresh and dried persimmon

Fresh persimmon contains high quantities of bioactive compounds, but is only available in the autumn and winter months. The aim of this investigation was to compare fresh and dried persimmon in order to determine whether the latter could be a substitute for fresh fruit. It was found that the contents of dietary fibers and trace elements in fresh and equivalent quantities of dried fruits were comparable. The content of total polyphenols in fresh persimmon was higher than in dried fruit, but not significantly (P>0.05). Also the antioxidant potential in fresh persimmon as determined by all three used tests was higher than in dried fruit, but not significantly (P>0.05). The methanol extracts of fresh and dried persimmon using the β-carotene–linoleate model system have shown 91% and 88% of antioxidant activity at 50 µl, respectively. Radical scavenging activity with the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method has shown 88% and 84% for the same extracts and the nitric oxide test showed similar results. The best correlation was found between polyphenols, β-carotene, DPPH and nitric oxide values (R2 ranges between 0.9535 and 0.9934). In conclusion, both fresh and dried persimmon possess high contents of bioactive compounds and have a high antioxidant potential. When fresh fruits are not available, proper dried persimmon can be successfully used.

Screening of the antioxidant and nutritional properties, phenolic contents and proteins of five durian cultivars

The antioxidant activities of different durian cultivars at the same stage of ripening (Mon Thong, Chani, Kan Yao, Pung Manee and Kradum) were compared in order to choose the best as a supplement in the human diet. Total polyphenols (mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g fresh weight (FW)) and flavonoids (mg catechin equivalent (CE)/100 g FW) in Mon Thong (361.4±23.2 and 93.9±7.4) were significantly higher (P<0.05) than in Kradum (271.5±11.2 and 69.2±5.3) and Kan Yao (283.2±16.5 and 72.1±6.8). The free polyphenols and flavonoids showed lower results than the hydrolyzed ones. Anthocyanins (µg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent/100 g FW) and flavanols (µg CE/100 g FW) were significantly higher in Mon Thong (427.3±23.8 and 171.4±16.3) than in Kradum (320.2±12.1 and 128.6±9.7) and Kan Yao (335.3±14.1 and 134.4±11.7). Ultraviolet spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography/diode array detection analyses showed that caffeic acid and quercetin were the dominant bioactive substances in Mon Thong cultivar. The antioxidant activity (µM trolox equivalent/100 g FW) of Mon Thong cultivar (260.8±20.2, 1,075.6±81.4 and 2,352.7±124.2) determined by ferric-reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) with Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assays was significantly higher (P<0.05) than in Kradum (197.4±8.9, 806.5±31.2 and 1,773.2±102.5) and in Kan Yao (204.7±9.7, 845.5±48.6 and 1,843.6±107.5). The correlation coefficients between polyphenols, flavonoids, flavanols and FRAP, CUPRAC and TEAC capacities were between 0.89 and 0.98. In extracted and separated by electrophoresis durian proteins, some differences were found in the sodium dodecyl sulfate–protein bands in the region of 16 and 68 kDa for Kradum, 45 kDa for Mon Thong and three bands for Kan Yao. Antioxidants and proteins can be used for characterization of the quality of durian cultivars. In conclusion, the bioactivity of durian cultivars Mon Thong, Chani and Pung Manee was high and the total polyphenols were the main contributors to the overall antioxidant capacity. The results of our investigation in vitro are comparable with other fruits that widely used in human diets. Therefore, Durian can be used as a supplement for nutritional and healthy purposes, especially Durian Mon Thong, Chani and Pung Manee.

Seed oils improve lipid metabolism and increase antioxidant potential in rats fed diets containing cholesterol

Abstract The goal of this investigation was to find the most valuable among four often-used seed oils for atherosclerosis preventing diets. Fatty acids, sterols, antioxidant compounds, stability and total radical-trapping antoxidative potential (TRAP) in sunflower, sunflower high oleic, rapeseed and grapeseed oils were determined. The highest stability and the highest TRAP (3.8 Rancimat 120°C, hours and 324 nmol/ml) and the lowest stability and the lowest TRAP (2.4 Rancimat 120°C, hours and 201 nmol/ml) were in rapeseed and sunflower oils, respectively. The effect of these two seed oils on lipid metabolism and antioxidant activity was investigated on 60 (divided in six diet groups of 10) male Wistar rats adapted to cholesterol-free or 1% cholesterol diets. The control group (Control) consumed basal diet (BD) only. To the BD were added 10g/100g rapeseed (Rapeseed group) or sunflower (Sunflower group) oils, 1 g/100 g cholesterol (Chol group) or both (Chol/Rapeseed group) and (Chol/Sunflower group). The experiment lasted 4 weeks. In the Chol/Rapeseed and Chol/Sunflower vs. Chol group, the oil supplemented diets significantly ( P

Evaluation of zinc content in children’s hair

The zinc content in the hair of 654 children living in various rural and industrial areas in southern Poland was assayed by means of the atomic absorption spectrometry, following the dry digestion procedure. The hair of girls exhibited statistically significant higher level of Zn than the boys’ hair, although in the site of extremal Zn contamination, the inverse relation was found.

Effect of oxovanadium(IV) complexes on nondiabetic and streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

The effects of vanadium complexes with organic ligands, [VO(phen)2]SO42·3H2O, [VO(bpy)2]SO4·2H2O, and [VOCl2(Hmcp)2H2O], on blood glucose and plasma lipid levels were studied in nondiabetic and streptozotocin‐diabetic rats and compared to that of [VO(mal)2] (the reference compound). The present results provide evidence that the compounds examined possess lower toxicity than [VO(mal)2]. One of the compounds examined, viz. [VO(bpy)2]SO4·2H2O, decreases, statistically significantly, the glucose level and a second one, viz. [VOCl2(Hmcp)2H2O], decreases, also significantly, the total cholesterol level.

Investigations on the Elements Status Markers in Humans. Lead. Significant Correlation between PB Content in Milk Teeth and Blood of 6-Year-Old Children

Strong positive correlation of lead content in milk teeth and blood of 6-year old children suggests a potential usefulness of analysis of milk teeth in population studies, even for the populations not highly exposed to lead.

Investigations on the Magnesium Status Marker in Humans. The Environmental Variability of the Magnesium Levels in the Hair, Plasma and Erythrocytes of School Children from Poland

A deficiency in magnesium status is observed in different age groups of the Polish population [1]. It is believed there is a connection with inappropriate diet and with environmental pollution. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of some environmental factors and gender on children’s magnesium status.

Maternal and Cord Blood Heavy Metals (Pb, Cd) Concentrations and the Risk of Prematurity and Delivery of SGA Infants 192

Maternal and Cord Blood Heavy Metals (Pb, Cd) Concentrations and the Risk of Prematurity and Delivery of SGA Infants 192