Cytotoxicity profiling of choline chloride-based natural deep eutectic solvents.

This study aims to examine in detail for the first time the cytotoxic profile of twelve choline chloride-based deep eutectic solvents (NADES) against HT-29, Caco-2, MCF-7, and MRC-5 cell lines. All NADES systems were synthesized by microwave synthesis using choline chloride as a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and selected sugars, alcohols, organic acids, and urea as hydrogen bond donors (HBD) with the addition of 20% water (w/w) to all systems. It was observed that the cytotoxic effect predominantly depended on the structure of HBD. Acidic systems, where HBDs were organic acids showed the highest cytotoxic effects in all investigated cell lines. The cytotoxicity depended mostly on the concentration of the NADES system in the cell medium as well as on the chemical constitution of the investigated systems. The highest cytotoxic effects showed acidic systems, especially to the HT-29 cell line. The EC50 value for the citric acid-based system was 3.91 mg mL-1 for the HT-29 cell line which was the most vulnerable to acidic NADES systems.

Phenolic Compounds from Sour Cherry Pomace: Microencapsulation, in Vitro Digestion, and Cell Growth Activities.

The objective of this work was the valorisation of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) pomace as a source of biologically active compounds. To formulate microcapsules, polyphenolic compounds were extracted and encapsulated with maltodextrin as wall material, by freeze-drying. An in vitro digestion study was carried out on obtained encapsulates but also on sour cherry pomace extract and sour cherry pomace freeze-dried powder. The results indicated that encapsulation, as well as freeze-drying, provided a good protective effect on bioactive compounds during digestion. Furthermore, the potential antiproliferative and cytotoxic activities of encapsulates and sour cherry pomace extract were evaluated using breast adenocarcinoma MCF7 cell lines, colon adenocarcinoma HT-29 cell lines, and noncancer cell line. Encapsulates and sour cherry pomace extract showed variable anti-proliferative activity towards all cell lines. Obtained results showed that encapsulation of sour cherry pomace could be useful for improving the stability of polyphenolic compounds in the gastrointestinal tract. The results highlight the bioactive potential of sour cherry pomace as a nutraceutical resource and the protective effects of microencapsulation on the digestion of bioactive compounds.

The Applicability of Provocative Functional Tests in the Diagnosis of Rotator Cuff Muscle Injuries of the Best University Athletes.

Rotator cuff disease, external and internal impingement syndromes, low shoulder stability, various types of trauma, and overuse injuries are all related to sports activities. In order to check symptoms in patients with disability and shoulder pain, clinicians use different methods and diagnostic imaging assessment. The research is aimed at evaluating whether there is a difference between provocation function tests (PFT) and ultrasonographic (US) testing of muscles within the rotator cuff in elite collegiate athletes. Patients (n = 184) were recruited from university team sports selections and tested with a standardized US examination of the shoulder and five PFTs (Speed's test, Neer's test, Hawkins test, lift-off test, Yergason's test). Based on the VAS pain assessment scale, 60 subjects had some pain, which was taken for further processing in the work (124 subjects did not have the presence of pain and were excluded from further processing). The US examination was conducted using Voluson 730 apparatus, by a linear probe, with the frequency in the range of 6-12 MHz. The chi-square test showed significant differences between PFT and the occurrence of shoulder muscle tendinitis for the following variables: Speed's test and subscapularis tendinitis (p = 0.02) and Speed's test and infraspinatus tendinitis (p = 0.01); Neer test and biceps brachii caput longum tendinitis (p = 0.01), Neer test and supraspinatus tendinitis (p = 0.02) and Neer test and infraspinatus tendinitis (p = 0.01); lift-off test and subscapularis tendinitis (p = 0.05); and Yergason's test and biceps brachii caput longum tendinitis (p = 0.03) and Yergason's test and subscapitis tendinitis (p = 0.01). The greatest effect of differences was observed in Neer's test and biceps brachii caput longum tendinitis (φ = 0.60), while the other effects can be described as medium and small in most cases. It can be concluded that functional tests are good predictors of soft tissue changes in the muscles of the rotator cuff of the shoulder. Further monitoring and analysis are needed on a larger number of athletes.

Physical Activity, Eating Habits and Mental Health during COVID-19 Lockdown Period in Serbian Adolescents.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of life, especially daily physical activity and healthy eating habits but also mental health. Our study aimed to examine the relationship between the physical activity level, eating habits and mental health of Serbian adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 3506 students from the territory of the Republic of Serbia participated in this study. IPAQ-short version and HBSC-FFQ were used to assess physical activity level and eating habits, along with self-rated health. Moderate correlations were identified between physical activity, eating habits and mental health, along with average physical activity, very high life satisfaction (ß = 0.177, p < 0.01) and very low emotional distress (ß = −0.150, p < 0.01). A significant predictor of mental health was the frequency of breakfast on weekdays (ß = 0.167, p < 0.01 for life satisfaction and ß = −0.153, p < 0.01 for emotional distress), but not on weekends. Since the pandemic's course is uncertain, the focus should be on maintaining good physical activity, nutrition and well-being.

The effects of daily physical activity intervention on physical fitness in preschool children.

The study aimed to determine the effects of 6 months daily physical activity on physical fitness in preschool children. A total of 72 children (36 boys) and 92 children (47 boys) composed the experimental (EG) and control group (CG), respectively. We used the PREFIT battery access physical fitness. In EG, participants had 45 minutes of organized physical activity 5 days per week. The CG continued their usual routine with 30 minutes of structured physical activity two times per week. The EG improved the mean performance of grip strength (η p2=0.08) and sit-ups in the 30s ( p2=0.16) to a significantly greater extent as compared to the CG. In boys, the improvements of mean performance of handgrip strength (η p2=0.13), 4x10m shuttle run η p2=0.09), standing long jump (η p2=0.05), sit-ups in 30s (η p2=0.17) were significantly greater in EG than in the CG. However, girls in EG only had significant improvements  in the sit-ups in the 30 s test compared to CG (η p2=0.14). Overall, our study shows that after 6 months of daily exercise programme, preschool children improved muscular strength compared to those peers allocated in the control group. No significant differences between groups were found in the remaining fitness components analysed.

Novel extraction of polyphenols from sour cherry pomace using natural deep eutectic solvents - Ultrafast microwave-assisted NADES preparation and extraction.

In this work, new approaches for the green extraction of polyphenols from sour cherry pomace were explored. Three Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADES) systems based on choline chloride (ChCl) as a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and malic acid, urea, and fructose (MalA, Ur, and Fru) as hydrogen bond donors (HBD) were used. NADES systems were prepared by heating and stirring (H&S), ultrasound (US), and microwave (MW) methods. It was found that MW-assisted preparation was the fastest requiring less than 30 s. Polyphenol extraction from cherry pomace was performed also by three mentioned methods, and compared with conventional methods. MW extraction was the most rapid with less than 5 min necessary for the extract preparation. All three NADES systems were highly efficient for anthocyanin extraction, but the most efficient was ChCl:MalA system. Extract based on ChCl:MalA system was for 62.33% more efficient for anthocyanin extraction comparing with the conventional solvent.

Medicinal Plants Extracts Impact on Oxidative Stress in Mice Brain Under the Physiological Conditions: the Effects of Corn Silk, Parsley, and Bearberry.

This study was performed to examine the effects of medicinal plant extracts of corn silk (Stigma maydis), parsley leaf (Petroselini folium), and bearberry leaf (Uvae ursi folium) on antioxidant status of the brain of experimental animals (mice) under the physiological conditions. Biological properties of these plants are insufficiently investigated and the aim was to explore their possible antioxidant effects that can alleviate oxidative damage of the brain tissue. Corn silk extract showed positive effect on activities of antioxidant enzymes in mice brain tissue. Parsley extract induced the increase in glutathione content and decrease of lipid peroxidation. Bearberry leaf extract induced catalase activity and decrease of hydroxyl radical content, while malonyldialdehide accumulation was maintained at the control level. Results obtained in this study support the use of corn silk, parsley and bearberry leaves as natural antioxidant sources in the prevention and treatment of brain tissue damages and different diseases caused by oxidative stress.

Nutrition and Physical Activity Behavior in 11-14-Year-Old Schoolchildren in Serbia.

Regular physical activity and healthy diet have a significant positive impact on children's health. Lack of physical activity increases the risk of various diseases, while obesity has become an alarming health problem worldwide. The aim of this study is to investigate the patterns of physical activity and diet among 11-14-year-old school children in Serbia. The sample included 623 primary school children, of whom 333 were boys (53.45%) and 290 were girls (46.55%). The children were also divided according to their age/grade: fifth grade/11 years (24.40% (n = 152; M = 84, F = 68)), sixth grade/12 years (25.68% (n = 160; M = 91, F = 69)), seventh grade/13 years (26.81% (n = 167; M = 83, F = 84)) and eighth grade/14 years (23.11% (n = 144; M = 75, F = 69)). Children's lifestyle was assessed using two subscales of questionnaires based on the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile model II. The Mann-Whitney U test showed no statistically significant difference between boys and girls in the variables Nutrition (p = 0.81) and Physical Activity (p = 0.91). The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied and showed no statistically significant differences between children of different ages, regardless of gender, in the variable Nutrition (p = 0.63). However, differences were evident in the variable Physical Activity (p < 0.001), with the highest mean scores recorded in 12- and 13-year-old children and the lowest in 14-year-old children. Additionally, no statistically significant differences were found among boys as a function of age in the variables Nutrition (p = 0.55) and Physical Activity (p = 0.15), nor among girls in the variable Nutrition (p = 0.43), but in the variable Physical Activity (p = 0.01). In general, it can be concluded that the older primary school children have relatively satisfactory dietary and physical activity habits, but that these behaviors decrease with age, especially the level of physical activity. There is a need for better and more effective education of children about the benefits and importance of proper nutrition and regular physical activity.

Coumarin Derivatives Act as Novel Inhibitors of Human Dipeptidyl Peptidase III: Combined In Vitro and In Silico Study.

Dipeptidyl peptidase III (DPP III), a zinc-dependent exopeptidase, is a member of the metalloproteinase family M49 with distribution detected in almost all forms of life. Although the physiological role of human DPP III (hDPP III) is not yet fully elucidated, its involvement in pathophysiological processes such as mammalian pain modulation, blood pressure regulation, and cancer processes, underscores the need to find new hDPP III inhibitors. In this research, five series of structurally different coumarin derivatives were studied to provide a relationship between their inhibitory profile toward hDPP III combining an in vitro assay with an in silico molecular modeling study. The experimental results showed that 26 of the 40 tested compounds exhibited hDPP III inhibitory activity at a concentration of 10 µM. Compound 12 (3-benzoyl-7-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one) proved to be the most potent inhibitor with IC50 value of 1.10 µM. QSAR modeling indicates that the presence of larger substituents with double and triple bonds and aromatic hydroxyl groups on coumarin derivatives increases their inhibitory activity. Docking predicts that 12 binds to the region of inter-domain cleft of hDPP III while binding mode analysis obtained by MD simulations revealed the importance of 7-OH group on the coumarin core as well as enzyme residues Ile315, Ser317, Glu329, Phe381, Pro387, and Ile390 for the mechanism of the binding pattern and compound 12 stabilization. The present investigation, for the first time, provides an insight into the inhibitory effect of coumarin derivatives on this human metalloproteinase.

The evaluation of phenolic content, in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Mentha piperita extracts obtained by natural deep eutectic solvents.

The focus of this study was to evaluate whether six choline chloride-based natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) could serve as solvents for the extraction of bioactives from the leaves of Mentha piperita. NADES extracted significantly higher amounts of phenols from peppermint than 70% ethanol and may be useful in the extraction of targeted major compounds from peppermint, like rosmarinic acid, at a similar level as 70% ethanol. The microdilution method for in vitro antibacterial activity showed that all NADES exhibit bacterial growth inhibition at a lower concentration than 70% ethanol, especially NADESs containing organic acids. The majority of NADES extracts neutralize DPPH radical at a lower concentration than conventional solvent and showed similar ability to reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+ ions in FRAP assay. NADES can be useful in the isolation of phenolic compounds from plant sources and should be considered as novel, sustainable, and low-cost solvents with a variety of applications.

Exploring fruits from genus Prunus as a source of potential pharmaceutical agents - In vitro and in silico study.

Prunus fruits are recognized to be rich sources of polyphenols with health promoting effect. In this work we evaluated the phenolic profile and bioactivity, namely antioxidant capacity, antiproliferative effect in HT29, and inhibition capacity of α-glucosidase (α-Gls), α-amylase (α-Amy) and human dipeptidyl peptidase III (hDPP III) activities, of traditional Prunus fruits grown in Serbia. Fifteen Prunus samples were investigated and compared: common European plum and three old plum subspecies ('vlaskaca', damson plum and white damson), purple-leaf cherry plum, red and white cherry plum, sweet cherry, sweet cherry-wild type, sour cherry, steppe cherry, mahaleb cherry, blackthorn, peach, and apricot. Principal Component Analysis highlighted steppe cherry and blackthorn as Prunus species with the highest bioactive potential. In silico analysis pointed out rutinoside derivatives of cyanidin and quercetin as the most potent inhibitors of α-Gls, α-Amy and hDPP III enzymes. Quercetin 3-O-rutinoside showed the highest binding energy to α-Gls (-10.6 kcal/mol).

An in vitro and in silico evaluation of bioactive potential of cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) extracts rich in polyphenols and iridoids.

In the present research, seven different cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) cultivars and selections were examined. In vitro and in silico methods were applied for determining and correlating phytochemical constituents and biological potential. Loganic acid, cornuside, cyanidin3-galactoside, and pelargonidin 3-galactoside were determined as the most dominant compounds, presenting ≥90% of the all detected iridoid and phenolic constituents in the extracts. Cornelian cherry fruits were characterized by high antioxidant capacity and antiproliferative activity on human colon cancer cells (HT29). It was observed the strong inhibitory potential of α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and dipeptidyl peptidase III (DPP III) enzyme activities. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used as a very helpful tool to discriminate the constituents with the highest contribution to tested bioactivities and to highlight the most potent genotypes. PCA, together with binding energies measurements and docking analysis, pointed out pelargonidin 3-robinobioside as the strongest inhibitor of α-glucosidase.

Evaluation of Gross Motor Coordination and Physical Fitness in Children: Comparison between Soccer and Multisport Activities.

The early detection and continuous monitoring of children's motor competence levels and physical fitness is very important. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in motor coordination of children enrolled in soccer and multisport activities. The participants of this study included 147 boys and girls (mean age 7.60 ± 0.85 years). The total sample of subjects was composed of two subgroups: children who were enrolled in organized exercise programs-multisports (n = 77), and children who were engaged in soccer training (n = 70). Motor coordination was evaluated with the Kiphard-Schilling body coordination test (KTK). Physical fitness was assessed with a 20 m shuttle run test, 4 × 10 m shuttle run test, standing long jump, and handgrip strength. The ANCOVA showed significant differences (p < 0.05) with large effect size between groups for tests hopping for height (d = 0.93), total motor quotient (d = 1.31), jumping sideways (d = 1.32), and moving sideways (d = 1.59), after adjusting for age and gender. There were no significant differences between groups in the physical fitness tests. It can be concluded that children enrolled in multisport activities have higher levels of motor coordination than children who are enrolled only in soccer. Therefore, multiple sport training programs should be considered and encouraged by parents, educators, and other training professionals.

Nine Months of a Structured Multisport Program Improve Physical Fitness in Preschool Children: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Research in preschool children that investigates the impact of different exercise interventions on physical fitness is limited. This pre-post study was aimed at determining if participation in a nine-month structured multisport program (MSG; n = 38) could enhance physical fitness components compared to a formal exercise program (control group (CG); n = 36) among preschool children. Physical fitness was assessed using standardized tests (the standing long jump, sit and reach, 20 m sprint, sit-ups for 30 s, bent-arm hang, medicine ball throw (MBT), grip strength, 4 × 10 m shuttle run, and 20 m shuttle run tests). The structured multisport program involved fundamental/gross and fine motor skills and ball game-based exercises twice a week. The control group was free of any programmed exercise except for the obligatory program in kindergartens. A mixed ANOVA demonstrated significant group-by-time interaction effects for the 4 × 10 m shuttle run, standing long jump, sit-ups, bent-arm hang, grip strength, and sit and reach tests (p < 0.05). There was no significant group-by-time interaction effect for the 20 m sprint test (p = 0.794) or for the 20 m shuttle run test (p = 0.549). Moreover, the MSG and CG performance in the MBT and 20 m shuttle run tests improved to a similar extent from pre- to post-test. Our results indicate that compared to the formal plan, the structured multisport program led to a sustained improvement in physical fitness in healthy 5-to-6-year old children.

Comparison of changes in water status and photosynthetic parameters in wild type and abscisic acid-deficient sitiens mutant of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Rheinlands Ruhm) exposed to sublethal and lethal salt stress.

Abscisic acid (ABA) regulates many salt stress-related processes of plants such as water balance, osmotic stress tolerance and photosynthesis. In this study we investigated the responses of wild type (WT) and the ABA-deficient sitiens mutant of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Rheinlands Ruhm) to sublethal and lethal salt stress elicited by 100 mM and 250 mM NaCl, respectively. Sitiens mutants displayed much higher decrease in water potential, stomatal conductance and net CO2 assimilation rate under high salinity, especially at lethal salt stress, than the WT. However, ABA deficiency in sitiens caused more severe osmotic stress and more moderate ionic stress, higher K+/Na+ ratio, in leaf tissues of plants exposed to salt stress. The higher salt concentration caused irreversible damage to Photosystem II (PSII) reaction centres, severe reduction in the linear photosynthetic electron transport rate and in the effective quantum yields of PSII and PSI in sitiens plants. The cyclic electron transport (CET) around PSI, which is an effective defence mechanism against the damage caused by photoinhibition in PSI, decreased in sitiens mutants, while WT plants were able to increase CET under salt stress. This suggests that the activation of CET needs active ABA synthesis and/or signalling. In spite of ABA deficiency, proline accumulation could alleviate the stress injury at sublethal salt stress in the mutants but its accumulation was not sufficient at lethal salt stress.

Calcaneus quantitative ultrasound and body composition in preschool children: physical activity consideration / Ultrasonido cuantitativo de calcáneo y composición corporal en niños preescolares: consideración de actividad física

SUMMARY: The aim of this research was to determine the difference in Calcaneus quantitative ultrasound (QUS) and body composition according to physical activity in preschool children. We recruited 296 healthy children (112 girls and 184 boys) from different kindergartens in Vojvodina, Serbia. Children were evaluated for body composition. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements of the heel were performed using the Speed of sound, Broadband Ultrasound Attenuation, Quantitative Ultrasound Index and Estimated bone mineral density for further analysis. Furthermore, children were divided into three groups according to physical activity. Apart from the differences in Body fat % and body mass, there were no significant group differences for BMI, waist circumference and abdominal skinfold (p>0.05). The ANOVA showed significant differences (p<0.05) in all QUS measurements between three different intensities of physical activity. The results show that Body Mass and Body fat % were important predictors that discriminate children according to physical activity. Moreover, the results show that beside BMI and Body fat %, all calcaneus QUS measurements showed differences according to physical activity. In conclusion, our study showed differenses in all calcaneus QUS measurements according to physical activity level.

RESUMEN: El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar la diferencia entre el ultrasonido cuantitativo (USC) de calcáneo y la composición corporal según la actividad física en niños en edad preescolar. Se estudiaron 296 niños sanos (112 niñas y 184 niños) de diferentes jardines infantiles en Vojvodina, Serbia. Se evaluó la composición corporal de los niños. Las medidas de USC del talón se realizaron utilizando la velocidad del sonido, atenuación de ultrasonido de banda ancha, el índice de ultrasonidos cuantitativos y la densidad mineral ósea estimada para un análisis posterior. Los niños se dividieron en tres grupos según actividad física. Además de las diferencias de porcentaje de grasa corporal y masa corporal, no se observaron diferencias significativas de grupo en el índice de masa corporal (IMC), circunferencia de cintura y el pliegue abdominal (p> 0,05). El test de ANOVA mostró diferencias significativas (p <0,05) en todas las mediciones USC entre tres diferentes intensidades de actividad física. Los resultados muestran que la masa corporal y la grasa corporal fueron indicadores importantes que permiten diferenciar a los niños según la actividad física. Por otra parte, los resultados muestran que además del IMC y el porcentaje de grasa corporal, todas las mediciones de USC del calcáneo mostraron diferencias según el nivel de actividad física. En conclusion, nuestro estudio mostró diferencias en el USC de acuerdo al nivel de actividad física.

Effects of Acute Physical Exercise on Mathematical Computation Depending on the Parts of the Training in Young Children.

The aim of this study was to determine whether acute physical exercise may increase the ability to quickly solve basic mathematical operations in young children. In this way, the children acquired the means to activate a larger area of the brain when necessary. The research sample of 38 preschool and 18 schoolchildren was tested in basic mathematical operations before and after physical exercise. The results showed that children's computational performance was enhanced significantly during exercise and remained stable after relaxation part of their physical training.

Effects of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and Resistance Training on Knee Extensor/Flexor Muscles.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has recently drawn a lot of attention as means for strengthening of voluntary muscle contraction both in sport and rehabilitation. NMES training increases maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force output through neural adaptations. On the other hand, positive effects of resistance training (RT) on muscle strength are well known. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of a 5-week program of NMES compared to RT program of same duration. Sample of 15 students' of faculty of sport and physical education (age 22 ± 2) were randomized in two groups: NMES (N = 7) and RT (N = 8). NMES group performed NMES superimposed over voluntary muscle contraction, RT group performed resistance training with submaximal loads. Subjects were evaluated for knee isokinetic dynamometry on both sides (60° and 180° s). After intervention no significant difference between groups were observed in isokinetic dynamometry (p = 0.177). However, applying pair sample t test within each group revealed that peak torque increased in NMES-group (p = 0.002 for right knee extensors muscles, p = 0.003 for left, respectively, at 60° and p = 0.004 for left knee extensors muscles, at angular velocity 180°). In RT group (p = 0.033 for right knee extensors muscles, p = 0.029 for right knee flexor muscles, at angular velocity 60°). Our results indicate that NMES has equal potential if not in some way better than classical RT having in mind that overload on locomotor apparatus during NMES is minimal and force of muscle contraction is equal on both sides, for enhancement of knee muscles concentric peak torque.

The effect of whole-body vibration and resistance training on muscle strength in a 13-year-old boy with m. biceps femoris lesion and posttraumatic calcification.

INTRODUCTION: Skeletal muscle atrophy is a common adaptation after major muscle lesion of m. biceps femoris that results in numerous health-sport related complications. Resistance strength training and whole-body vibration (WBV) have been recognized as an effective tool, which attenuates atrophy and evokes hypertrophy. CASE REPORT. We presented a 13-year-old boy with a lesion of m. biceps femoris and post-traumatic calcification sustained in soccer training session 6 month prior participation in this study. The patient underwent training 3 times a week for 7 weeks, including unilateral progressive WBV + resistance training (RT) of the right hamstrings muscle group using WBV and weights. Hamstrings muscle strength was measured using a Cybex isokinetic dynamometer. At the end of week 4, the patient peak torque value of the involved leg increased from 39% body weight (BW) to 72% BW and bilateral deficit decreased from -64% to -35%; at the end of week 7 the participant's peak torque value of the involved leg increased from 72% BW to 98% BW and bilateral deficit decreased from -35% to -3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Unilateral WBV + RT protocol evokes strength increase in the hamstrings muscle group. This case study suggests that adding WBV, as well as the RT program have to be considered in the total management of strength disbalance. Further studies are needed to verify the efficiency of WBV + RT protocol over the classic physical therapy exercise program.