Gut bacterial consortium is essential for the homeostasis of the immune system in mammals. A significant role in maintaining this balance play short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), bacterial metabolites resulting from fermentation of dietary oligosaccharides. The most significant are butyric, propionic and acetic acids present in the microbiome in a specified mole ratio, but these proportions may change due to diet, age, diseases, and other factors. SCFA are the type of messengers between microbiota and immune system. They are responsible for maintaining the balance in the pro- and anti-inflammatory reaction through the set of free fatty acid receptors (GPR). Short chain fatty acids may induce regulatory T-cells (Treg) by an bakteinhibition of histone deacetylase enzyme; the biggest inhibitory potential has butyric acid, causing proliferation and an increase of the functional capabilities of Treg cells. Manipulation of the gut microbiome composition and SCFA level constitutes a promising tool supporting treatment of chronic gastrointestinal diseases associated with an inflammation or caused by dysbiosis due to intensive use of antibiotics.

We investigated the association between dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), serum profiles, and immune and inflammatory markers in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in relation to onset, activity, and duration. A total of 66 JIA patients and 42 controls were included. Serum PUFA levels were assessed by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, a dietary intake by 7-day dietary record method, and IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17A levels using ELISA. Dietary PUFA intake did not differ between the JIA group and controls. Intakes of n-6 and n-3 PUFA and serum levels were not associated. Levels of total n-6 PUFA and linoleic acid (LA) were higher in inactive JIA than in active JIA. Patients with active and short-lasting disease (less than 3 months from diagnosis) had significantly lower levels of arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) than the control. Serum α-linolenic acid (ALA) levels were significantly higher in poly-JIA than in oligo-JIA and in controls. We found significantly higher serum IL-10 levels in JIA than in controls. Serum n-6 and n-3 levels were significantly negatively correlated with active joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein and positively with platelet count. Our study presents the low levels of AA and DHA in the active phase of short-lasting JIA, particularly poly-JIA, and the relationship between n-6 and n-3 PUFA and classic markers of inflammation. PUFAs may contribute to the pathogenesis of JIA and support a necessity to identify new targets suitable for successful interventional studies in JIA patients.

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Objective: Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may modulate the inflammatory process in systemic autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to assess the serum concentrations of essential 18-carbon PUFAs and their long-chain derivatives in patients with SLE and healthy controls, and to analyse their associations with laboratory and clinical features of the disease. Method: n-6 and n-3 PUFA composition was assessed in the sera of 30 SLE patients and 20 healthy controls using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We investigated the associations between PUFAs and disease activity measured with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Activity Index (SLEDAI) scores, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, complement C3 and C4 concentrations, anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) titre, anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody concentration, and medications. Results: Serum linoleic acid (LA) and α-linolenic acid concentrations were significantly higher in SLE patients compared with healthy controls. LA concentration correlated positively with the ANA titre and corticosteroid doses; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid correlated inversely with anti-dsDNA antibody concentration. Patients treated with immunosuppressants had significantly lower concentrations of LA, arachidonic acid, and EPA. Conclusion: Both n-6 and n-3 PUFA precursors can participate in the inflammatory process in SLE patients. The mechanism of the PUFA metabolism disturbance needs further exploration.

In this work, the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) thin film microstructure on photocatalytic and biological activity was described. The films were prepared by low-pressure and high-energy magnetron sputtering processes. The structural investigations performed by X-ray diffraction revealed that the films from both the processes were nanocrystalline. It was found that TiO 2 prepared by low-pressure process had the anatase structure with crystallites in size of 20 nm, while the film deposited in high-energy process had the rutile form with crystallites in size of 5 nm. The analysis of surface topography with the aid of optical profiler showed that all prepared films were homogenous and their roughness was lower than 1 nm. The wettability studies revealed hydrophilic nature of both films. The values of water contact angle obtained for anatase and rutile films were equal to 40°and 49°, respectively. Both types of the thin films were photocatalitycally active, but rutile exhibited higher decomposition rate as compared to anatase. During the photocatalytic reaction in the presence of TiO 2 -rutile film after 12 hours of UV-Vis irradiation 30 % of phenol was decomposed, whereas in case of TiO 2 -anatase it was only 10 %. Moreover, the influence of as-deposited coatings on the growth of selected microbes (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans) was examined. It was found that the structural properties of TiO 2 had an effect on biological activity of these films.

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The primary objective of this article is the analysis of trauma in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five and Martin Amis’s Time’s Arrow. It is argued that through the deployment of experimental literary techniques (particularly destabilized and non-linear narratives) these two novels offer valuable insights into the mechanisms of a traumatized mind and help to understand the uncertain sense of the self experienced by those who suffer from traumatic memories.