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Original metallophosphorus dendrimers (generation 3, 48 terminal groups) have been prepared via the complexation of phosphorus dendrimers bearing imino-pyridino end groups with Au(III) or with both Au(III) and Cu(II). The complexation of the dendrimer with Au(III), leading to 1G3-[Au][AuCl], strongly increased the antiproliferative activities against both KB and HL-60 tumoral cell lines, showing ICs in the low nanomolar range. It can be noticed also that this gold conjugated phosphorus dendrimer displayed low activity on the quiescent cell line EPC versus its potent antiproliferative activity against actively dividing cells. In order to evaluate the potential synergistic effect between Au(III) and Cu(II) and the influence of the number of Au(III) moieties on the surface of dendrimer against the proliferative activities, nine other original dendrimers with several surface modifications have been prepared. Whatever the number of Au(III) moieties introduced on the surface of dendrimers, all the dendrimers prepared displayed similar potency (nanomolar range) to 1G3-[Au][AuCl] against KB and HL60. In marked contrast synergistic effects on the antimicrobial activity of some of these phosphorus dendrimers are observed when both Au(III) and Cu(II) are present on the dendritic structure.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is a species often isolated from animals, as a common element of their microbiota or an agent of infection, and from people associated with an animal habitat, including owners of home pets—dogs and cats. As with many other species, adaptation of these bacteria to the human body can occur, and they become important human pathogens. 59 S. pseudintermedius strains were investigated in this study to determine the factors contributing to human body colonization: inhibition growth of human skin residents isolated from human skin (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium spp., Cutibacterium acnes (formerly Propionibacterium acnes)), biofilm formation, and the presence of ten genes encoding infection-promoting features (including ebpS, spsE, lukS, lukF, pvl, lip, hlgA, hlgB). The ability of human skin to be colonized and the presence of genes that promote the development of skin infections showed the significant potential of the studied strains in their adaptation to the host. However, while a comparison of the characteristics of animal strains and those isolated from human infections does not allow us to claim that we are the witnesses of the speciation of a new human pathogen, it does indicate their gradual adaptation to the human organism.

Water soluble silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) capped with cationic carbosilane dendrons have been synthesized by direct reaction in water of dendrons, silver precursor and a reducing agent. These nanoparticles have been characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), elemental analysis, and zeta potential (ZP). The antibacterial and antifungal properties of the cationic dendrons and dendronized AgNPs and AuNPs with these dendrons have been evaluated against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial -including resistant strains- and yeast strains, respectively. The results stand out for the activity of AgNPs covered with first generation dendron compared with this free dendron and corresponding dendronized AuNPs.

Skin microbiome main cultivable aerobes in human are coagulase-negative staphylococci and lipophilic corynebacteria. Staphylococcus strains (155) belonging to 10 species and 105 strains of Corynebacterium belonging to nine species from the skin swabs of healthy male volunteers were investigated to determine their enzymatic activity to main metabolic substrates: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and response to factors present on the skin such as osmotic pressure, pH, and organic acids. The results showed that lipophilic corynebacteria have different capacity for adaptation on the skin than staphylococci. Most of Corynebacterium spp. expressed lack of proteinase, phospholipase, and saccharolytic enzymes activity. Corynebacteria were also more sensitive than Staphylococcus spp. to antimicrobial agents existing on human skin, especially to low pH. These characters can explain domination of Staphylococcus genera on healthy human skin. It can be suggested that within these two bacterial genus, there exists conceivable cooperation and reciprocal protection which results in their quantitative ratio. Such behavior must be considered as crucial for the stability of the population on healthy skin.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) refers to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), whose consequence may be a pulmonary embolism (PE). Thrombosis is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and is the third most common cardiovascular disease after myocardial infarction and stroke. DVT is associated with the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein in the body. Thrombosis promotes slowed blood flow, hypoxia, cell activation, and the associated release of many active substances involved in blood clot formation. All thrombi which adhere to endothelium consist of fibrin, platelets, and trapped red and white blood cells. In this review, we summarise the impact of various factors affecting haemostatic disorders leading to blood clot formation. The paper discusses the causes of thrombosis, the mechanism of blood clot formation, and factors such as hypoxia, the involvement of endothelial cells (ECs), and the activation of platelets and neutrophils along with the effects of bacteria and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mechanisms related to the action of anticoagulants affecting coagulation factors including antiplatelet drugs have also been discussed. However, many aspects related to the pathogenesis of thrombosis still need to be clarified. A review of the drugs used to treat and prevent thrombosis and natural anticoagulants that occur in the plant world and are traditionally used in Far Eastern medicine has also been carried out.

Hitherto, the field of nanomedicine has been overwhelmingly dominated by the use of mesoporous organosilicas compared to their metal oxide congeners. Despite their remarkable reactivity, titanium oxide-based materials have been seldom evaluated and little knowledge has been gained with respect to their "structure-biological activity" relationship. Herein, a fruitful association of phosphorus dendrimers (both "ammonium-terminated" and "phosphonate-terminated") and titanium dioxide has been performed by means of the sol-gel process, resulting in mesoporous dendrimer-coated nanosized crystalline titanium dioxide. A similar organo-coating has been reproduced using single branch-mimicking dendrimers that allow isolation of an amorphous titanium dioxide. The impact of these materials on red blood cells was evaluated by studying cell hemolysis. Next, their cytotoxicity toward B14 Chinese fibroblasts and their antimicrobial activity were also investigated. Based on their variants (cationic versus anionic terminal groups and amorphous versus crystalline titanium dioxide phase), better understanding of the role of the surface-interface composition and the nature of the framework has been gained. No noticeable discrimination was observed for amorphous and crystalline material. In contrast, hemolysis and cytotoxicity were found to be sensitive to the nature of the interface composition, with the ammonium-terminated dendrimer-coated titanium dioxide being the most hemolytic and cytotoxic material. This surface-functionalization opens the door for creating a new synergistic machineries mechanism at the cellular level and seems promising for tailoring the biological activity of nanosized organic-inorganic hybrid materials.

StreszczenieW artykule przedstawiono zagadnienia dotyczące diagnostyki chorób odkleszczowych w Polsce, które stanowią obecnie jedną z grup chorób zawodowych o najszerszym zasięgu na terenie naszego kraju. Problem ten jest aktualny z uwagi na stale rosną-cą liczbę przypadków zachorowań na choroby odkleszczowe (m.in. boreliozę z Lyme, odkleszczowe zapalenie mózgu, tularemię, gorączkę Q, ludzką anaplazmozę granulocytarną, babeszjozę). Odzwierciedlają ten stan zwłaszcza ostatnie meldunki epidemiologiczne Narodowego Instytutu Zdrowia Publicznego -Państwowego Zakładu Higieny (NIZP -PZH) w Warszawie. W niniejszym artykule zawarto również informacje dotyczące taksonomii wektorów poszczególnych czynników etiologicznych chorób tej grupy i ich rezerwuarów oraz możliwości transmisji przedstawionych drobnoustrojów. Ryzyko zakażenia nimi dotyczy szczególnie osób przebywających na terenach leśno-łąkowych w celach zarówno rekreacyjnych, jak i zawodowych (pracowników terenów leśnych, rolników, osób związanych z łowiectwem). Artykuł zawiera najnowsze dane z zakresu epidemiologii, etiopatogenezy, symptomatologii, diagnostyki laboratoryjnej i wpływających na nią czynników, opracowane z uwzględnieniem obowiązują-cych na terenie Polski zaleceń Polskiego Towarzystwa Epidemiologów i Lekarzy Chorób Zakaźnych oraz rekomendacji Krajowej Izby Diagnostów Laboratoryjnych. Szczególny nacisk położono na problematykę współczesnych metod laboratoryjnych wykorzystywanych w trudnej diagnostyce chorób odkleszczowych z uwzględnieniem algorytmów diagnostycznych oraz fazy przedanalitycznej (rodzaj materiału biologicznego) i analitycznej tych badań (metody referencyjne, skuteczność poszczególnych technik, czynniki interferujące, prawidłowość postępowania diagnostycznego). Med. Pr. 2016;67(1):73-87 Słowa kluczowe: epidemiologia, boreliozy, zoonozy, kleszcze, przenosiciele chorób, kliniczne techniki laboratoryjne AbstractThe article presents an overview of diagnostics of tick-borne diseases in Poland, which form one of the most prevalent group of occupational illnesses in the Polish area. This is a current issue due to a constantly growing number of tick-borne infections, i.e., Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis, tularemia, Q fever, human granulocytic anaplasmosis and babesiosis. The scale of the problem is well illustrated by the latest reports of the Polish National Institute of Public Health -National Institute of Hygiene (NIPH -NIH). The article also covers the taxonomy of vectors of etiological factors, as well as their reservoirs and possible transmission to humans. The highest risk of tick-borne infection is particularly connected with people either resting or working in the forest or meadow surroundings (i.e., foresters, farmers, hunters). The article contains up-to-date data on epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, symptomatology, laboratory medicine and factors affecting the credibility of results according to current recommendations of the Polish Society of Epidemiology and Physicians of Infectious Diseases and the Polish National Chamber of ...