the study reveals links between disturbed geochemical environment being the result of mining and smelting activities with consumers exposure to toxic and carcinogenic metallic trace elements (Mtes). this study focused on evaluation on vegetable and soil pollution in family allotment gardens (fAGs), considering in the aspects of consumer exposure to cadmium, lead and zinc. Study material consisted of 219 soil samples from FAGs located in one of the most polluted areas in Poland, and 64 samples of edible plants. Contents of analyzed MTEs in topsoil in the studied area were spatially diversified and depended primarily on the location of industrial pollution sources. The average content of cadmium (0.52 mg kg −1 fresh weight) and lead (0.57 mg kg −1 fresh weight) in vegetables exceeded maximum permissible concentrations according to the european Quality Standards. Human health risk assessment was based on three scenarios of dietary exposure to cadmium, lead and zinc. in every scenario the highest average daily dose for all three elements was estimated for potatoes which are one of the main components of poles' diet. presented study showed that consumption of vegetables cultivated in fAGs located in Silesia Province may pose a significant health risk for their consumers. Lead and zinc mines are found all over the world. Some of them are still active, but the vast majority ended mining and processing activities years ago. However, the remains of their activities still pose a serious threat to the environment. Metallic trace elements (MTEs) such as Pb, Zn, Cd have been and are released into the environment (both natural and anthropogenic sources, e.g. volcanic eruptions, mining and extraction of different elements from their respective ores), posing a threat to the health of people exposed to them both through inhalation and food. Consumption of food (vegetables, fruits) grown in MTEs contaminated areas carries the risk of potential negative health effects 1-4. First family allotment gardens (FAGs) in Europe appeared at the end of the 18th century as charitable aid for city dwellers, in connection with deteriorating living conditions. Poor workers were given plots of land that they could spend on growing vegetables and fruits for their own needs 5,6. Most often, the gardens were established in places of low attractive or peripheral districts, near industrial plants, railways and car transport routes 7,8. In Europe, the development of allotment gardening was particularly evident in Denmark, France, Germany and the United Kingdom 9. Allotment gardens (AGs) are still an important component of urban greenery, performing many significant functions for a city and its inhabitants. It is estimated that currently in Europe there are about three million individual allotment gardens 10. Epidemiological studies indicate the health and social function of allotment gardens as the main functions 11. Despite many benefits from the functioning of allotments, it should be remembered that due to their location in industrial areas of citie...

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Chronic stress, even stress of a moderate intensity related to daily life, is widely acknowledged to be a predisposing or precipitating factor in neuropsychiatric diseases. There is a clear relationship between disturbances induced by stressful stimuli, especially long-lasting stimuli, and cognitive deficits in rodent models of affective disorders. Regular physical activity has a positive effect on the central nervous system (CNS) functions, contributes to an improvement in mood and of cognitive abilities (including memory and learning), and is correlated with an increase in the expression of the neurotrophic factors and markers of synaptic plasticity as well as a reduction in the inflammatory factors. Studies published so far show that the energy challenge caused by physical exercise can affect the CNS by improving cellular bioenergetics, stimulating the processes responsible for the removal of damaged organelles and molecules, and attenuating inflammation processes. Regular physical activity brings another important benefit: increased stress robustness. The evidence from animal studies is that a sedentary lifestyle is associated with stress vulnerability, whereas a physically active lifestyle is associated with stress resilience. Here, we have performed a comprehensive PubMed Search Strategy for accomplishing an exhaustive literature review. In this review, we discuss the findings from experimental studies on the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms underlying the impact of exercise on brain resilience. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective potential of preconditioning exercise and of the role of exercise in stress resilience, among other things, may open further options for prevention and therapy in the treatment of CNS diseases.

Experimental and clinical data support the neuroprotective properties of the ketogenic diet and ketone bodies, but there is still a lot to discover to comprehensively understand the underlying mechanisms. Autophagy is a key mechanism for maintaining cell homeostasis, and therefore its proper function is necessary for preventing accelerated brain aging and neurodegeneration. Due to many potential interconnections, it is possible that the stimulation of autophagy may be one of the mediators of the neuroprotection afforded by the ketogenic diet. Recent studies point to possible interconnections between ketone body metabolism and autophagy. It has been shown that autophagy is essential for hepatic and renal ketogenesis in starvation. On the other hand, exogenous ketone bodies modulate autophagy both in vitro and in vivo. Many regional differences occur between brain structures which concern i.e., metabolic responses and autophagy dynamics. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the ketogenic diet on autophagic markers and the ketone body utilizing and transporting proteins in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. C57BL/6N male mice were fed with two ketogenic chows composed of fat of either animal or plant origins for 4 weeks. Markers of autophagosome formation as well as proteins associated with ketolysis (BDH1—3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1, SCOT/OXCT1—succinyl CoA:3-oxoacid CoA transferase), ketone transport (MCT1—monocarboxylate transporter 1) and ketogenesis (HMGCL, HMGCS2) were measured. The hippocampus showed a robust response to nutritional ketosis in both changes in the markers of autophagy as well as the levels of ketone body utilizing and transporting proteins, which was also accompanied by increased concentrations of ketone bodies in this brain structure, while subtle changes were observed in the frontal cortex. The magnitude of the effects was dependent on the type of ketogenic diet used, suggesting that plant fats may exert a more profound effect on the orchestrated upregulation of autophagy and ketone body metabolism markers. The study provides a foundation for a deeper understanding of the possible interconnections between autophagy and the neuroprotective efficacy of nutritional ketosis.

Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are a group of common metabolites and semiochemicals mediating information transfer between higher organisms and bacteria, either from microbiome or external environment. VFAs commonly occur among various insect orders. There are numerous studies exploring their influence on the behavior of different insect species. In relation to the papers published by J. E. McFarlane in 1985, we assessed the effects of formic, acetic, propionic, butyric and valeric acids on the spatial preference of the lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), a common pest of stored food grain products and the poultry industry. The main aim of the presented study was to provide new angles in VFA research, recreating the classical study both with new methods and on economically significant pest species. This paper presents a novel method of continuous, simultaneous assessment of site preference and the travelled distance in a constant-flow olfactometer. All the tested VFAs, except valeric acid, had a significant repellent effect, with formic acid being effective even at the lowest used concentration. Additionally, the VFAs significantly altered the distance travelled by the insects. The obtained results indicate a potential role for VFAs in the olfactory guided behavior of A. diaperinus. It is suspected that the reaction to the presence of VFAs may deviate from the specificity of species’ original habitat.

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Background: In the pathogenesis of central nervous system disorders (e.g., neurodegenerative), an important role is attributed to an unhealthy lifestyle affecting brain energy metabolism. Physical activity in the prevention and treatment of lifestyle-related diseases is getting increasing attention. Methods: We performed a series of assessments in adult female Long Evans rats subjected to 6 weeks of Western diet feeding and wheel-running training. A control group of lean rats was fed with a standard diet. In all experimental groups, we measured physiological parameters (animal weights, body composition, serum metabolic parameters). We assessed the impact of simultaneous exposure to a Western diet and wheel-running on the cerebrocortical protein expression (global proteomic profiling), and in the second part of the experiment, we measured the cortical levels of protein related to brain metabolism (Western blot). Results: Western diet led to an obese phenotype and induced changes in the serum metabolic parameters. Wheel-running did not reduce animal weights or fat mass but significantly decreased serum glucose level. The global proteome analysis revealed that the altered proteins were functionally annotated as they were involved mostly in metabolic pathways. Western blot analysis showed the downregulation of the mitochondrial protein—Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase family member 9, hexokinase 1 (HK1)—enzyme involved in principal glucose metabolism pathways and monocarboxylate transporter 2 (MCT2). Wheel-running reversed this decline in the cortical levels of HK1 and MCT2. Conclusion: The cerebrocortical proteome is affected by a combination of physical activity and Western diet in female rats. An analysis of the cortical proteins involved in brain energy metabolism provides a valuable basis for the deeper investigation of changes in the brain structure and function induced by simultaneous exposure to a Western diet and physical activity.

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