Mineral content of different winter wheat cultivars

In the present study the contents of Cu, Mn and Zn were investigated in the grains of different winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. The nine varieties of winter wheat were: Potenzial, Kalango, Apache, Soisson, Kristina, Chevallier, Panonnikus, Alex and Lovrin 34. The experimental field was placed in 2009-2010 agricultural year, on a cambic chernozem in Timisoara (west of Romania) with the fertilization level N120P60K60. For this goal, the mineral elements mentioned were quantified by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) and for their determination was used the atomic absorption spectrophotometer’s contr AA 300, Analytik Jena. The high contents of Cu were registered by Kalango, Panonikus and Soisson winter wheat cultivars and the lower contents by Potenzial and Apache. Regarding Zn content, Soisson had the greatest value and Apache the lowest value of this parameter. With the exception of Apache winter wheat cultivar, all the varieties registered high values of Mn content. Results of our study demonstrated that mineral content for winter wheat cultivars is strongly influenced by the biological factor

Mineral content of different winter wheat cultivars

In the present study the contents of Cu, Mn and Zn were investigated in the grains of different winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. The nine varieties of winter wheat were: Potenzial, Kalango, Apache, Soisson, Kristina, Chevallier, Panonnikus, Alex and Lovrin 34. The experimental field was placed in 2009-2010 agricultural year, on a cambic chernozem in Timisoara (west of Romania) with the fertilization level N120P60K60. For this goal, the mineral elements mentioned were quantified by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) and for their determination was used the atomic absorption spectrophotometer’s contr AA 300, Analytik Jena. The high contents of Cu were registered by Kalango, Panonikus and Soisson winter wheat cultivars and the lower contents by Potenzial and Apache. Regarding Zn content, Soisson had the greatest value and Apache the lowest value of this parameter. With the exception of Apache winter wheat cultivar, all the varieties registered high values of Mn content. Results of our study demonstrated that mineral content for winter wheat cultivars is strongly influenced by the biological factor

Giant renal cell carcinoma in a patient with ipsilateral lower limb hypertrophic lichen planus; Case report and literature review

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of primary urogenital cancer, usually resistant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Hypertrophic lichen planus is an inflammatory dermatosis characterized by the presence of papulosquamous and intensely pruritic lesions. The association of these two conditions is unusual, being reported in the specialized literature only in a few rare cases with the onset of lichenoid lesions after patients have undergone various forms of treatment. The case of a 62-year-old male patient who was admitted for severe abdominal pain due to a giant renal tumor associated with a hypertrophic plaque located on the anterior part of the left calf is presented. After (clinical, biochemical, imaging) diagnosis, surgery was performed for en bloc removal of the entire mass, adrenal gland, and spleen. The histopathological exam established the diagnosis of a moderately differentiated T2b clear cell Grawitz tumor, without regional lymph node metastasis (stage II). The patient continued local corticosteroid therapy in the hospital for hypertrophic lichen planus lesions, being referred to the oncology department after discharge

MMP-13, VEGF, and Disease Activity in a Cohort of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Identifying certain serum biomarkers associated with the degree of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity can provide us with a more accurate view of the evolution, prognosis, and future quality of life for these patients. Our aim was to analyze the presence and clinical use of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), along with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and well-known cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) for patients with RA. We also wanted to identify the possible correlations between MMP-13 and these serological markers, as well as their relationship with disease activity indices, quality of life, and ultrasonographic evaluation. For this purpose, we analyzed serum samples of 34 RA patients and 12 controls. In order to assess serum concentrations for MMP-13, VEGF, TNF-α, and IL-6, we used the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Our results concluded that higher levels of MMP-13, VEGF, TNF-α, and IL-6 were present in the serum of RA patients compared to controls, with statistical significance. We furthermore identified moderately positive correlations between VEGF, MMP-13, and disease activity indices, as well as with the ultrasound findings. We also observed that VEGF had the best accuracy (97.80%), for differentiating patients with moderate disease activity. According to the data obtained in our study, that although MMP-13, TNF-α and C-reactive protein (CRP) have the same sensitivity (55.56%), MMP-13 has a better specificity (86.67%) in the diagnosis of patients with DAS28(4v) CRP values corresponding to moderate disease activity. Thus, MMP-13 can be used as a biomarker that can differentiate patients with moderate or low disease activity. VEGF and MMP-13 can be used as additional parameters, along with TNF-α and IL-6, that can provide the clinician a better picture of the inflammatory process, disease activity, and structural damage in patients with RA. Our data can certainly constitute a start point for future research and extended studies with multicenter involvement, to support the selection of individualized and accurate therapeutic management strategies for our patients