Comparison of phenolic profile and in vitro antioxidant capacity of Sorbus domestica L. leaf samples from Poland and Croatia

This work presents a comparative analysis of the phenolic composition (UHPLC-PDA-ESI-MS 3 , HPLC-PDA- fingerprint, UV-spectrophotometric methods) and antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP) of leaf samples from two vegetation seasons of a medicinal and dietary plant Sorbus domestica growing in its natural habitat (Croatia, C) and cultivated in Poland (P). The samples from both sources were rich in structurally diverse polyphenols (44 analytes; P: 73.4–76.6 and C: 98.3–106.7 mg GAE/g dry leaves) including the dominating flavan-3-ols and flavonoids. The greatest qualitative and quantitative differences were observed for flavonoids (P: 14.3–20.3%; C: 27.5–34.1% of polyphenols) – in the Polish samples flavonoid diglycosides predominated, in the Croatian samples the contents of both monoglycosides and diglycosides were similar. In the case of dry methanolic extracts, despite the higher extraction efficiency obtained for the Croatian samples (32–36% vs 23–24%), the quality of the extracts was comparable, both in terms of the total phenolic content (P: 269.4–280.0; C: 297.6–304.4; mg GAE/g dry extract) and antioxidant activity parameters (DPPH, EC 50 , μg/mL. P: 10.5–10.9, C: 10.0–10.3; and FRAP, mmol Fe 2+/g, P: 6.64–7.13, C: 7.06–7.11). As a result, the study confirmed the influence of environmental conditions on the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of S. domestica leaves, as well as showed that despite some differences, plant materials from both Poland and Croatia might be suitable for production of natural health products

The growth and development of Spartina pectinata under the climatic conditions of the Olsztyn Lakeland

A field experiment was conducted in spring of 2007 in the Agricultural Experiment Station in Bałdy, owned by the University of Warmia and Mazury (NE Poland). The experiment had a completely randomized design with four replications. Plot size was 20 m2. Forty seedlings of prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata Link.) were grown per plot, at the density of 2 plant per m2 respectively. The experiment was established on mineral soil (sandy silt) of quality class IVa. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of climatic conditions in the Olsztyn Lakeland on the growth and development of introduced species of C4 grasses

Response of Lactobacillus brevis cells to osmotic stress researched by flow cytometry

Pałeczki fermentacji mlekowej mogą wytrzymywać efekty stresu osmotycznego w naturalnym środowisku bytowania, jak również w procesie produkcji żywności. Złożoność zmian zachodzących w komórkach w wyniku działania tego stresu stwarza potrzebę poszerzenia wiedzy dotyczącej jego wpływu na stan fizjologiczny pałeczek Lactobacillus. Celem pracy było określenie wpływu chlorku sodu w zakresie 0,5 ÷ 2,5 % na fizjologię komórek szczepu Lactobacillus brevis, które wyizolowano z żywności. Zastosowano cytometrię wielobarwną i dobrano barwienie CFDA/PI (dioctan karboksyfluoresceiny/jodek propidyny) do oznaczenia aktywności esterolitycznej i spójności błon cytoplazmatycznych komórek. Na podstawie analizy cytometrycznej wyodrębniono cztery grupy komórek o określonych parametrach: 1 – CFDA⁻PI⁺, 2 – CFDA⁺PI⁺, 3 – CFDA⁻PI⁻, 4 – CFDA⁺PI⁻, których udział zależał od dadatku chlorku sodu w badanych próbkach. Zaobserwowano zwiększony udział komórek w grupie 1. i zmniejszony – w grupie 4. w badanych próbkach, świadczące o wzroście udziału komórek z uszkodzeniami w błonach cytoplazmatycznych i obniżeniu udziału komórek aktywnych. Na podstawie wyników metody płytkowej dowiedziono, że część populacji Lb. brevis straciła tzw. hodowalność w środowisku o największym stężeniu chlorku sodu – 2,5 %. Stwierdzono, że szczep Lb. brevis wykazał znaczną tolerancję na działanie chlorku sodu w badanym zakresie i wiedza z tego zakresu może być przydatna w badaniach skriningowych nad przydatnością pałeczek Lactobacillus w przemyśle.Lactic acid rod-shaped bacteria stand the effects of osmotic stress in natural living environments as well as in food production process. The complexity of changes occurring in cells as a result of osmotic stress creates the need for extending the knowledge of its effect on the physiological condition of rodshaped Lactobacillus bacteria. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of sodium chloride ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 % on the physiology of cells of Lactobacillus brevis strain isolated from food. A flow cytometry was applied and a fluorescent staining CFDA / PI (carboxyfluorescein diacetate / propidium iodide) was chosen to determine the metabolic activity and integrity of cytoplasmic membranes of cells. Based on the cytometric analysis, four groups were identified of cells with particular parameters: 1: CFDA⁻PI⁺; 2: CFDA⁺PI⁺; 3: CFDA⁻PI⁻; and 4: CFDA⁺PI⁻, and their percent content depended on the sodium chloride added to the samples analyzed. In the samples studied, it was found that the content of cells in group 1 increased and in group 4 decreased; this was evidence of the increase in the percent content of cells with damages in cytoplasmic membranes and of the decrease in the percent content of active cells. Based on the plate count results, it was proved that part of the L. brevis population lost culturability in the environment with the highest concentration of sodium chloride: 2.5 %. Furthermore, it was found that the L. brevis strain showed a considerable tolerance to the action of sodium chloride within the range studied and the knowledge in this area might be useful to research the suitability of Lactobacillus strains for industrial processes using screening methods

Central nervous system involvement by multiple myeloma: A multi-institutional retrospective study of 172 patients in daily clinical practice

The multicenter retrospective study conducted in 38 centers from 20 countries including 172 adult patients with CNS MM aimed to describe the clinical and pathological characteristics and outcomes of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) involving the central nervous system (CNS). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors for survival. The median time from MM diagnosis to CNS MM diagnosis was 3 years. Thirty-eight patients (22%) were diagnosed with CNS involvement at the time of initial MM diagnosis and 134 (78%) at relapse/progression. Upon diagnosis of CNS MM, 97% patients received initial therapy for CNS disease, of which 76% received systemic therapy, 36% radiotherapy and 32% intrathecal therapy. After a median follow-up of 3.5 years, the median overall survival (OS) from the onset of CNS involvement for the entire group was 7 months. Untreated and treated patients had median OS of 2 and 8 months, respectively (P<0.001). At least one previous line of therapy for MM before the diagnosis of CNS disease and >1 cytogenetic abnormality detected by FISH were independently associated with worse OS. The median OS for patients with 0, 1 and 2 of these risk factors were 25 months, 5.5 months and 2 months, respectively (P<0.001). Neurological manifestations, not considered chemotherapy-related, observed at any time after initial diagnosis of MM should raise a suspicion of CNS involvement. Although prognosis is generally poor, the survival of previously untreated patients and patients with favorable cytogenetic profile might be prolonged due to systemic treatment and/or radiotherapy. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc