The Flora of Zečevo (Hvar Archipelago, Croatia)

The islet of Zečevo belongs to Hvar Archipelago and it is situated two kilometres north-east of Vrboska on the island of Hvar (Croatia). The area of islet is protected as a Significant landscape. During vegetation periods from 2006 to 2010 a total of 216 vascular plant taxa were recorded. From those, 12 taxa were recorded for Hvar Archipelago for the first time. The taxa were classified within 65 families and 161 genera. The most abundant families are legumes (Fabaceae 13%), daisies (Asteraceae s.l. 9.2%), grasses (Poaceae 8.3%) and mints (Lamiaceae 5.1%). According to the analysis of life forms the largest portion of therophytes (45.4%) and hemicryptophytes (21.3%) were found. Phytogeographical analysis reveals predominance of the Mediterranean fl oral element (63.4%), followed by widespread plants (12.5%) and Euro-Asian floral element (9.7%). Five endemics and five endangered species were recorded, among them three are vulnerable (VU): Ophrys bertolonii Moretti, O. sphegodes Mill., Salsola kali L. and two are endangered (EN): Glaucium flavum Crantz and Carex extensa Gooden. Three rare plant species of Croatian flora: Ophrys liburnica Devillers et Devillers-Tersch, Scaligeria cretica (Mill.) Boiss. and Narcissus serotinus L. were found

Scurvy

Scurvy is a nutritional disorder which can develop after prolonged (>1-3 months) severe vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C is a cofactor in several enzyme reactions involved in collagen synthesis. The defect in collagen causes blood vessel fragility, poor wound healing, mucocutaneous bleedings, hair abnormalities, bone pains, and joint contractures due to perios-teal and intraarticular bleeding (1,2). Risk factors for scurvy development are undernutrition, low socio-economic status, older age, male sex, alcoholism, tobacco smoking, and severe psychiatric illnesses (1-3). The required daily intake for vitamin C is ~60 mg, and this amount of vitamin C can be found in only one medium-sized orange. For this reason, the disease is rarely encountered in developed countries and is often underrecognized by healthcare personnel. Here-in, we present an illustrative case of scurvy in order to raise the awareness of this disorder

Neurochemical and Behavioural Changes in Rat Models of Depression

Depression is one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders with significant lifetime prevalence. The study of human depression is hindered by the relatively significant heterogeneity of this disorder. As a result of these heterogeneities, studies using a sound and representative animal model of depression are extremely valuable and, in general, provide important information regarding the neurochemical/ biological changes occurring during depression and the subsequent treatment of its symptoms. In this review we concentrate on two solid rat models of depression: olfactory bulbectomized (OBX) rats and Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) of rats. These two models were selected because they possess all three characteristics of a good animal model; face, predictive and constructive validities. We also emphasize the brain serotonergic system and we discuss the open field and forced swim test to assess behaviour. (doi: 10.5562/cca1817

Scurvy

Scurvy is a nutritional disorder which can develop after prolonged (>1-3 months) severe vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C is a cofactor in several enzyme reactions involved in collagen synthesis. The defect in collagen causes blood vessel fragility, poor wound healing, mucocutaneous bleedings, hair abnormalities, bone pains, and joint contractures due to perios-teal and intraarticular bleeding (1,2). Risk factors for scurvy development are undernutrition, low socio-economic status, older age, male sex, alcoholism, tobacco smoking, and severe psychiatric illnesses (1-3). The required daily intake for vitamin C is ~60 mg, and this amount of vitamin C can be found in only one medium-sized orange. For this reason, the disease is rarely encountered in developed countries and is often underrecognized by healthcare personnel. Here-in, we present an illustrative case of scurvy in order to raise the awareness of this disorder

Do or Die: HPV E5, E6 and E7 in Cell Death Evasion

Abstract: Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) infect the dividing cells of human epithelia and hijack the cellular replication machinery to ensure their own propagation. In the effort to adapt the cell to suit their own reproductive needs, the virus changes a number of processes, amongst which is the ability of the cell to undergo programmed cell death. Viral infections, forced cell divisions and mutations, which accumulate as a result of uncontrolled proliferation, all trigger one of several cell death pathways. Here, we examine the mechanisms employed by HPVs to ensure the survival of infected cells manipulated into cell cycle progression and proliferation

EFFECTS OF FERTILIZATION ON THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF IMMORTELLE SEEDLINGS (HELICHRYSUM ITALICUM (ROTH) G. DON)

Proizvodnja sredozemnog smilja (Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don) u Hrvatskoj je u porastu te se javlja potreba za bržom i kvalitetnijom ponudom sadnog materijala. Cilj rada je utvrditi kako na visinu biljke, broj postranih izbojaka i masu suhe tvari presadnice utječu dušik, fosfor i kalij pojedinačno i u kombinaciji primijenjeni u hranjivim otopinama različitih koncentracija (električne provodljivosti: 1,5 mS/cm, 2,2 mS/cm i 3,0 mS/cm). Pokus je postavljen na presadnicama u fazi 4 do 5 listova nakon pikiranja. Dobiveni rezultat pokazuje da sve varijante imaju pozitivan učinak na rast i razvoj do određenih koncentracija u odnosu na kontrolu osim kalija. Pojedinačna gnojidba dušikom i fosforom u koncentracijama do 2,2 mS/cm ima pozitivan učinak na rast i razvoj presadnica smilja, dok koncentracije ovih gnojiva iznad 2,2 mS/cm nisu doprinijele boljem rastu presadnica. Gnojidba kalijem u kontroliranim uvjetima nije imala pozitivan učinak u usporedbi s ostalim gnojivima.Cultivation of (Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don) in Croatia is on a rise and, consequently, there is a growing need for a faster and high-quality seedling production. The aim of this paper is to determine how nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers affect the plant height, the number of secondary shoots and the dry matter mass, individually and in combination, in three separate concentrations of nutritive solution (electrical conductivity: 1.5 mS/cm, 2.2 mS/cm and 3.0 mS/cm). The experiment was performed with seedlings pricked out in the phase of 4 to 5 leaves. The obtained results show that all treatments positively affected the growth and development up to a certain concentration level as measured against the control batch. The only exception is potassium. Fertilization with nitrogen and phosphorus only in concentrations up to 2.2 mS/cm had a positive effect on the growth and development of immortelle seedlings, whereas concentrations of these fertilizers exceeding 2.2 mS/cm did not enhance the seedlings growth. Potassium fertilization in the controlled environment did not show positive results in comparison to other

Human Papillomaviruses-Associated Cancers: An Update of Current Knowledge

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs), which are small, double-stranded, circular DNA viruses infecting human epithelial cells, are associated with various benign and malignant lesions of mucosa and skin. Intensive research on the oncogenic potential of HPVs started in the 1970s and spread across Europe, including Croatia, and worldwide. Nowadays, the causative role of a subset of oncogenic or high-risk (HR) HPV types, led by HPV-16 and HPV-18, of different anogenital and head and neck cancers is well accepted. Two major viral oncoproteins, E6 and E7, are directly involved in the development of HPV-related malignancies by targeting synergistically various cellular pathways involved in the regulation of cell cycle control, apoptosis, and cell polarity control networks as well as host immune response. This review is aimed at describing the key elements in HPV-related carcinogenesis and the advances in cancer prevention with reference to past and ongoing research in Croati

CLINICAL GUIDELINES FOR DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND MONITORING OF PATIENTS WITH NON-INVASIVE BREAST CANCER

Rak dojke najčešća je maligna bolest u žena. Ranom dijagnostikom i sve uspješnijim liječenjem invazivnog raka dojke postignut je značajan pad mortaliteta, produljenje preživljenja i poboljšanje kvalitete života bolesnica. Postupak s neinvazivnim rakom dojke međutim povezan je s nekim dvojbama i sviješću o problemu predijagnosticiranja i pretjeranog liječenja nekih bolesnica. U tekstu koji slijedi multidisciplinarni tim stručnjaka donosi prve hrvatske smjernice čija je svrha standardizacija i optimalizacija kriterija i postupaka dijagnostike, liječenja i praćenja bolesnica s neinvazivnim rakom dojke u Republici Hrvatskoj.Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women. Early diagnosis and more effective treatment of invasive breast cancer resulted in significant mortality reduction, improvement of survival and the quality of life of the patients. The management od non-invasive breast cancer, on the contrary, is still controversial and the problem of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of patients come to evidence. In the following text a multidisciplinary team of experts brings the first consensus guidelines aimed to standardize and optimize the criteria and management in diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of non-invasive breast cancer patients in the Republic of Croatia

Omics\u27 biomarkers associated with chronic low back pain: Protocol of a retrospective longitudinal study

Introduction Chronic low back pain (CLBP) produces considerable direct costs as well as indirect burdens for society, industry and health systems. CLBP is characterised by heterogeneity, inclusion of several pain syndromes, different underlying molecular pathologies and interaction with psychosocial factors that leads to a range of clinical manifestations. There is still much to understand in the underlying pathological processes and the non-psychosocial factors which account for differences in outcomes. Biomarkers that may be objectively used for diagnosis and personalised, targeted and cost-effective treatment are still lacking. Therefore, any data that may be obtained at the-omics\u27 level (glycomics, Activomics and genome-wide association studies-GWAS) may be helpful to use as dynamic biomarkers for elucidating CLBP pathogenesis and may ultimately provide prognostic information too. By means of a retrospective, observational, case-cohort, multicentre study, we aim to investigate new promising biomarkers potentially able to solve some of the issues related to CLBP. Methods and analysis The study follows a two-phase, 1:2 case-control model. A total of 12 000 individuals (4000 cases and 8000 controls) will be enrolled; clinical data will be registered, with particular attention to pain characteristics and outcomes of pain treatments. Blood samples will be collected to perform-omics studies. The primary objective is to recognise genetic variants associated with CLBP; secondary objectives are to study glycomics and Activomics profiles associated with CLBP. Ethics and dissemination The study is part of the PainOMICS project funded by European Community in the Seventh Framework Programme. The study has been approved from competent ethical bodies and copies of approvals were provided to the European Commission before starting the study. Results of the study will be reviewed by the Scientific Board and Ethical Committee of the PainOMICS Consortium. The scientific results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration number NCT02037789; Pre-results