EFFECT OF FLOWER THINNING ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF ‘`STANLEY`’ PLUM (PRUNUS DOMESTICA L.)

Plum is the most important fruit crop for cultivation in Serbia. However, a small amount of plum fruit is sold as fresh fruit due to its poor quality. In order to improve fruit quality and obtain regular and high yield chemical blossom thinning agents were applied. The experiment was conducted on seven-year-old plum trees of cultivar `Stanley` which were planted on distance 5x5 m. Ammonium thiosulphate and ethephon were applied in the next treatments: 1) ammonium thiosulphate 1.5% (ATS); 2) ethephon 0.015% (E); 3) ammonium thiosulphate 1.5% + ethephon 0.015% (ATS + E); 4) hand thinning (HT); 5) untreated control treatment (UTC). Chemical thinning treatments were performed once during the phase of full bloom, while hand thinning treatment was performed after the fall of unfertilized fruitlets at the end of May. Parameters analyzed were yield, fruit size, fruit weight, pit weight, fruit firmness, fruit shape index, soluble solids content, total acid content and the amount of harvested fruits per time unit. The obtained results have shown that ATS + E, ATS and HT treatments significantly reduced the number of fruits on the trees compared to the control treatment. However, yield per tree was reduced significantly only in the ATS + E treatment. Other treatments compensated for the smaller number of fruits per tree with a significantly larger fruit size. Since the fruit size was larger on treated trees, the amount of harvested fruits per time unit was significant compared to control treatment. There were no significant differences among the applied treatments in terms of fruit firmness, soluble solids and total acid content

Evaluation of different formulas for LDL-C calculation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Friedewald's formula for the estimation of LDL-C concentration is the most often used formula in clinical practice. A recent formula by Anandaraja and colleagues for LDL-C estimation still needs to be evaluated before it is extensively applied in diagnosis. In the present study we validated existing formulas and derived a more accurate formula to determine LDL-C in a Serbian population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Our study included 2053 patients with TG ≤ 4.52 mmol/L. In an initial group of 1010 patients, Friedewald's and Anandaraja's formulas were compared to a direct homogenous method for LDL-C determination. The obtained results allowed us to modify Friedewald's formula and apply it in a second group of patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean LDL-C concentrations were 3.9 ± 1.09 mmol/L, 3.63 ± 1.06 mmol/L and 3.72 ± 1.04 mmol/L measured by a direct homogenous assay (D-LDL-C), calculated by Friedewald's formula (F-LDL-C) and calculated by Anandaraja's formula (A-LDL-C), respectively in the 1010 patients. The Student's paired t-test showed that D-LDL-C values were significantly higher than F-LDL-C and A-LDL-C values (p < 0.001). The Passing-Bablok regression analysis indicated good correlation between calculated and measured LDL-Cs (r > 0.89). Using lipoprotein values from the initial group we modified Friedewald's formula by replacing the term 2.2 with 3. The new modified formula for LDL-C estimation (S-LDL-C) showed no statistically significant difference compared to D-LDL-C. The absolute bias between these two methods was -0.06 ± 0.37 mmol/L with a high correlation coefficient (r = 0.96).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our modified formula for LDL-C estimation appears to be more accurate than both Friedewald's and Anandaraja's formulas when applied to a Serbian population.</p

Comparison of two RNA isolation methods for determination of SOD1 and SOD2 gene expression in human blood and mononuclear cells

468-474In the current study, two RNA isolation techniques were compared and their abilities to produce high-quality RNA were evaluated. mRNA expression profiles of SOD1 (Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase) and SOD2 (Mn superoxide dismutase) genes were measured by real-time PCR. From a pool of fresh human citrate-whole blood and ten healthy individuals, RNA was isolated with the TRIzol™ extraction method (TRI) and with the ABI PRISMTM 6100 Nucleic AcidPrepStation (ABI). The concentration and purity of RNA extracts were determined spectrophotometrically. RNA integrity was evaluated by electrophoresis on a 1% agarose gel. PCR was performed on a 7500 Real-Time PCR System. The student’s t-test was applied to compare normally distributed variables. Both protocols gave similar RNA quantities when adjusted to the initial blood volume. Relative quantification values obtained from the TRI method for SOD1 were significantly higher (p<0.01) and for SOD2 were significantly lower (p<0.05) as compared to those obtained from the ABI method, respectively. Coefficients of variation (CV) for gene expression parameters in SOD1 and SOD2 analyses were lower when the TRI method was used. The TRI method was generally more consistent in yielding pure RNA in comparison to the ABI and better reproducibility in gene expression analyses was apparent. </span

Effect of Astaxanthin Supplementation on Paraoxonase 1 Activities and Oxidative Stress Status in Young Soccer Players

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of astaxanthin (Asx) on paraoxonase (PON1) activities and oxidative stress status in soccer players. Forty soccer players were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to Asx and placebo (P) group. Blood samples were obtained before, 45 and 90days after supplementation. PON1 activity was assessed by using two substrates: paraoxon and diazoxon. The oxidative stress biomarkers were also examined: total sulphydryl group content (-SH groups), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), advanced oxidation protein products and redox balance. The significant interaction effect of supplementation and training (p LT 0.05) on PON1 activity toward paraoxon was observed. The PON1 activity toward diazoxon increased in Asx group after 90days (p LT 0.01), while there was no significant difference in P group. SH groups content rose from pre- to post-supplementation period only in Asx group (supplementation and training, p LT 0.05; training, p LT 0.01). TBARS levels decreased after 45days and increased after 90days of regular soccer training in both groups (training, p LT 0.001). Redox balance decreased significantly in response to the regular training, regardless of treatment group (training, p LT 0.001). Asx supplementation might increase total SH groups content and improve PON1 activity through protection of free thiol groups against oxidative modification. Copyright (c) 2012 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd

Relationship between bone resorption, oxidative stress and inflammation in severe COPD exacerbation

Background: The natural course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is complicated by the development of systemic consequences and co-morbidities. Increasing evidence indicates that COPD and osteoporosis are strongly linked. The common features in COPD pathology, history of smoking, age, inactivity, systemic inflammation, and use of systemic corticosteroids, are important risk factors for osteoporosis. Methods: Pulmonary function, matrix metalloproteinase, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases, oxidative stress parameters, inflammatory markers and bone resorption marker were measured in 85 COPD patients and 47 healthy subjects. In patients, all parameters were assessed at two time points: one day after admission during exacerbation and about 30 days after, in the stable state of disease. Results: In patients, bone resorption marker collagen type I p-isomerized C-terminal telopeptide (beta CL) was increased during exacerbation: geometric mean 0.521, compared with stable patients 0.408, p lt 0.01, and control subjects 0.362 ng/ml, p lt 0.001. During exacerbation high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and neutrophil count were significantly higher in COPD patients compared with the control group, p lt 0.001. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) concentrations were significantly higher in COPD patients, stable state or exacerbation, compared with control subjects, p lt 0.001. In patients during exacerbation, total oxidative status (TOS) was higher compared with the stable state, p lt 0.05 and control group, p lt 0.001. Multiple linear regression for the joint influence of inflammation, hypoxia and oxidative status during exacerbation showed almost 60% influence on the variability of beta CL concentrations. Conclusion: Intensification of disease characteristic symptoms such as inflammation, hypoxia, protease/antiprotease imbalance and oxidative stress, during exacerbation episodes in COPD patients may also contribute to increased bone resorption