From functional food to medicinal product: Systematic approach in analysis of polyphenolics from propolis and wine

In the last decade we have been working on standardization of propolis extract and determination of active constituents of wine those are rich in polyphenolics and have nutritional as well as therapeutic value. Here we are summarizing our results and providing overview on systematic approach how to analyse natural products rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids

AUTOMATIC IN-SITU SELF-CALIBRATION OF A PANORAMIC TLS FROM A SINGLE STATION USING 2D KEYPOINTS

Terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) measurements are unavoidably affected by systematic influences due to internal misalignments. The magnitude of the resulting errors can exceed the magnitude of random errors significantly deteriorating the quality of the obtained point clouds. Hence, the task of calibrating TLSs is important for applications with high demands regarding accuracy. In recent years, multiple in-situ self-calibration approaches were derived allowing the successful estimation of up-to-date calibration parameters. These approaches rely either on using manually placed targets or on using man-made geometric objects found in surroundings. Herein, we widen the existing toolbox with an alternative approach for panoramic TLSs, for the cases where such prerequisites cannot be met. We build upon the existing target-based two-face calibration method by substituting targets with precisely localized 2D keypoints, i.e. local features, detected in panoramic intensity images using the Förstner operator. To overcome the detriment of the perspective change on the feature localization accuracy, we estimate the majority of the relevant calibration parameters from a single station. The approach is verified on real data obtained with the Leica ScanStation P20. The obtained results were tested against the affirmed target-based two-face self-calibration. Analysis proved that the estimated calibration parameters are directly comparable both in the terms of parameter precision and correlation. In the end, we employ an effective evaluation procedure for testing the impact of the calibration results on the point cloud quality

ASSESSING THE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN GEOMETRY AND COLORS IN TLS COLORED POINT CLOUDS

The integration of the color information from RGB cameras with the point cloud geometry is used in numerous applications. However, little attention has been paid on errors that occur when aligning colors to points in terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point clouds. Such errors may impact the performance of algorithms that utilize colored point clouds. Herein, we propose a procedure for assessing the alignment between the TLS point cloud geometry and colors. The procedure is based upon identifying artificial targets observed in both LiDAR-based point cloud intensity data and camera-based RGB data, and quantifying the quality of the alignment using differences between the target center coordinates estimated separately from these two data sources. Experimental results with eight scanners show that the quality of the alignment depends on the scanner, the software used for colorizing the point clouds, and may change with changing environmental conditions. While we found the effects of misalignment to be negligible for some scanners, they exhibited clearly systematic patterns exceeding the beam divergence, image and scan resolution for four of the scanners. The maximum deviations were about 2 mrad perpendicular to the line-of-sight when colorizing the point clouds with the respective manufacturer’s software or scanner in-built functions, while they were up to about 5 mrad when using a different software. Testing the alignment quality, e.g., using the approach presented herein, is thus important for applications requiring accurate alignment of the RGB colors with the point cloud geometry

Zinc Deficiency, Plasma Fatty Acid Profile and Desaturase Activities in Hemodialysis Patients: Is Supplementation Necessary?

Background: Desaturation and elongation are critical processes in endogenous metabolic fatty acid pathways. Zinc (Zn) is a cofactor for desaturases and elongases enzymes. There is limited evidence regarding the relationships between biomarkers of Zn status, nutritional intake, plasma phospholipid fatty acid profile and clinical outcomes among patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Objective: To examine the relationships between dietary and serum levels of Zn and Cu/Zn ratio and to explore associations of these micronutrients with PUFA profile and estimated desaturase and elongase enzyme activities in serum phospholipids among HD patients. Methods: This study included 40 adult patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment. Repeated 24-h recalls were applied for dietary intake assessment. Serum concentration of Zn and Cu were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and fatty acid composition by gas-liquid chromatography. Desaturase and elongase activities were calculated from product-precursor fatty acid ratios. Results: Inadequate dietary Zn intake was found in 55% of HD patients. They all had serum Zn concentration below the reference value of 60 μg/dL (mean 38.8 ± 7.72 μg/dL). Adequate zinc intake was accompanied with significantly higher intake of energy, total fats, SFA, MUFA and proteins. There was no correlation between Zn serum status and Zn intake estimates. Serum Cu/Zn ratio was high, (2.76 ± 0.68), directly and significantly associated with HD period, CRP, BMI, VFA, and inversely with Kt/V, albumin, iron, and iPTH. The n-6/n-3 ratio in plasma phospholipids was elevated (12.25 ± 3.45) and patients with inadequate Zn intake had lower n-3 PUFA intake and status compared to those with adequate intake. Serum Zn concentrations were inversely correlated with linoleic/dihomo-γ-linolenic acid ratio (LA/DGLA) (p = 0.037), related to D6-desaturase activity (p = 0.033) and directly with DGLA relative abundances (p = 0.024). Cu status was inversely associated with EPA level (p = 0.03) and estimates of elongase activity (p = 0.001). Furthermore, positive relationship was found between the Cu/Zn ratio and determined elongase value (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Findings of this study underpin the high prevalence of Zn deficiency and inadequate n-3 PUFA intake and status among subjects undergoing HD. The results obtained indicate that the assessment of Zn status should be a standard parameter of nutritional status screening in HD patients while emphasizing the importance of Cu/Zn determination. Although further research is warranted, Zn and-n-3 PUFA supplementation in HD patients might be beneficial for the prevention and attenuation of adverse health outcomes

Susceptibility to antifungal agents of Candida spp. from blood and feces collected in Novi Sad in 3-year period (2008-2010)

Candidemia is an important emerging nosocomial infection in patients with risk factors. Candida species from nonsterile sites can give insight into the characteristics of strains that may cause invasive disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate antifungal susceptibility of Candida blood and fecal isolates in Novi Sad, Vojvodina. During a 3-year period (2008 to 2010), 424 isolates of Candida spp. were collected, 30 bloodstream isolates and 394 strains from fecal samples. In vitro susceptibility of these isolates to five antifungal agents was established using commercial ATB FUNGUS 3 (Bio-Mérieux). Predominant species was Candida albicans (6 isolates from blood and 269 from feces). Resistance to one or more antifungal agents was less common in Candida albicans (3.63%) than in other species (24.83%). Resistance to itraconazole was the most commonly found in both groups of isolates, 9.64% strains from feces and 20% from blood samples. Twelve isolates were multiply resistant, usually to fluconazole, itraconazole, and voriconazole. Resistance to amphotericine B was extremely rare. Although resistance to antimycotics of Candida spp. is rare at present, continued surveillance of antifungal susceptibility is necessary in order to monitor trends, and to choose the right empiric therapy

Ishrana bolesnika sa novodijagnostikovanim rakom pluća

Introduction/Objective Although smoking is the main risk factor for lung cancer (LC), studies have shown that diet could also play an important role. The objective of this study was to analyze dietary intake of newly diagnosed LC patients and to compare with sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Methods Sixty-nine non-treated LC patients (50 male, 19 female, aged 46-80 years), and 70 healthy controls (50 male, 20 female, aged 47-76 years) filled out a validated food frequency questionnaire in the presence of a trained nutritionist. Nutrient intake was calculated using the Serbian Food Composition Database. Results Similar energy intake was reported by both groups. However, the controls had significantly higher intake of total fats, saturated, monounsaturated, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and lower intake of carbohydrates and n-6 PUFAs. Patients with LC reported markedly lower intake of milk and dairy products, eggs, seafood, vegetables, and fruits, and higher intake of grains and grain products. Conclusion Patients with LC had significantly different dietary intake of most nutrients compared to healthy participants, suggesting that changes in dietary patterns could contribute to prevention of LC development.Uvod/Cilj Iako je pušenje vodeći faktor rizika za rak pluća (RP), studije pokazuju da i način ishrane igra važnu ulogu. Cilj ove studije je da se analiza ishrana kod bolesnika sa novodijagnostikovanim RP i da se uporedi sa zdravom populacijom istog pola i godina starosti. Metode Šezdeset devet bolesnika sa novootkrivenim RP (50 muškaraca, 19 žena, starosti 46-80 godina) i 70 zdravih ispitanika (50 muškaraca, 20 žena, starosti 47-76 godina) popunilo je u prisustvu lekara upitnik o učestalosti kon- zumiranja namirnica. Nutritivni unos je računat pomoću Srpske baze podataka o sastavu namirnica. Rezultati Obe grupe su imale sličan unos energije, ali je u kontrolnoj grupi zabeležen veći unos masti, zasićenih, mononezasićenih i n-3 polinezasićenih masnih kiselina (PNMK), a niži unos ugljenih hidrata i n-6 PNMK. Grupa bolesnika je imala značajno niži unos mleka i mlečnih proizvoda, jaja, morskih plodova, voća i povrća, a veći unos žitarica i proizvoda od brašna. Zaključak Bolesnici sa RP imali su značajno drugačiji način ishrane od zdravih ispitanika, što sugeriše da promene u načinu ishrane mogu da doprinesu prevenciji nastanka kancera pluća

Uticaj klimatskih promena na patogene ratarsko povrtarskih biljaka - mere adaptacije i suzbijanje

The risk of disease and pest damages to agricultural crops has increased significantly as a result of climatic changes. Climate change could have positive, negative or no impact on field and vegetable crops diseases. However, it can be foreseen that in some regions, under very strong temperature-precipitation change 'signal', losses induced by increased infection potential of present and/or new diseases could be significant. The paper includes analysis of the severity of diseases caused by parasitic fungi in small grains, sunflower, sugar beet, potato and tomato. Climatic changes have resulted in the dominance of pathogens that require higher temperatures for their development or are better able to adapt to drought conditions. This is the reason why small grains fungal diseases of the genus Fusarium and Septoria spp. have dominant role, causing significant damage. Because the causal agents of sunflower spots develop very well and rapidly at high temperatures, global warming has caused these diseases to become more severe in Serbia and the damages they cause have increased. Furthermore, today, due to increased temperatures, the successful control of the Cercospora leaf spot requires twice as many chemical treatments as in the previous period. Until recently, one to two treatments (1.5 on average) during the growing season were needed in order to control C. beticola, whereas today two to four treatments are required. The early blight of tomato and potato has in recent years become a major disease and has been causing significant damages in these two crops. The increasing severity is attributed to the increase in temperature and the greater frequency of years having warm and dry summers.U radu su razmotreni odnosi biljke i patogena pod uticajem klimatskih promena. Analizirana je zastupljenost patogena na strnim žitima, suncokretu, šećernoj repi, krompiru i paradajzu i dati su temperaturni okviri za njihovu pojavu u jačem intenzitetu. Na osnovu toga predložene su mere adaptacije i suzbijanja. Sistem predviđanja i izveštavanja o pojavi patogena na određenom području imaće veoma važnu ulogu u savremenim sistemima proizvodnje i racionalne primene mera suzbijanja

The influence of hyperprolactinemia on coagulation parameters in females with prolactinomas

Introduction. Currently there is little information on the effects of prolactin (PRL) on the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of hypeprolactinemia on the parameters of the hemostatic system and activation of the coagulation system. Methods. We studied PRL levels, body mass index (BMI), values of activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), D-dimer level, von Willebrand factor antigen (vWFAg) and fibrinogen in 15 young female patients with microprolactinomas before and after therapy and in 15 healthy female controls. Results. As expected, pretreatment PRL levels were significantly higher in patients than in controls (140.90±42.87 vs. 12.53±4.05 ng/ml; p<0.001). PT, although still in the normal range, was prolonged in patients with hyperprolactinemia as compared to the control group (13.53±1.39 vs. 12.65±0.53 s; p=0.03) and normalized after therapy (12.69±0.65 vs. 12.65±0.53 s; p=0.88). TT, although in normal range, was significantly shorter in the hypeprolactinemic patients than in the controls (14.34±4.52 vs. 17.21±1.35 s; p<0.025) and after treatment remained significantly shorter than in the controls (15.17±1.55 vs. 17.21±1.35 s; p<0.0001). D-dimer values before treatment in the patients with hyperproplactinemia were above the normal range (239.47±107.93 vs. 131.27±50.64 ng/ml, p=0.002) and decreased to normal values after therapy (239.47±107.93 vs. 146.60±39.15 ng/ml; p<0.001). D-dimer levels correlated with PRL (r=0.30) and the change in serum D-dimer values significantly correlated with the change in PRL levels during therapy (r=0.62). aPTT, vWFAg and fibrinogen were similar in patients and controls. Conclusion. In our study, increased thrombin generation that resulted in elevated D-dimer levels may be one of the contributing factors to the prethrombotic state in patients with hyperprolactinemia. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175033 i br. 174016

Public health preparedness for two mass gathering events in the context of pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009-Serbia, July 2009

Preparedness planning for two large mass gatherings events were considered in Serbia in the context of pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009. Planning included approaches to prevention, detection and response in order to mitigate the situation at this early stage of the epidemic in Serbia. Cases of influenza A(H1N1) v were identified nationally immediately prior to the mass gatherings but also identified in association with both events, as expected in the context of the pandemic situation. This article describes the experiences of planning and the epidemiological situation during the period of the mass gathering events