Phytochemical Composition of Different Red Clover Genotypes Based on Plant Part and Genetic Traits

Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is an important legume that is also known as a rich source of isoflavones, which are compounds with mild estrogenic activity. Therefore, this plant is often used as a raw material in the production of dietary supplements recommended in menopause. Many factors can influence isoflavone content, but those genetically related are considered to be the most important. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical profile of different plant parts of 30 red clover genotypes grouped according to ploidy and country of seed origin by analyzing the content of dominant isoflavones, total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity. It was found that there are significant differences in the examined traits among plant parts. Red clover leaves had the highest total isoflavone content, with biochanin A as the dominant compound, while flower extracts had the highest TPC and antioxidant activity. Diploid and tetraploid genotypes were significantly different concerning the content of daidzein, genistein, formononetin and TPC with higher quantities in tetraploid samples. On the other hand, seed origin was not a useful separating factor for the analyzed samples. The results of this research indicate that ploidy, as a previously poorly studied factor, could influence isoflavone content in red clover.

Development of HPLC method for determination of phenolic compounds on a core shell column by direct injection of wine samples

Phenolic compounds are frequently present in various natural products, and they can have different beneficial biological potentials. The most widely used method for determination of individual phenolic compounds is high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In this paper, a method for simultaneous determination of 16 phenolic compounds (gallic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, catechin, syringic acid, trans-cinnamic acid, hesperetin, naringenin, vanillic acid, benzoic acid, coumaric acid, resveratrol, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol) on a core–shell column was developed. The separation method conducted on a standard ODS (250 mm) column was transferred to Poroshell column and optimized using non-ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) apparatus. Phenolic compounds were separated fast and efficiently during 30-min analysis, and validation parameters were determined. The developed method was successfully applied on the analysis of phenolic content after direct injection of red wines from three different grape varieties.

Anxiety and depression in hospitalized patients in Department of Oncology University Clinical Hospital Mostar

Background

In recent decades, growing interest in the research association of somatic and psychiatric disorders. Contemporary research and clinical practice shows that approximately half of cancer patients are associated with mental disorders, mostly depression and anxiety disorder.

Aim

To establish presence of depression and anxiety in patients hospitalized on oncology in University Clinic Hospital in Mostar.

Examinees and methods: In total, 80 patients hospitalized on oncology in University Clinic Hospital in Mostar between January 1st and March 31st 2010. (Examine group) and 80 patients who were admitted in ordination of family medicine in Mostar between March 1st and March 20th 2010. (Control group), participated in the research. In research we used Becks Anxiety and Depression Inventory.

Results

Examinees hospitalized on oncology had higher presence of depression in comparison to control group (Fisher exact test, χ2 test = 23,852: P < 0,001). We found no significant difference in presence of anxiety between examine and control group (χ2 test = 3,890; P = 0,143).

Conclusion

Control group showed statistically higher presence of depression, while we didn’t prove statistically significant difference in presence of anxiety between examine and control group.

[Twenty years of severe aplastic anemia treatment at Department of Hematology, University Department of Medicine, Zagreb University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia]

Aplastic anemia is a bone marrow disease characterized by marrow aplasia and pancytopenia. Because hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) cures severe aplastic anemia (SAA), it is the treatment of choice for younger patients. For many years, antithymocyte globulin (ATG) has been standard immunosuppressive therapy for those aplastic anemia patients that have no HLA matched related donor. ATG significantly improves aplastic anemia outcome, especially when combined with cyclosporine (CSP). The response rate varies from 40% to 70% and long-term survival is comparable with patients receiving marrow transplant. From 1983 until 2006, 46 SAA patients received HLA identical sibling marrow graft. In the same period, 50 patients received standard immunosuppressive therapy combined from horse or rabbit ATG, 6 methyl prednisolone and cyclosporine. Out of 46 transplant patients, 27 received a combination of cyclophosphamide and thoraco-abdominal irradiation. The overall probability of survival for SAA patients that underwent marrow grafting is 51%, and for patients receiving immunosuppressive treatment 20%. We analyzed a cohort of patients receiving treatment after 1990 and found the probability of survival to be 64% for bone marrow transplanted patients and 36% for patients receiving immunosuppression. Infection is the main cause of death in both groups. In conclusion, we documented improving results using ATG in patients with SAA.

IgH and TCRgamma gene rearrangements, cyclin A1 and HOXA9 gene expression in biphenotypic acute leukemias

In this study we investigated IgH and TCRgamma gene rearrangements, cyclin A1 and HOXA9 gene expression as well as the in vitro growth of biphenotypic acute leukemia (BAL) blasts in relation to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The aim of the study was to correlate BAL morphology and its biological parameters in order to get information that might be used for additional stratification of BAL. This rare form of AL was identified in a total of 10 patients, comprising 4.3% of adult and 3.0% of pediatric patients with de novo AL referred to our institution during the 1999-2003 period. Our results indicate that IgH and TCRgamma gene rearrangements correlated well with lymphoid BAL morphology, whereas the expression of cyclin A1 correlated with myeloid and undifferentiated BAL morphology. Surprisingly, HOXA9 expression, a marker associated with myeloid cell lineage, showed no strong correlation with BAL morphology. Finally, in vitro growth of blasts during a 7-day culture showed autonomous cell growth in 3/10 AML and 3/8 myeloid BAL samples tested, but not in any of the AL with lymphoid features. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to extend research to a broader spectrum of cell markers.