Evaluation of phenolic content in selected red fruit juices.

BACKGROUND: Red fruits are characterised by a particularly high content of bioactive compounds, e.g. anthocyanins, tannins, pectins, vitamins and minerals. Dietary supply of proper amounts of antioxidants is essential to reduce oxidative stress, and thus is an important element in the prevention of lifestyle diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the content of polyphenols in selected red fruit juices (chokeberry, elderberry, pomegranate, cranberry), as well as to assess the impact of storage time on the content of these compounds in the analysed samples. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research material consisted of 17 juices (100%): 3 chokeberry juices, 4 elderberry juices, 5 pomegranate juices and 5 cranberry juices, which differed in terms of the manufacturer, type, price range, country of origin and production method. The total polyphenol content was measured by spectrophotometry using the Folin�Ciocalteu reagent. The procedure was based on a modified method described by Waterhouse. Active acidity (pH) was measured with the potentiometric method using a pH-meter and the sucrose content was measured using a refractometer. RESULTS: The highest mean content of polyphenolic compounds was found in chokeberry and elderberry juices. Juice storage time did not reduce the mean content of polyphenolic compounds. The highest sucrose content was found in chokeberry juices and the lowest in cranberry juice. CONCLUSIONS: Chokeberry and elderberry juices had the highest content of polyphenols among the tested products. Juices stored after opening in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions (at 4°C) do not lose their nutritional properties.

Assessment of quality of life, pain level and disability outcomes after lumbar discectomy.

This study aimed to assess the quality of life of 113 Caucasian patients with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration of the lumbosacral (L/S) spine who qualified for microdiscectomy during a 12-month period after surgery. Based on magnetic resonance imaging before the surgery, the degree of radiological advancement of the degenerative changes was determined according to the Pfirrmann grading scale from 1 to 5. To assess pain intensity, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used; the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) was used to evaluate quality of life; and to assess the degree of ability, the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODI) was employed. The level of pain, assessed using the VAS, significantly changed in the months following the surgery, with the highest values noted before surgery and the lowest a year after. In turn, the results of the SWLS questionnaire revealed a significant increase in satisfaction with life in the subsequent stages of the study. The conducted correlation analysis revealed significant dependencies in terms of quality of life in regard to pain as well as degree of disability. The level of pain and degree of disability were closely related to the degree of radiological advancement of degenerative changes according to the Pfirrmann grading scale.

Adequacy of Anaesthesia for Nociception Detection during Vitreoretinal Surgery.

Vitreoretinal surgery (VRS) is one of the most widely performed precise procedures in ophthalmic surgery; the majority of cases are carried out under regional anaesthesia (RA) only. However, in specific situations (such as when the patient fails to cooperate with the operator for various reasons), general anaesthesia (GA), alone or in combination with GA (combined general-regional anaesthesia, CGR), is the only safe way to perform VRS. While monitoring the efficacy of an intraoperative rescue opioid analgesia (IROA) during surgery (assessing the adequacy of anaesthesia (AoA)) may be challenging, the surgical pleth index (SPI) is a useful tool for detecting the reaction to noxious stimuli and allows for the rational titration of opioid analgesics (AO) during surgery. The current study investigated the influence of the SPI-based titration of fentanyl (FNT) in combination with various pre-emptive analgesia (PA) techniques on intraoperative pain perception during various stages of VRS performed under AoA. A total of 176 patients undergoing VRS under GA were enrolled in the study. They were randomly assigned to one of the five following study arms: Group GA (control group)-patients who received general anaesthesia alone; Group PBB-GA with preprocedural peribulbar block (with 0.5% bupivacaine and 2% lidocaine); Group T-GA with preventive, topical 2% proparacaine; Group M-GA with a preprocedural intravenous infusion of 1.0 g of metamizole; and Group P-GA with a preprocedural intravenous infusion of 1.0 g of paracetamol. The whole procedure was divided in four stages: Stage 1 and 2-preoperative assessment, PA administration, and the induction of GA; Stage 3-intraoperative observation; Stage 4-postoperative observation. the SPI values were monitored during all stages. The occurrence of nociception (expressed as ∆SPI >15) during various manipulations in the surgical field was observed, as were cumulative doses of rescue analgesia, depending on the PA administered. During the course of VRS, rescue FNT doses varied depending on the stage of surgery and the group investigated. The majority of patients, regardless of their group allocation, needed complementary analgesia during trocar insertion, with Group GA patients requiring the highest doses. Likewise, the highest cumulative doses of IROA were noted during endophotocoagulation in Group GA. Preventive PBB and topical anaesthesia were proven to be most efficient in blunting the response to speculum installation, while topical anaesthesia and paracetamol infusion were shown to be more efficient analgesics during endophotocoagulation than other types used PA. In the performed study, none of the PA techniques used were superior to GA with FNT dosing under the SPI with respect to providing efficient analgesia throughout the whole surgery; there was a necessity to administer a rescue OA dose in both the control and investigated groups.

Social Inequalities: Do They Matter in Asthma, Bronchitis, and Respiratory Symptoms in Children?

Background: Social inequalities (e.g., poverty and low level of education) generate inequalities in health. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the relationships between indicators of social inequalities and the frequency of respiratory symptoms, asthma, and bronchitis in children. Material and Methods: In 2019, an epidemiological cross-sectional study on 3237 students from elementary schools in Silesia Voivodships (South Poland) was conducted. The students' parents completed a questionnaire based on the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Social inequalities in the children's families were determined according to parents' education and professional status (working vs. unemployed), self-assessment of economic status, and housing conditions. To determine the influence of social factors on the occurrence of asthma, bronchitis, and respiratory symptoms, the odds ratio (OR) was calculated. Results: Children living in apartments with traces of mold had a higher risk of developing asthma (OR = 1.5, 95%CI: 1.17-1.96; p = 0.002) or bronchitis (OR = 1.4, 95%CI: 1.13-1.72; p = 0.002), wheezing attacks at nights (OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.01-1.93), wheezy in the last 12 months (OR = 1.6; 95%CI:1.24-2.08; p < 0.001), and chronic cough (OR = 1.9; 95%CI: 1.49-2.46; p < 0.001). Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) was associated with higher risk of cough (OR = 1.5 95%CI: 1.22-1.96; p < 0.001) and dyspnea in the last 12 months (OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.04-2.00; p = 0.02). Low socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with increased risk of chronic cough (OR = 1.5; 95%CI: 1.09-2.03; p = 0.009) and increased risk of wheezy in the last 12 months (OR = 1.4; 95%CI: 1.06-1.97; p = 0.008). Asthma and bronchitis were not dependent on parents' education or professional status. Conclusions: Social inequalities have significant impacts on the occurrence of respiratory symptoms, bronchitis, and asthma in children. Interventions aimed at preventing bronchitis and childhood asthma should also focus on social health determinants.

Clinical and molecular evaluation of patients with ovarian cancer in the context of drug resistance to chemotherapy.

The present study aimed to evaluate changes in the expression patterns at the gene and protein levels associated with drug resistance. The study group included 48 women who had a histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of stage I-IV ovarian cancer, they were divided into two subgroups (groups A and B). In group A, there were 36 patients in whom surgical treatment was supplemented with first-line chemotherapy according to current standards. Within this patient group, 5 had stage I (14%), 5 had stage II (14%), 25 had stage III (69%), and 1 had stage IV ovarian cancer (3%). Drug resistance was found after the third cycle of chemotherapy in 17 patients (71%) and after the sixth cycle in 7 patients (29%). Group B included 12 women with type I ovarian cancer, including 11 with stage I and 1 patient with stage IV ovarian cancer. The oncological treatment required only surgery. The control group (C) included 50 women in whom the uterus and adnexa were surgically removed for non-oncological reasons. Significantly higher levels of carcinoma antigen 125 CA-125 and human epididymis protein 4 HE4 were observed in group A and in menopausal women. Moreover, drug resistance was associated with significantly higher levels of CA-125 (p < 0.05). The genes UBA2, GLO1, STATH, and TUFT1 were differentiated in test samples from control samples. Moreover, drug resistance was associated with significantly higher expression of GLO1. The results of these assessments indicated the strong link between UBA2 and hsa-miR-133a-3p and hsa-miR-133b; GLO1 and hsa-miR-561-5p; STATH and hsa-miR-137-3p and hsa-miR-580-3p; and TUFT1 and hsa-miR-1233-3p and hsa-miR-2052. Correlation analysis showed a significant correlation between CA-125 and HE4 levels. Moreover, a significant correlation between TUFT1 mRNA and UBA2, GLO1, STATH (negative correlation), and TUFT1 in relation to CA-125 and HE4 (p < 0.05) was noted in all patients. In view of the lack of screening tests for ovarian cancer, the occurrence of the described correlation may be inscribed as an attempt to establish an assay that meets the criteria of a screening test and thus increase the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

Adverse Events during Vitreoretinal Surgery under Adequacy of Anesthesia Guidance-Risk Factor Analysis.

Vitreoretinal surgeries require the administration of general anesthesia (GA) in selected groups of patients. The administration of intraoperative rescue narcotic analgesia (IRNA) during GA poses the risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). The surgical pleth index (SPI), a crucial component of the adequacy of anesthesia (AoA) guidance of GA, optimizes the intraoperative titration of IRNA. The current analysis evaluated the risk factors for the occurrence of PONV and the oculo-cardiac reflex (OCR) in patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) under AoA guidance. In total, 175 patients undergoing PPV were randomly allocated to receive either GA with SPI-guided IRNA administration using fentanyl alone or in addition to different preoperative analgesia techniques. Any incidence of PONV or OCR was recorded. Obesity, overweight, smoking status, motion sickness, postoperative intolerable pain perception, female gender, fluid challenge and arterial hypertension did not correlate with an increased incidence of PONV or OCR under AoA guidance. Diabetes mellitus, regardless of insulin dependence, was found to correlate with the increased incidence of PONV. The AoA regimen including SPI guidance of IRNA presumably created similar conditions for individual subjects, so no risk factors of the occurrence of PONV or OCR were found, except for diabetes mellitus. We recommend using AoA guidance for GA administration to reduce OCR and PONV rates.

Adequacy of Anesthesia and Pupillometry for Endoscopic Sinus Surgery.

Inadequate intraoperative analgesia causes the deterioration of the condition of the surgical field (CSF) as a result of hemodynamic instability. Analgesia monitors are used to guide remifentanil) infusion to optimize intraoperative analgesia. The main aim of the current randomized controlled trial was to investigate the potential advantages of intraoperative analgesia monitoring using surgical Pleth index (SPI)- or pupillometry (PRD)-guided remifentanil administration for managing the volume of total intraoperative blood loss (TEIBL), CSF, and length of operation (LOP) in comparison with the standard practice in patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). The 89 patients in our study were grouped as follows: 30 patients were assigned to the general analgesia (GA) group, 31 patients were assigned to the SPI group, and 28 patients were assigned to the PRD group. The speed of remifentanil infusion was accelerated by 50% when SPI, PRD, or BSS were increased by >15 points, >5%, or >2, respectively, in adjacent groups until their normalization. The SPI group showed significantly lower TEIBL in comparison to the GA group (165.2 ± 100.2 vs. 283.3 ± 193.5 mL; p < 0.05) and a higher mean arterial pressure (MAP; 73.9 ± 8 vs. 69.2 ± 6.8 mmHg; p < 0.05). In the PRD group, a shorter LOP compared with the GA group was observed (63.1 ± 26.7 min vs. 82.6 ± 33.1 min; p < 0.05). It was noted that the PRD group had a lower total remifentanil consumption than the SPI group (1.3 ± 1.4 vs. 1.8 ± 0.9 mg; p < 0.05). In ASA I-III patients undergoing ESS, intraoperative monitoring based on state entropy and SPI values can optimize the CSF and reduce TEIBL, whereas monitoring based on state entropy and PRD measurements can optimize the cost effectiveness of anesthetic drugs and the use of the operation room.

Adequacy of Anesthesia Guidance for Colonoscopy Procedures.

In patients undergoing colonoscopy procedures (CPs), inadequate dosing of hypnotic drugs (HD) and opioid analgesics (OA) during intravenous sedoanalgesia (ISA) may lead to intraprocedural awareness with recall (IAwR), intraprocedural (IPP) and postprocedural pain (PPP), as well as postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the titration of HD and OA based on the observance of changing values of state entropy (SE) and surgical pleth index (SPI) (adequacy of anesthesia-AoA), state entropy alone, or standard practice may reduce the number of adverse events. One hundred and fifty-eight patients were included in the final analysis. The rate of IAwR and IPP was statistically more frequent in patients from the C group in comparison with the AoA and SE groups (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). In turn, the rate of PPP, PONV, and patients' and operators' satisfaction with ISA between groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Changes in hemodynamic parameters, demand for HD, and OA were statistically significant, but of no clinical value. In patients undergoing CPs under ISA using propofol and FNT, as compared to standard practice, intraprocedural SE monitoring reduced the rate of IAwR and IPP, with no influence on the rate of PPP, PONV, or patients' and endoscopists' satisfaction. AoA guidance on propofol and FNT titration, as compared to SE monitoring only, did not reduce the occurrence of the aforementioned studied parameters, imposing an unnecessary extra cost.

Preventive Analgesia, Hemodynamic Stability, and Pain in Vitreoretinal Surgery.

Background and Objectives: Although vitreoretinal surgery (VRS) is most commonly performed under regional anaesthesia (RA), in patients who might be unable to cooperate during prolonged procedures, general anaesthesia (GA) with intraprocedural use of opioid analgesics (OA) might be worth considering. It seems that the surgical pleth index (SPI) can be used to optimise the intraprocedural titration of OA, which improves haemodynamic stability. Preventive analgesia (PA) is combined with GA to minimise intraprocedural OA administration. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the benefit of PA combined with GA using SPI-guided fentanyl (FNT) administration on the incidences of PIPP (postprocedural intolerable pain perception) and haemodynamic instability in patients undergoing VRS (p < 0.05). We randomly assigned 176 patients undergoing VRS to receive GA with SPI-guided FNT administration alone (GA group) or with preventive topical 2% proparacaine (topical anaesthesia (TA) group), a preprocedural peribulbar block (PBB) using 0.5% bupivacaine with 2% lidocaine (PBB group), or a preprocedural intravenous infusion of 1.0 g of metamizole (M group) or 1.0 g of paracetamol (P group). Results: Preventive PBB reduced the intraprocedural FNT requirement without influencing periprocedural outcomes (p < 0.05). Intraprocedural SPI-guided FNT administration during GA resulted in PIPP in 13.5% of patients undergoing VRS and blunted the periprocedural effects of preventive intravenous and regional analgesia with respect to PIPP and haemodynamic instability. Conclusions: SPI-guided FNT administration during GA eliminated the benefits of preventive analgesia in the PBB, TA, M, and P groups following VRS.

Nutritional Status Assessment in Children and Adolescents with Various Levels of Physical Activity in Aspect of Obesity.

INTRODUCTION: A rational way of nourishment, combined with adequate physical activity, are the basic components of maintaining proper body condition. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate nutritional status among children and adolescents with different levels of physical activity. METHODS: The study group consisted of 1,013 students of both genders aged between 7 and 18 years attending elementary and post-primary schools (general and sports profile) in Siemianowice Slaskie. RESULTS: The crude body mass index (BMI) values ranged from 12.78 to 35.3. Body mass within the limits of arbitrary standard referred to 70% of the examined group, overweight or obesity was found in over 25%. Percentage of body fat (FATP) values ranged from 5.7 to 45.2%. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of children and adolescents were overweight or obese based on BMI categories and FATP values. Overweight and obesity were most common among younger children, particularly boys. Higher torso FATP levels were more common among sports-oriented class students. BMI is not a good tool for the determination of the nutritional status of children and adolescents, while the bioelectric impedance method enables one to conduct a precise analysis of adipose tissue content and location. Sports-oriented elementary school students from the study group were characterized by higher FATP values.

Multiple sclerosis: oral health, behaviours and limitations of daily oral hygiene - a questionnaire study.

CLINICAL RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY: Neurological deficits and progressing disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may hamper daily oral hygiene, but their relations with oral problems have not yet been clearly determined. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to identify the most significant dental problems and limitations of daily oral hygiene in Polish patients with MS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 199 patients with diagnosed MS (median age 37 years) treated in the neurological outpatient clinic were interviewed using a paper-based questionnaire. They provided answers on oral health, behaviours and the limitations of their daily oral hygiene. Clinical information regarding symptoms, MS phenotype, relapses, medication and degrees of disability was based on medical records. RESULTS: The most frequent symptoms were dry mouth (43.2%) and bleeding from gums (28.1%). Dry mouth was more frequent in patients with secondary-progressive MS (SPMS) than relapsing-remitting MS (65.4% vs 41.3%, p = 0.023). Patients with bleeding from gums had had MS for a longer duration (median 6 vs 4 years, p = 0.002). Difficulties in daily oral hygiene were more frequent in patients with SPMS (24.0% vs 8.1%; p = 0.016). Greater proportions of patients with muscle weakness of limbs, imbalance or pain brushed their teeth irregularly. Frequent (i.e. at least every six months) visits to the dentist's surgery were uncommon in patients with SPMS (12.0% vs 39.7%, p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dry mouth and bleeding from gums are more frequent in patients with longer lasting and more advanced types of MS. Daily oral hygiene and oral health self-control is limited in patients with MS, mainly due to motor deficits, balance problems and pain, and this becomes worse with disease duration. To minimise the burden of the disease, patients with MS require better education and improvement in their awareness regarding proper oral health control, such as the use of electric toothbrushes. In addition, patients with chronic and progressive disability from multiple sclerosis may benefit from better organised access to dental care.

Changes in lipid peroxidation in stay-green leaves of tobacco with senescence-induced synthesis of cytokinins.

The involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the progress of leaf senescence has long been suggested, but there are contrasting results to either support or deny the positive correlation between the senescence progression and the level of ROS-triggered lipid peroxidation. The inconsistency among reported results can partly be attributed to the poor specificity of the most commonly employed colorimetric assay and changes in the ratio of dry weight/fresh weight during leaf senescence. In this study we determined the end-product of lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde (MDA) by GS-MS, and analyzed its changes during senescence of tobacco leaves as calculated on dry weight basis. In leaves of the wild type plants the MDA level did not change during senescence. In the mutant PSAG12::IPT leaves stayed green because of the elevated synthesis of cytokinins, but the MDA level was much higher in comparison to WT when leaves of the same age were compared. These results clearly show that lipid peroxidation is not associated with leaf senescence, at least in tobacco. This GS-MS method can be used to judge the involvement of lipid peroxidation in senescence in other species.

Spatial and temporal variability of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis cases in Silesian Voivodeship in years 2006-2010.

OBJECTIVES: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) (J84.1 by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision - ICD-10) is a rare disease of unknown cause. Among many risk factors, occupational exposure to metal dust is enumerated. Because of metal industry concentration in the Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, an attempt of spatial and temporal variability of the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis occurrence evaluation in 2006-2010 is made. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research is a descriptive analysis. Data of the number of new treated cases and firsttime hospitalization due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the years 2006-2010 was obtained from the National Health Found (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia - NFZ). We also assessed spatial and temporal variability of both rates. Data concerned adults aged ≥ 19 years old inhabited the Silesian Voivodeship. RESULTS: The standardized incidence rate due to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis increased in the study period and was in the range of 2.9-3.8/100 000 population. The highest values of incidence were observed in districts localized in the centre of the Silesian Voivodeship. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is not so high in the Silesian Voivodeship but the number of newly treated cases slightly increased in 2006-2010. Spatial and temporal variability of incidence rates for treated registered cases of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the Silesian Voivodeship was observed. It could be an effect of occupational exposure to metal dust, however, final conclusions need more precise studies to the extent of analytical epidemiology. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(4):593-601.

Spatial and temporal variability of bronchiectasis cases in Silesian voivodeship in 2006-2010.

OBJECTIVES: Reports on an increasing number of hospitalizations in other European countries and the lack of epidemiological data on the prevalence of bronchiectasis in Poland constituted motivation for the authors to investigate temporal changes of the registered incidence and hospitalization due to bronchiectasis in Silesian voivodeship, and to evaluate spatial variability of the disease in the study region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study is a descriptive epidemiological project. Temporal and spatial variability of coefficients describing numbers of newly diagnosed cases and first time hospitalizations due to bronchiectasis (code J47 according to International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision (ICD-10)) were evaluated based on the registered data available from the National Health Found (2006-2010) and the data from MZ/Szp-11 reports (2000-2011). The data concerned adults aged ≥ 19 years, inhabitants of Silesian voivodeship. Maps of incidence or hospitalization rates due to bronchiectasis were constructed by the use of a geographical information system ArcGIS. RESULTS: The obtained results show a stable trend of reported new diseases, whereas the number of first time hospitalizations is increasing. Values of the standardized incidence were 19.9-25.1/100 000 inhabitants, and values of the standardized first-time hospitalization were 1.2-2.9/100 000 inhabitants. The reported rates of bronchiectasis indicate significant spatial differences in epidemiological situation in the study region. CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed territorial variability of the incidence and hospitalization of bronchiectasis recorded in Silesian voivodeship. The observed variability might result from regional differences in the availability of specialized medical services.

A dissection of the effects of ethylene, H2O2 and high irradiance on antioxidants and several genes associated with stress and senescence in tobacco leaves.

Ethylene and hydrogen peroxide are involved in the modulation of stress responses in plants, but their interrelation is not well understood. This work was designed to find differences between the actions of ethylene and H2O2 on antioxidants and senescence markers. Leaves of Nicotiana tabacum were sprayed with H2O2 or with ethephon (precursor of ethylene). To find the possible modulation of responses to acute abiotic stress, ethephon- and H2O2-sprayed leaves were further subjected to high irradiance (HL). The application of H2O2 strongly stimulated ethylene synthesis (ACC). Ethylene and H2O2, as single factors, stimulated the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and the activity of catalase (CAT), in contrast to HL alone (stimulation of nonspecific peroxidases and the total glutathione pool). However, after combined treatments (ethylene+HL and H2O2+HL), the stimulatory action of H2O2 was related to TEAC and CAT activity, while the application of ethylene stimulated the total glutathione pool. Hydrogen peroxide enhanced the expression of the three CAT genes (Cat1, Cat2 and Cat3), in contrast to ethylene (Cat2 and Cat3) and HL (Cat1). In regard to the markers of senescence and pathogenesis the most pronounced difference between the actions of ethylene and H2O2, as single factors, was related to NPR1, whereas when leaf spraying was combined with HL, differences were found at WRKY53 and PR1a. HL reversed the stimulatory effects of H2O2/ethylene-driven enhancements of the expression of several genes (Cat1, Cat2, NPR1, WRKY53). These results show that multiple stressors, as usually encountered by plants in nature, may largely change those expression patterns of genes determined in a single factor analysis. Moreover, the actions of HL (often considered the internal H2O2 trigger) and of exogenous H2O2 on gene expression are clearly different.

Nickel-induced changes in carbon metabolism in wheat shoots.

In this study, we analyzed the toxic effect of Ni during the development of wheat shoots. Typical developmental alterations in carbon metabolism-related parameters reflecting changes associated with the transition of the seedlings from heterotrophic to autotrophic metabolism were observed in the control shoots between the 1st and the 4th days. Adverse effects of 50 and 100 µM Ni became evident starting from the 4th day of growth on the metal-containing media. We found that Ni-induced stimulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) activity coincided with decrease in the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) level and with declines in net photosynthetic rate (P(N)) and stomatal conductance (g(s)). Application of Ni resulted in increased activities of several dehydrogenases: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH) and malate dehydrogenase (NADH-MDH). In contrast, the activities of malic enzymes (NADP-ME and NAD-ME) decreased due to Ni stress. Treatment with Ni led to accumulation of glucose and declined concentration of sucrose as well as considerable increases in concentrations of malic and citric acids. Our results indicate that Ni stress redirects the carbon metabolism of developing wheat shoots to provide carbon skeletons for synthesis of amino acids and organic acids as well as to supply reducing power to sustain normal metabolic processes and to support defense mechanisms against oxidative stress.

Spatial patterns of senescence and development-dependent distribution of reactive oxygen species in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves.

Senescence of tobacco leaves is distributed non-uniformly over a leaf blade. While photosynthetic competence and expression of photosynthesis-associated genes decline in interveinal areas of the leaf lamina with advancing age of the leaf, they are maintained at high levels in the tissue surrounding the veins. In contrast, expression of senescence-associated genes (SAG) was enhanced in both areas of the leaf blade. Accumulation of hydrogen peroxide was shown to precede the phase of senescence initiation in the veinal tissue. In the interveinal tissue, the level of hydrogen peroxide was increased with senescence progression and paralleled by an increase in the level of superoxide anions. It is hypothesized that the spatial differences in superoxide anions are important for the non-uniform down-regulation of photosynthesis-associated genes (PAG), while hydrogen peroxide is responsible for up-regulation of SAG.

A salinity-induced C3-CAM transition increases energy conservation in the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.

A strongly increased ATP/ADP ratio was found during the nocturnal phase I in crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM)-induced Mesembryanthemum crystallinum plants. Conversely, during the daytime phase III in CAM-performing plants the ATP/ADP ratio dropped to a similar level to that of C3 plants, cytochrome c oxidase activity was stimulated and mitochondrial Mn-superoxide dismutase activity was strongly increased. The findings suggest that a salinity-induced C3-CAM transition might be an efficient energy-conserving strategy for M. crystallinum plants, in which the strong nocturnal ATP production seems to be, at least partially, independent from the coupled mitochondrial electron transport.