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Case Study Analysis on Agri-Food Value Chain: A Guideline-Based Approach
Get PDFThis study aims to identify the methods and associated indicators that are commonly used in value chain analyses (VCA) and to determine the areas of interest that have been excluded. Value chain analysis generally includes four different dimensions, which are institutional/functional, economic/financial, social, and environmental. This study has two main sources of literature. The first is the guidelines and the other is case studies on value chain analysis. The case study review is limited by the time between 2000 and 2022. The results showed that the researchers mainly focused on the institutional/functional analysis of the value chain, which is the first step of the analysis. Studies were mostly concentrated on the mapping of value chains, which includes the mapping of agents, core activities, and the marketing channels and flows of products. The second important area of interest is economic/financial analysis. Value added analysis is a top research area on the economical side of the value chain (VC). Consumer behavior and financial analysis are also included in the case studies. The research on consumer behavior of the value chain analysis has focused on the preferences, attitudes, and behaviors of the consumers. Financial analysis is another area of interest which generally concentrates on the cost of intermediate inputs, total output value, net present value, internal rate of return, cash flows and cost of fixed assets, and break-even point. The social and environmental sides of the value chain have been studied with less attention. This is much more important for a sustainable food VC
Antioxidative Effects of Black Currant and Cornelian Cherry Juices in Different Tissues of an Experimental Model of Metabolic Syndrome in Rats
Get PDFA Western-style diet, rich in fat and simple sugars, is the main risk factor for a significant number of chronic diseases and disorders, as well as for a progression of metabolic syndrome (MetS). One of the key mechanisms involved in MetS development is increased oxidative stress caused by the accumulation of body fat. Some dietary polyphenols have shown a protective role in preventing oxidative-stress-induced damage. We investigated the difference in the oxidative response of plasma, liver, and visceral adipose tissue in rats fed with a high-fat high-fructose (HFF) diet for ten weeks, and the effectiveness of polyphenol-rich juices (black currant (BC) and cornelian cherry (CC)) in HFF-diet-induced oxidative stress prevention. The most prominent impact of the HFF diet on redox parameters was recorded in the liver, whereas adipose tissue showed the most potent protection mechanisms against oxidative stress. Consumption of both juices decreased advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP) level in plasma, increased paraoxonase1 (PON1) activity in the liver, and significantly decreased total oxidative status (TOS) in adipose tissue. BC exerted stronger antioxidative potential than CC and decreased the superoxide anion radical (O2•−) level in the liver. It also reduced TOS, total antioxidative status (TAS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in adipose tissue. The multiple linear regression analysis has shown that the best predictors of MetS development, estimated through the increase in visceral adiposity, were superoxide dismutase (SOD), AOPP, TOS, and TAS. The consumption of polyphenol-rich juices may provide a convenient approach for the systemic reduction of oxidative stress parameters
Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) in COVID-19 patients: relation to platelets and association with the disease outcome
No full textTransforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a ubiquitously distributed cytokine known to contribute to the pathogenesis of numerous pathological processes. The aim of this study was to measure serum concentrations of TGF-β1 in severely ill COVID-19 patients and to analyze its relationship with selected hematological and biochemical parameters and with the disease outcome. The study population included 53 COVID-19 patients with severe clinical expression of the disease and 15 control subjects. TGF-β1 was determined in serum samples and supernatants from PHA-stimulated whole blood cultures using ELISA assay. Biochemical and hematological parameters were analyzed using standard accepted methods. Our results showed that serum levels of TGF-β1 in COVID-19 patients and controls correlate with the platelet counts. Also, positive correlations of TGF-β1 with white blood cell and lymphocyte counts, platelet-to-lymphocyte (PLR) ratio, and fibrinogen level were shown, while negative correlations of this cytokine with platelet distribution width (PDW), D-dimer and activated partial thromboplastin time (a-PTT) values in COVID-19 patients were observed. The lower serum values of TGF-β1 were associated with the unfavorable outcome of COVID-19. In conclusion, TGF-β1 levels were strongly associated with platelet counts and unfavorable disease outcome of severely ill COVID-19 patients
Alteration of Lipid Metabolism in Prostate Cancer: Multifaceted Oncologic Implications
Get PDFCancer is increasingly recognized as an extraordinarily heterogeneous disease featuring an intricate mutational landscape and vast intra- and intertumor variability on both genetic and phenotypic levels. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most prevalent malignant disease among men worldwide. A single metabolic program cannot epitomize the perplexing reprogramming of tumor metabolism needed to sustain the stemness of neoplastic cells and their prominent energy-consuming functional properties, such as intensive proliferation, uncontrolled growth, migration, and invasion. In cancerous tissue, lipids provide the structural integrity of biological membranes, supply energy, influence the regulation of redox homeostasis, contribute to plasticity, angiogenesis and microenvironment reshaping, mediate the modulation of the inflammatory response, and operate as signaling messengers, i.e., lipid mediators affecting myriad processes relevant for the development of the neoplasia. Comprehensive elucidation of the lipid metabolism alterations in PCa, the underlying regulatory mechanisms, and their implications in tumorigenesis and the progression of the disease are gaining growing research interest in the contemporary urologic oncology. Delineation of the unique metabolic signature of the PCa featuring major aberrant pathways including de novo lipogenesis, lipid uptake, storage and compositional reprogramming may provide novel, exciting, and promising avenues for improving diagnosis, risk stratification, and clinical management of such a complex and heterogeneous pathology
Overexpression of MRP1/ABCC1, Survivin and BCRP/ABCC2 Predicts the Resistance of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma to R-CHOP Treatment
Get PDFBackground: Approximately 40% of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) experience treatment resistance to the first-line R-CHOP regimen. ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters and survivin might play a role in multidrug resistance (MDR) in various tumors. The aim was to investigate if the coexpression of ABC transporters and survivin was associated with R-CHOP treatment response. Methods: The expression of Bcl-2, survivin, P-glycoprotein/ABCB1, MRP1/ABCC1, and BCRP/ABCC2 was analyzed using immunohistochemistry in tumor specimens obtained from patients with DLBCL, and classified according to the treatment response as Remission, Relapsed, and (primary) Refractory groups. All patients received R-CHOP or equivalent treatment. Results: Bcl-2 was in strong positive correlation with clinical parameters and all biomarkers except P-gp/ABCB1. The overexpression of MRP1/ABCC1, survivin, and BCRP/ABCC2 presented as high immunoreactive scores (IRSs) was detected in the Refractory and Relapsed groups (p < 0.05 vs. Remission), respectively, whereas the IRS of P-gp/ABCB1 was low. Significant correlations were found among either MRP1/ABCC1 and survivin or BCRP/ABCC2 in the Refractory and Relapsed groups, respectively. In multiple linear regression analysis, ECOG status along with MRP1/ABCC1 or survivin and BRCP/ABCG2 was significantly associated with the prediction of the R-CHOP treatment response. Conclusions: DLBCL might harbor certain molecular signatures such as MRP1/ABCC1, survivin, and BCRP/ABCC2 overexpression that can predict resistance to R-CHOP
An updated pharmacological insight into calotropin as a potential therapeutic agent in cancer
Get PDFCalotropin is a pharmacologically active compound isolated from milkweed plants like Calotropis procera, Calotropis gigantea, and Asclepias currasavica that belong to the Asclepiadaceae family. All of these plants are recognised as medical traditional plants used in Asian countries. Calotropin is identified as a highly potent cardenolide that has a similar chemical structure to cardiac glycosides (such as digoxin and digitoxin). During the last few years, cytotoxic and antitumor effects of cardenolides glycosides have been reported more frequently. Among cardenolides, calotropin is identified as the most promising agent. In this updated and comprehensive review, we aimed to analyze and discuss the specific mechanisms and molecular targets of calotropin in cancer treatment to open new perspectives for the adjuvant treatment of different types of cancer. The effects of calotropin on cancer have been extensively studied in preclinical pharmacological studies in vitro using cancer cell lines and in vivo in experimental animal models that have targeted antitumor mechanisms and anticancer signaling pathways. The analyzed information from the specialized literature was obtained from scientific databases until December 2022, mainly from PubMed/MedLine, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases using specific MeSH search terms. The results of our analysis demonstrate that calotropin can be a potential chemotherapeutic/chemopreventive adjunctive agent in cancer pharmacotherapeutic management
Human amniotic membrane homogenate as a novel therapy for inhibiting bladder cancer cell migration and invasion
No full textBladder cancer is one of the ten most commonly diagnosed cancers in the world. At the
time of diagnosis, approximately 25% of patients have muscle-invasive bladder cancer,
which is characterised by a poor prognosis and often leads to the formation of metastases.
Human amniotic membrane (hAM) is an extraembryonic membrane with anti-inflammatory,
antifibrotic and antimicrobial properties. Despite the growing number of studies, the cell
biological mechanisms associated with its anticancer activity are poorly understood. In the
present study, we investigated the mechanisms of action of hAM homogenate on bladder
cancer and normal urothelial cells. In the present study, we investigated the effect of hAM
homogenate on the migration rate of normal porcine urothelial NPU cells, human papillary
cancer urothelial RT4 cells and human muscle-invasive bladder cancer T24 cells, and on
the invasion of the latter. Using time-lapse confocal microscopy, we examined the effect of
hAM homogenate on the migration pattern of T24 cells stably transfected with enhanced
green fluorescent protein (eGFP). We also measured the expression of small RhoGTPases
involved in actin cytoskeleton remodelling. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) expression and
phosphorylation were assessed by Western blot analysis, while protein tyrosine kinase 2
(PTK2) expression was quantified by RT-qPCR. Our study revealed that hAM homogenate
impedes the migration rate of bladder cancer RT4 and T24 cells, but not of normal urothelial
NPU cells. In addition to cell migration, hAM homogenate significantly decreased the
invasion rate of muscle-invasive bladder cancer T24 cells. Moreover, hAM homogenate
exerted its antimigratory effect by downregulating the expression of FAK and RhoGTPases,
key proteins involved in actin cytoskeleton reorganisation. In conclusion, the results
obtained support the potential use of hAM homogenate as a complementary agent in bladder
cancer therapy
Veza između dijetetskog unosa magnezijuma, cinka i vitamina B6 i profila polinezasićenih masnih kiselina kod pacijenata sa hroničnim oboljenjem bubrega: Pilot studija
No full textThe intake and status of micronutrients represent a significant research area aimed at preventing and treating the progression of renal impairment. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), play a significant role in cardiovascular health and renal function. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B6 intake and the status of PUFAs in serum and erythrocyte phospholipids among CKD (chronic kidney disease) patients. Data on magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B6 intake were obtained through two 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires voluntarily completed by patients (one for a regular workday and one for a weekend day). PUFA profiles were determined using gas chromatography. Only 5.4% of patients had an adequate dietary intake of magnesium, 32.1% and 23.6% of patients had the recommended intake of zinc and vitamin B6, respectively. The sum of EPA+DHA content in plasma phospholipids of our patients was 2.61%, representing a very low level. The mean value for omega-3 index in erythrocytes was 4.3%, that is according to literature data related to the moderate risk for cardiovascular diseases in CKD patients. The study revealed the positive correlations between dietary magnesium and zinc intake with PUFAs (n-6 PUFA for magnesium and n-3 PUFA for zinc) and estimated D-6 desaturase activity (for magnesium) in serum phospholipids in CKD patients. The study provides novel findings about inadequate dietary intake of magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6, and n-3 PUFA in CKD patients. Moreover, it highlights the role of dietary magnesium intake in metabolism of PUFA in CKD patients, but further studies are necessary to establish a precise relationship between these micronutrients and PUFAs in a larger sample of patients.Unos i status mikronutrijenata predstavlja značajnu oblast istraživanja usmerenu ka prevenciji i lečenju progresije bubrežne slabosti. Polinezasićene masne kiseline (PNMK) igraju značajnu ulogu u kardiovaskularnom zdravlju i funkciji bubrega. Cilj studije bio je istražiti odnose između dijetarnog unosa magnezijuma, cinka i vitamina B6, i statusa PNMK u fosfolipidima seruma i eritrocita kod pacijenata sa hroničnom bubrežnom slabošću (HBS). Podaci o unosu magnezijuma, cinka i vitamina B6 prikupljeni su putem dva 24h-upitnika o ishrani koji su pacijenti dobrovoljno popunjavali (jedan za radni dan i jedan za vikend). Profili PNMK određeni su primenom gasne hromatografije. Samo 5.4% pacijenata imalo je adekvatan dijetarni unos magnezijuma, dok su 32.1% i 23.6% pacijenata zadovoljili preporučeni unos cinka i vitamina B6, redom. Zbir mol% udela EPA+DHA u fosfolipidima plazme naših pacijenata iznosio je 2.61%, što predstavlja veoma nizak nivo. Srednja vrednost omega-3 indeksa u eritrocitima bila je 4.3%, što prema literaturnim podacima ukazuje na umereni rizik od kardiovaskularnih bolesti kod pacijenata sa HBS. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na pozitivnu povezanost između dijetarnog unosa magnezijuma i cinka sa PNMK (n-6 PNMK za magnezijum i n-3 PNMK za cink) i procenjene aktivnosti Δ-6 desaturaze (za magnezijum) u fosfolipidima seruma kod pacijenata sa HBS. Naša studija pruža uvid u neadekvatan unos mikronutrijenata magnezijuma, cinka, vitamina B6 i n-3 PNMK kod pacijenata sa HBS i ukazuje na značaj dijetarnog unosa cinka i posebno magnezijuma u metabolizmu i statusu PNMK. Potrebna su dalja istraživanja kako bi se utvrdio precizan odnos između ovih mikronutrijenata i PNMK na većem uzorku pacijenata