Praktyczne aspekty leczenia pertuzumabem u chorych na raka piersi — postępowanie w przypadku najczęstszych działań niepożądanych

  Leczenie raka piersi z nadekspresją receptora HER2 uległo znacznej poprawie dzięki zastosowaniu pertuzu­mabu. Jego stosowanie wiąże się jednak z występowaniem różnych, mniej lub bardziej nasilonych, działań niepożądanych. Część z nich obserwowano już w praktyce klinicznej w trakcie stosowania innego przeciwciała monoklonalnego skierowanego przeciwko receptorowi HER2 — trastuzumabu. Do nowych toksyczności, które w trakcie leczenia pertuzumabem występowały w dużym nasileniu lub znacząco częściej, należały: biegunka, neutropenia i gorączka neutropeniczna oraz powikłania skórne. Ich nasilenie jest ogólnie akceptowalne, a właściwe postępowanie w przypadku ich wystąpienia jest kluczowe dla optymalnego leczenia przyczynowego. W niniejszej pracy zaproponowano schematy postępowania w przypadku najczęściej występujących działań niepożądanych w trakcie stosowania pertuzumabu

Biomass, abundance and sensitivity to antibiotics and antimycotics of the fungi in the Vistula River with its main tributaries

Mycoplankton of Vistula River and its main tributaries biomass as well as the number and morphotype diversity was studied in summer and autumn 2011. Summer mycoplankton biomass was within the range of 0.2 – 0.5 μg/l, while in the autumn it was two times wider range (0.1 – 1.3μg/l). The number of fungi in river water most often did not exceed 1000 – 2000 CFU/ml. Fungi colonies isolated from rivers water were sensitive to the commonly used amphotericine B (10 μg) and gentamicin (10 μg). It seems to be plausible that aquatic fungi can acquire immunity to drugs as a result of horizontal transfer of a gene responsible for drug resistance or as an effect of antibiotics and antimycotics getting into the aquatic ecosystems from wastewaters

A reverse-genetics mutational analysis of the barley HvDWARF gene results in identification of a series of alleles and mutants with short stature of various degree and disturbance in BR biosynthesis allowing a new insight into the process

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are plant steroid hormones, regulating a broad range of physiological processes. The largest amount of data related with BR biosynthesis has been gathered in Arabidopsis thaliana, however understanding of this process is far less elucidated in monocot crops. Up to now, only four barley genes implicated in BR biosynthesis have been identified. Two of them, HvDWARF and HvBRD, encode BR-6-oxidases catalyzing biosynthesis of castasterone, but their relation is not yet understood. In the present study, the identification of the HvDWARF genomic sequence, its mutational and functional analysis and characterization of new mutants are reported. Various types of mutations located in different positions within functional domains were identified and characterized. Analysis of their impact on phenotype of the mutants was performed. The identified homozygous mutants show reduced height of various degree and disrupted skotomorphogenesis. Mutational analysis of the HvDWARF gene with the “reverse genetics” approach allowed for its detailed functional analysis at the level of protein functional domains. The HvDWARF gene function and mutants’ phenotypes were also validated by measurement of endogenous BR concentration. These results allowed a new insight into the BR biosynthesis in barley

Breast cancer in young women

Opieka nad młodymi chorymi na raka piersi stanowi wyzwanie dla lekarzy wielu specjalności. Wprowadzanie coraz skuteczniejszej terapii skutkuje poprawą wyników leczenia. Jednocześnie jakość życia po leczeniu onkologicznym staje się coraz ważniejsza. Problemy młodych kobiet, które zachorowały na raka piersi, różnią się od tych, które dotyczą starszych pacjentek. Odnosi się to zwłaszcza do zaburzeń płodności pod wpływem leczenia systemowego. W ostatnich latach wprowadzono nowe zalecenia postępowania terapeutycznego oraz postępowania w sytuacjach specyficznych dla tej grupy wiekowej. W niniejszej pracy zaprezentowano kompleksowe podejście do opieki nad młodymi chorymi na raka piersi. Przedstawiono aktualne zasady leczenia, rekomendowane przez towarzystwa naukowe. Omówiono specyficzne sytuacje kliniczne: problem z prokreacją po chemioterapii, metody zachowania płodności, ciążę i karmienie po pierwotnym leczeniu raka piersi, raka piersi w ciąży i antykoncepcję.Caring for young breast cancer patients is a challenge for different medical specialists. An introduction of more effective agents results in improved outcomes. At the same time, the quality of life after cancer becomes more important. The problems of young women who develop breast cancer differ from those that apply for older patients. It applies especially to fertility impairment due to systemic therapy. In recent years, new guidelines for the treatment and management of young breast cancer patients in certain specific situations have been developed. The article presents the comprehensive approach to care for young breast cancer patients. The current principles of treatment, recommended by scientific societies, were discussed. The following specific clinical issues were addressed: fertility after chemotherapy, the methods of fertility preservation, pregnancy and breastfeeding after breast cancer, breast cancer in pregnant women, and contraception

Quality of marital relationships in patients with diagnosis of psychotic disorders in both partners : case report

Niniejszy artykuł dotyczy jakości relacji partnerskiej w małżeństwie w którym u obojga partnerów zdiagnozowane zostały zaburzenia psychotyczne tj. schizofrenia paranoidalna (F.20.0) oraz zaburzenia schizoafektywne, typ depresyjny (F.25.1). Chociaż w literaturze przedmiotu stosunkowo dokładnie opisane zostały przypadki związków partnerskich w zakresie rozpoznania choroby psychicznej u jednego z partnerów [1,2,3,4] to jednak występowanie tak specyficznych zaburzeń u obojga współmałżonków wciąż należy jeszcze do rzadkości. Niezwykle istotną wydaje się więc dogłębna analiza funkcjonowania wskazanych osób w kontekście subiektywnego postrzegania przez nich własnego związku intymnego wraz z uwzględnieniem obiektywnych, zarówno specyficznych jak i niespecyficznych objawów psychopatologicznych rzutujących bezpośrednio na jakość oraz trwałość relacji partnerskiej. Opisany w niniejszej pracy przypadek stanowi więc próbę uzupełnienia luki w zakresie istniejącej problematyki oraz przybliża interpersonalny wymiar funkcjonowania osób z zaburzeniami psychotycznymi wraz z uwzględnieniem klinicznych implikacji istotnych dla dalszego przebiegu choroby.This article is about the quality of partner relationships in marriages in which both partners have been diagnosed with psychotic disorders such as paranoid schizophrenia (F 20.0) or schizoaffective disorders of the depressive type (F 25.1). Although within the literature there are relatively precisely descriptions of interpersonal relations in couples with a mental disorder diagnosed in one of the partners [1,2,3,4], much less is known about couples diagnosed with profound psychopathological phenomena in both partners. It seems to be extremely important to analyze the functioning of this patient group with regard to their own perception of their intimate relationship. Moreover, it is as important to understand the effect of both specific and non-specific psychopathological symptoms as these directly project upon the quality and durability of the partner relationship. The case described here is an attempt to fill in the gaps in terms of the aforementioned notions, and bring into the light, the closer interpersonal dimensions of persons with psychotic diagnoses, taking into account as well, clinical implications important for the further course of their illness

Methods of Measuring the Skills Mismatch in the Human Capital Study

This article was added to the Knowledge Bank in January, 2023.The analysis of the labour market in terms of available skills, and especially the skills mismatch, has become increasingly important due to potential problems caused by existing asymmetries. Prior to 2010, when data collection for the Human Capital Study was launched, there were no such analytical tools in use in Poland. On the basis of various solutions, we proposed an innovative approach to measuring both skills and skills mismatches, which since has gained wide recognition. In the article, we present this approach along with its extension to measure specific professional skills in specific industries. We discuss its advantages and disadvantages and compare it with other approaches used in this field

Kultura i społeczeństwo na Środkowym Nadodrzu w XIX i XX wieku

303 s. : il., portr.

HorTILLUS - a rich and renewable source of induced mutations for forward/reverse genetics and pre-breeding programs in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes) is a strategy used for functional analysis of genes that combines the classical mutagenesis and a rapid, high-throughput identification of mutations within a gene of interest. TILLING has been initially developed as a discovery platform for functional genomics, but soon it has become a valuable tool in development of desired alleles for crop breeding, alternative to transgenic approach. Here we present the HorTILLUS (Hordeum—TILLING—University of Silesia) population created for spring barley cultivar “Sebastian” after double-treatment of seeds with two chemical mutagens: sodium azide (NaN3) and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). The population comprises more than 9,600 M2 plants from which DNA was isolated, seeds harvested, vacuum-packed, and deposited in seed bank. M3 progeny of 3,481 M2 individuals was grown in the field and phenotyped. The screening for mutations was performed for 32 genes related to different aspects of plant growth and development. For each gene fragment, 3,072–6,912 M2 plants were used for mutation identification using LI-COR sequencer. In total, 382 mutations were found in 182.2Mb screened. The average mutation density in the HorTILLUS, estimated as 1 mutation per 477 kb, is among the highest mutation densities reported for barley. The majority of mutations were G/C to A/T transitions, however about 8% transversions were also detected. Sixty-one percent of mutations found in coding regions were missense, 37.5% silent and 1.1% nonsense. In each gene, the missense mutations with a potential effect on protein function were identified. The HorTILLUS platformis the largest of the TILLING populations reported for barley and best characterized. The population proved to be a useful tool, both in functional genomic studies and in forward selection of barley mutants with required phenotypic changes. We are constantly renewing the HorTILLUS population, which makes it a permanent source of new mutations.We offer the usage of this valuable resource to the interested barley researchers on cooperative basis

Preliminary safety assay of piperazine derivatives with determined activity on central nervous system.

W części wstępnej niniejszej pracy przybliżono problem zaburzeń lękowych z perspektywy ich różnorodności oraz epidemiologii w Polsce oraz na świecie. Opisano dotychczasowo stosowane w zaburzeniach lękowych substancje lecznicze z uwzględnieniem zależności struktura chemiczna–aktywność farmakologiczna oraz mechanizmów aktywności tych substancji. Zwrócono uwagę na kierunki najnowszych badań oraz potrzebę dalszych poszukiwań w zakresie skutecznej farmakoterapii zaburzeń lękowych. Następnie przedstawiono struktury chemiczne oraz parametry farmakodynamiczne związków z grupy pochodnych piperazyny zsyntetyzowanych w Zakładzie Chemii Bioorganicznej UJCM. Na podstawie ustalonych in vivo właściwości anksjolitycznych powyższych związków określono przesłanki do dalszych badań nad ich bezpieczeństwem. Część doświadczalną pracy poświęcono badaniom wyżej wymienionych substancji pod kątem potencjalnych właściwości mutagennych. Badania wykonano za pomocą przesiewowego testu Amesa wykorzystującego zmodyfikowane szczepy bakterii z rodzaju Salmonella enterica subspecies I, serovar Typhimurium. Test wykonano na dwóch szczepach bakterii w celu uzyskania pełniejszych wyników badania. W rezultacie badań stwierdzono, iż związki z grupy pochodnych piperazyny mogą wykazywać predyspozycje mutagenne w pewnych stężeniach i nie są one całkowicie bezpieczne dla organizmów żywych.In the introductory part of this thesis anxiety disorders have been described in perspective of variability and epidemiology in Poland and all over the world. Substances, which are commonly used in pharmacotherapy of anxiety disorders, till now, have been described as well. Relationship between chemical structure and pharmacological activity and also mechanism of action of those compounds have been discussed. Directions of the latest research about anxiolytic drugs and the necessity of searching for new, effective compounds for pharmacotherapy of anxiety disorders, have been shown. Afterwards, chemical structures and pharmacodynamic parameters of the compounds from the piperazine derivatives group, which are synthesized at Department of Bioorganic Chemistry JUMC, were described. Based on proved anxiolytic properties of these compounds, promises for further research about safety of these substances have been shown. Experimental part of this thesis was dedicated for research concerning potential mutagenicity of the piperazine derivatives group. The assay was done by screening Ames test, in which genetically modified bacteria strains of Salmonella enterica subspecies I, serovar Typhimurium are used. The test was done on two bacterial strains for reliability of results. It was found that compounds from the piperazine derivatives group can have potential mutagenic properties in some concentrations and they are not totally safe for the living organisms

Comparison Study of Cytotoxicity of Bare and Functionalized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

In this paper, a study of the cytotoxicity of bare and functionalized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) is presented. The functionalized ZnO NPs were obtained by various types of biological methods including microbiological (intra- and extracellular with Lactobacillus paracasei strain), phytochemical (Medicago sativa plant extract) and biochemical (ovalbumin from egg white protein) synthesis. As a control, the bare ZnO NPs gained by chemical synthesis (commercially available) were tested. The cytotoxicity was measured through the use of (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) dye as well as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays against murine fibroblast L929 and Caco-2 cell lines. As a complementary method, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to assess the morphology of the tested cells after treatment with ZnO NPs. The microscopic data confirmed the occurrence of apoptotic blebbing and loss of membrane permeability after the administration of all ZnO NPs. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration during the cell lines’ exposure to ZnO NPs was measured fluorometrically. Additionally, the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye in the different light conditions, as well as the antioxidant activity of bare and functionalized ZnO NPs, is also reported. The addition of all types of tested ZnO NPs to methylene blue resulted in enhanced rates of photo-degradation in the presence of both types of irradiation, but the application of UV light resulted in higher photocatalytic activity of ZnO NPs. Furthermore, bare (chemically synthetized) NPs have been recognized as the strongest photocatalysts. In the context of the obtained results, a mechanism underlying the toxicity of bio-ZnO NPs, including (a) the generation of reactive oxygen species and (b) the induction of apoptosis, is proposed