SELECTED YIELD COMPONENTS IN WHITE MUSTARD (SINAPIS ALBA) VERSUS SULFUR FERTILIZATION

As shown by the research made based on the four-year field experiment, sulfur fertilization, in general, significantly differentiated the white mustard yield components. Of all the factors (sulfur application method, its form and dose), the greatest effect on the yield structure components was demonstrated for the sulfur dose. The use of 40 kg S·ha-1, regardless of the form applied and the sulfur application method, resulted in significant increases in most of the characters, as compared with the control. The application of sulfur into soil showed a significantly more favorable effect on the seed weigh and number per silique and on the weight of seeds of the entire plant than the foliar application of this nutrient. The white mustard seed yield size was most correlated with the number of siliques per plant, and successively less with the thousand seed weight

Telomere length as a prognostic marker in breast and lung cancer

Komórki nowotworowe charakteryzuje podwyższona aktywność telomerazy. Enzym ten jest odpowiedzialny zaodbudowę telomerów. Telomery, jako wyspecjalizowane nukleoproteiny występujące na końcach chromosomów,pełnią istotną rolę w utrzymaniu stabilności i integralności genomu. Najważniejszym skutkiem ich ciągłej odbudowyw komórkach nowotworowych przy udziale telomerazy jest nadawanie im nieśmiertelności. Badania prowadzonew ostatnich latach nad aktywnością telomerazy oraz długością telomerów wskazują, że ich regulacja odbywa sięprzy udziale czynników uwalnianych podczas procesu karcenogenezy, tj. hormonów i cytokin. Czynniki te z koleimodulują telomerazę i telomery także w pozostałych, prawidłowych komórkach. Powoduje to, że zmiany zachodzącew organizmie człowieka nawet w skali lokalnej (inicjacja nowotworu na poziomie pojedynczej komórki) mogą miećswoje odzwierciedlenie na szczeblu molekularnym w całym organizmie (w tym w leukocytach) i odwrotnie.Najnowsze badania wskazują na pewne różnice w długości telomerów mierzonych w leukocytach pomiędzy chorymina nowotwory typu adenocarcinoma a osobami z grupy kontrolnej. Biorąc pod uwagę rezultaty dotychczasowychbadań, słusznym wydaje się więc przyjęcie tezy, że długość telomerów (lub aktywność telomerazy) w leukocytachmoże być postrzegana jako marker procesu nowotworzenia zachodzącego na bardzo wczesnym etapie karcenogenezy.Wydaje się więc, że ocena długości telomerów w leukocytach, jako badanie o niskiej inwazyjności, mogłaby stać sięmetodą wczesnego wykrywania zmian nowotworowych zachodzących w organizmie człowieka.W pracy podjęliśmy się przedyskutowania problemu możliwości wykorzystania analizy długości telomerów jakoparametru prognostycznego na wczesnym etapie rozwoju nowotworów na przykładzie raka piersi i raka płuca.Prezentujemy też kilka powszechnie do tego celu wykorzystywanych metod z analizą ich mocnych i słabych stron.Cancer cells are characterized by an increased telomerase activity. The enzyme is responsible for reconstruction oftelomeres. Telomeres, as specialized nucleoproteins that are located at the end of chromosomes, provide genomestability and integrity. The most important consequence of their restore in cancer cells is their immortality. The studiescarried out within last few years on telomerase and telomere length indicate that their regulation is controlledby factors released during carcinogenesis i.e. hormones and cytokines. Consequently, those factors also modulatetelomerase also in normal cells.This causes changes in the human organism even at the local area (cancer initiation at a single cell level) which maybe reflected by alterations in whole organism (including leukocytes). The latest studies point to some differences inthe measured telomere length in leukocytes between adenocarcinoma patients and control subjects. Consideringthe results of previous studies it seems justified to adopt the thesis that telomere length (or telomerase activity) inleukocytes can be evaluated as a marker of tumor occurring at a very early stage of carcinogenesis. Thus, it seemsthat telomere length measurement in leukocytes, as a low-invasive method, might be a good method for predictiveassessment of carcinogenesis. In this work we focused on potential application of telomere length analysis as a prognostic parameter at the early stage of cancer development in breast and lung cancer. We also report on numerous methods of telomere length analysis showing their strengths and weaknesses

The importance of stem cell engineering in head and neck oncology

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is the sixth leading cause of cancer worldwide. The most common risk factors are carcinogens (tobacco, alcohol), and infection of the human papilloma virus. Surgery is still considered as the treatment of choice in case of head and neck cancer, followed by a reconstructive surgery to enhance the quality of life in the patients. However, the widespread use of artificial implants does not provide appropriate physiological activities and often cannot act as a long-term solution for the patients. Here we review the applicability of multiple stem cell types for tissue engineering of cartilage, trachea, vocal folds and nerves for head and neck injuries. The ability of the cells to self-renew and maintain their pluripotency state makes them an attractive tool in tissue engineering

TOTAL AND FRACTIONAL CONTENTS OF PROTEINS IN BEAN SEEDS UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF VARIED FERTILISATION WITH MICROELEMENTS

Over 2003-2005 at the Experiment Station at Wierzchucinek at the University of Technology and Life Sciences in Bydgoszcz, there was performed a strict one-factor micro-plot experiment in split-splot design. The factor tested was a type of microelements [n=5: Cu, Zn, Mn, Mo, B]. The microelements were foliar sprayed in a chelated form, as the series of ‘Symfonia’ fertilizers. The study aimed at comparing the effect of five agricultural-engineering basic microelements on the contents and protein composition of the seeds of ‘Aura’ cultivar. The fertilization applied, boron and manganese in particular, showed an effect on the increase in the contents of total protein in bean seeds. It also modified the fractional composition of the bean seed protein. There was observed a clear increase in the fraction of albumins and globulins in seeds as a result of the microelements applied, except for boron. The fertilization with molybdenum, boron, copper and zinc reduced the content of glutelins, and the sum of glulelins and prolamines in the bean seeds

ZAWARTOŚĆ WYBRANYCH MAKROSKŁADNIKÓW I ICH STOSUNKI JONOWE W FASOLI NA TLE NAWOŻENIA MIKROELEMENTAMI

As the studies revealed, the microelement fertilisation generally diversifi ed the contents of macro-components in vegetative and generative parts of the “Aura” cultivar bean with the exception of the content of phosphorus, calcium and sodium in bean seeds. Amongst the applied microelements, zinc was the one which modifi ed the contents of macro-elements to the most degree. There was observed a signifi cant infl uence of this micro-element on the content of potassium and magnesium in bean seeds, and of nitrogen, magnesium and sodium in straw. In turn, molybdenum had no effect on the content of any of the tested components in bean seeds. Manganese fertilisation resulted in the largest increase in nitrogen and magnesium contents in bean seeds and straw. Variations in the contents of the individual macro-elements in bean under the effect of microelement fertilisation generally resulted in higher sums of the equivalent contents of cations with reference to the control object.Jak wykazały badania przeprowadzone na podstawie trzyletniego doświadczenia mikropoletkowego, nawożenie mikroelementami na ogół istotnie różnicowało zawartość makroskładników w częściach wegetatywnych i generatywnych fasoli odmiany ‘Aura’. Spośród stosowanych mikroelementów, cynk był pierwiastkiem, który w największym stopniu modyfi kował zawartość makropierwiastków. Wykazano istotne oddziaływanie tego mikroelementu na zawartość potasu i magnezu w nasionach fasoli oraz azotu, wapnia, magnezu i sodu w słomie. Molibden z kolei nie wpływał na kształtowanie zawartości żadnego z badanych składników w nasionach fasoli. Nawożenie manganem powodowało największy przyrost zawartości azotu oraz magnezu w nasionach i słomie fasoli. Konsekwencją zmian zawartości poszczególnych makroelementów w fasoli pod wpływem nawożenia mikrolementami były na ogół istotnie wyższe w stosunku do obiektu kontrolnego sumy równoważnikowych zawartości kationów

Agrotechnical and economic assessment of intercropping of caraway (Carum carvi L.)

W latach 2013-2014 przeprowadzono badania nad kminkiem zwyczajnym (Carum carvi L.), który jest rośliną dwuletnią, uprawianą w siewie czystym lub jednocześnie z rośliną jarą jako osłonową. Celem badań była ocena agrotechniczna i ekonomiczna technologii uprawy kminku z wybranymi trzema gatunkami roślin jarych w uprawie współrzędnej. Przeprowadzone badania wykazały, że w drugim roku uprawy najwyższe plony owoców kminku uzyskano w wariancie, w którym gatunek ten uprawiano z grochem siewnym. Opłacalność tego wariantu podnosiły dopłaty obszarowe do roślin bobowatych oraz niższe nakłady na nawożenie mineralne. Najwyższą wartość grochu jako gatunku współrzędnie uprawianego z kminkiem potwierdziły wskaźniki ekonomiczne, takie jak: produktywność ziemi, dochód rolniczy netto oraz opłacalność produkcji. W drugiej kolejności, najbardziej przydatny do łącznej uprawy z kminkiem był koper ogrodowy (Anethum graveolens L.). Ma on zbliżone do kminku wymagania agrotechniczne, ale jego wadą jest bardzo późny termin zbioru, który spowalnia rozwój głównej rośliny i obniża plonowanie kminku w następnym roku. Dla tego wariantu uzyskano niższe wartości badanych wskaźników ekonomicznych niż dla uprawy kminku z grochem. Najmniej właściwym gatunkiem do jednoczesnej uprawy z kminkiem okazała się gorczyca biała, której intensywny wzrost i towarzyszące temu wysokie zapotrzebowanie na wodę, składniki pokarmowe i światło, znacząco ograniczyły rozwój kminku i jego plonowanie. Konsekwencją relatywnie niskiego plonu kminku oraz wysokich kosztów uprawy gorczycy były najniższe dla tego wariantu wartości badanych wskaźników ekonomicznych.A study was carried out in 2013-2014 on caraway (Carum carvi L.), which is a biennial plant grown alone or together with a spring crop. The aim of the study was an agrotechnical and economic assessment of technologies for intercropping of caraway with selected three species of spring crops. The study showed that the highest caraway fruit yields in the second year were obtained in the variant in which the species was grown together with field pea. The profitability of this variant was increased by area-based subsidies for legumes and reduced outlays for mineral fertilizers. The highest value for pea as a species intercropped with caraway was confirmed by economic indicators such as soil productivity, net farm income, and production profitability. The second most suitable crop for intercropping with caraway was dill. It has similar agrotechnical requirements as caraway, but has the disadvantage of a very late harvest time, which slows the development of the main crop and reduces the yield of caraway the following year. In this variant lower values were obtained for the economic indicators than in the case of caraway grown with pea. The least suitable species for intercropping with caraway proved to be white mustard, whose intensive growth and accompanying high demand for water, nutrients and light substantially limited the development and yield of caraway. Due to the relatively low caraway yield and high cost of mustard cultivation, this variant resulted in the lowest economic indicators

SELECTED YIELD COMPONENTS IN WHITE MUSTARD (SINAPIS ALBA) VERSUS SULFUR FERTILIZATION

As shown by the research made based on the four-year field experiment, sulfur fertilization, in general, significantly differentiated the white mustard yield components. Of all the factors (sulfur application method, its form and dose), the greatest effect on the yield structure components was demonstrated for the sulfur dose. The use of 40 kg S·ha-1, regardless of the form applied and the sulfur application method, resulted in significant increases in most of the characters, as compared with the control. The application of sulfur into soil showed a significantly more favorable effect on the seed weigh and number per silique and on the weight of seeds of the entire plant than the foliar application of this nutrient. The white mustard seed yield size was most correlated with the number of siliques per plant, and successively less with the thousand seed weight

Htert Promoter Methylation Status In Peripheral Blood Leukocytes As A Molecular Marker Of Head And Neck Cancer Progression

Cancer cells, including head and neck cancer cell carcinoma (HNSCC), are characterized by an increased telomerase activity. This enzymatic complex is active in approximately 80–90% of all malignancies, and is regulated by various factors, including methylation status of hTERT gene promoter. hTERT methylation pattern has been thoroughly studied so far. It was proved that hTERT is aberrantly methylated in tumor tissue versus healthy counterparts. However, such effect has not yet been investigated in PBLs (peripheral blood leukocytes) of cancer patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the hTERT gene promoter methylation status in blood leukocytes. DNA was extracted from PBL of 92 patients with histologically diagnosed HNSCC and 53 healthy controls. Methylation status of whole hTERT promoter fragment with independent analysis of each 19 CpG sites was performed using bisulfide conversion technique followed by sequencing of PCR products. Not significant (p = 0.0532) differences in the general frequency of hTERT CpG sites methylation were detected between patients and healthy controls. However, it was discovered that some of analyzed positions (CpG islands: 1 [p = 0.0235], 5 [p = 0.0462], 8 [p = 0.0343]) are significantly more often methylated in HNSCC patients than in controls. The opposite finding was observed in case of CpG position 2 (p = 0.0210). Furthermore, closer analysis of single CpG positions revealed differences in methylation status dependent on anatomical site and TNM classification. To conclude, hTERT promoter methylation status (general or single CpG sites) would be considered as a molecular markers of HNSCC diagnostics

Fucoidan Exerts Anticancer Effects Against Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma In Vitro

Fucoidans have been reported to exert anticancer effects with simultaneous low toxicity against healthy tissue. That correlation was observed in several cancer models, however, it has never been investigated in head and neck cancer before. To magnify the efficacy of conventional therapy, the administration of agents like fucoidan could be beneficial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anticancer effect of Fucus vesiculosus (FV) extract alone and with co-administration of cisplatin in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in vitro. MTT assay results revealed an FV-induced inhibition of proliferation in all tested cell lines (H103, FaDu, KB). Flow cytometric cell cycle analysis showed an FV-induced, dose-dependent arrest in either S/G2 phase (H103, FaDu) or G1 arrest (KB). Furthermore, a dose-dependent gain in apoptotic fraction was observed. Western blot analysis confirmed the induction of apoptosis. A significant dose-dependent increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was revealed in the H103 cell line, while FaDu cells remained unresponsive. On the contrary, an HPV-positive cell line, KB, demonstrated a dose-dependent decrease in ROS synthesis. Moreover, fucoidan enhanced the response to cisplatin (synergistic effect) in all cell lines with the HPV-positive one (KB) being the most sensitive. These results have been confirmed by flow-cytometric apoptosis analysis. In conclusion, we confirmed that fucoidan exhibits anticancer properties against HNSCC, which are manifested by the induction of apoptosis, regulation of ROS production, cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of proliferation

Htert Gene Knockdown Enhances Response To Radio- And Chemotherapy In Head And Neck Cancer Cell Lines Through A Dna Damage Pathway Modification

The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of hTERT gene knockdown in HNSCC cells by using novel in vitro models of head and neck cancer (HNSCC), as well as improving its personalized therapy. To obtain the most efficient knockdown siRNA, shRNA-bearing lentiviral vectors were used. The efficiency of hTERT silencing was verified with qPCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence staining. Subsequently, the type of cell death and DNA repair mechanism induction after hTERT knockdown was assessed with the same methods, followed by flow cytometry. The effect of a combined treatment with hTERT gene knockdown on Double-Strand Breaks levels was also evaluated by flow cytometry. Results showed that the designed siRNAs and shRNAs were effective in hTERT knockdown in HNSCC cells. Depending on a cell line, hTERT knockdown led to a cell cycle arrest either in phase G1 or phase S/G2. Induction of apoptosis after hTERT downregulation with siRNA was observed. Additionally, hTERT targeting with lentiviruses, followed by cytostatics administration, led to induction of apoptosis. Interestingly, an increase in Double-Strand Breaks accompanied by activation of the main DNA repair mechanism, NER, was also observed. Altogether, we conclude that hTERT knockdown significantly contributes to the efficacy of HNSCC treatment