Dietary Flavonoids Sensitize HeLa Cells to Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL)

TRAIL is a promising candidate for cancer therapeutics that preferentially induces apoptosis in cancer cells. The combined treatment flavonoids with TRAIL might be promising as a chemoprevention and/or new therapy against malignant tumors. We examined the cytotoxic effect of dietary flavonoids in combination with TRAIL on HeLa cells. It was found that treatment with noncytotoxic concentration of some flavonoids significantly sensititizes to TRAIL induced death in HeLa cells. Our study demonstrated that flavone, apigenin and genistein markedly augmented TRAIL mediated cytotoxicity against HeLa, whereas kaempferol and quercetin produced no effect

KNIPAS – exploring active seafloor spreading processes at segment-scale

Knipovich Ridge passive seismic experiment (KNIPAS) is a state-of-the-art seismological project that studies on segment scale the active spreading processes of an ultraslow mid-ocean ridge. The generation of new ocean floor is accompanied by characteristic seismicity that reflects ongoing spreading events and the physical state of the young lithosphere, and differs widely depending on spreading rate. While fast spreading ridges hardly show earthquakes that are large enough to be recorded on land, magmatic spreading events at the slowest spreading centres seem to be regularly preceded by earthquakes larger than M 5. The depth limit of earthquakes and their presence and absence reveal along-axis variations in the thermal and mechanical regime of the lithosphere. Therefore, it is necessary to record earthquakes locally with ocean bottom seismometers (OBS). Such surveys, however, typically have limited spatial extent and cannot reveal segment-scale spreading processes like along-axis melt flow, while spatially more extended data sets of hydro-acoustically recorded earthquakes yield no information on focal depth and can therefore not constrain lithospheric thickness or temperature. The project KNIPAS instrumented for the first time an entire ridge segment with OBS. During Polarstern cruise PS100 in July-September 2016 we deployed 23 OBS of the German Instrument Pool for Amphibian Seismology (DEPAS) along a 160 km long ridge section that covers Logachev Seamount and a neighbouring volcanic centre. An additional 3 OBS of the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, were deployed around Logachev Seamount. The instruments recorded seismicity until July-October 2017 depending on capacity. Cruise MSM67 of Maria S. Merian acquired wide-angle seismic profiles across Logachev Seamount and the subsequent cruise MSM68 successfully recovered all OBS. We now have a comprehensive seismological dataset at hand that will contain despite partly high noise levels in the vicinity of Logachev volcano an expected 9000 earthquakes M>1 and several dozens of well-recorded teleseismic events to study spatial variations of seismicity, thermal structure and lithospheric thickness of an ultraslow spreading ridge. In a joint project we will combine the expertise of our work groups to study seismicity pattern, analyse the large-scale lithospheric structure with modern passive seismic methods to be adapted for the special conditions of marine seismic surveys and to image at high resolution the structure of a volcanic centre

Ethanolic Extract of Propolis Augments TRAIL-Induced Apoptotic Death in Prostate Cancer Cells

Prostate cancer is a commonly diagnosed cancer in men. The ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) and its phenolic compounds possess immunomodulatory, chemopreventive and antitumor effects. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL/APO2L) is a naturally occurring anticancer agent that preferentially induces apoptosis in cancer cells and is not toxic to normal cells. We examined the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of EEP and phenolic compounds isolated from propolis in combination with TRAIL on two prostate cancer cell lines, hormone-sensitivity LNCaP and hormone-refractory DU145. The cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT and LDH assays. The apoptosis was determined using flow cytometry with annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide. The prostate cancer cell lines were proved to be resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Our study demonstrated that EEP and its components significantly sensitize to TRAIL-induced death in prostate cancer cells. The percentage of the apoptotic cells after cotreatment with 50 μg mL−1 EEP and 100 ng mL−1 TRAIL increased to 74.9 ± 0.7% for LNCaP and 57.4 ± 0.7% for DU145 cells. The strongest cytotoxic effect on LNCaP cells was exhibited by apigenin, kaempferid, galangin and caffeic acid phenylethyl ester (CAPE) in combination with TRAIL (53.51 ± 0.68–66.06 ± 0.62% death cells). In this work, we showed that EEP markedly augmented TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in prostate cancer cells and suggested the significant role of propolis in chemoprevention of prostate cancer

Quantitative and qualitative Ductus Venosus blood flow evaluation in the screening for Trisomy 18 and 13 — suitability study

Objectives: The objective of the paper is the suitability assessment of screening for Trisomy 18 and 13 on the basis ofnuchal translucency (NT) measurement, Fetal Heart Rate (FHR), double test, quantitative [Ductus Venosus (DV) PulsatilityIndex for Veins (PIV)] and qualitative (the A-wave assessment) blood flow evaluation in the DV.Material and methods: The study was performed in 7296 singleton pregnancies. In each fetus NT, FHR, DV-PIV wereexamined. Double test from maternal blood was examined. These ultrasound and biochemical factors were in combinedscreening investigated. Additional doppler ultrasound markers such as abnormal a-wave in Ductus Venosus and PusatilityIndex for Veins of Ductus Venosus were and their impact on Trisomies 18 and 13 screening were examined.Results: Two groups of patients were compared — with chromosomal normal and chromosomal abnormalities — Trisomy18 and 13. Detection Rate of Trisomies 18 and 13 at the risk cutoff 1/300 using combined screening was 90.2% and FPR was6%. Detection Rates of examined chromosomal abnormalities using contingent screening were: 92.1% using DV abnormala-wave and 94.84% using DV-PIV. FPR’s for booths parameters 5.8% and 5.4% respectively.Conclusions: Quantitative analysis of the flow — assessment of DV-PIV in the first trimester significantly influences theimprovement of screening values focusing on Trisomy 18 and 13 detection

The influence of some xanthone derivatives on the activity of J-774A.1 cells

The chemiluminescence of stimulated cells with phorbol myristate acetate and the production of nitric oxide after stimulation with lipopolisaccharide in the presence of the parent compounds FAA (flavone-8-acetic acid = (4-oxo-2- phenyl-4H-chromen-8-yl)acetic acid), XAA (xanthone-4-acetic acid = (9-oxo-9Hxanthen-4-yl)acetic acid), and appropriate xanthone derivatives (1-7) was determined. Also the toxicity of the FAA, MFAA ((6-methyl-4-oxo-2-aryl-4Hchromen-8-yl)acetic acid), XAA and 1–7 against J-774A.1 cultured cells was evaluated. Compound 5 (2-methyl-2-{[(9-oxo-9H-xanthen-2-yl)methyl]sulfanyl}- propanoic acid) was effective in inhibiting chemiluminescence of J-774A.1 cells but most of the other tested compounds stimulated the reaction. FAA and two xanthones with a methoxycarbonyl moeity slightly decreased the generation of nitric oxide at 50 μM. Most of the tested compounds (1-7) showed weak toxicity at concentration of 100 μM

Earthquake Distribution Along an Entire Ridge Segment of the Ultraslow Spreading Knipovich Ridge

The Knipovich Ridge is part of the Arctic Ridge System comprising very slow spreading ridges. In the class of ultraslow spreading ridges, the Knipovich Ridge with its full spreading velocity of 14 – 17 mm/yr is one of the slowest and most obliquely spreading ridges. Magmatic centres along the Knipovich Ridge are mostly defined by seamounts. Amagmatic segments, where tectonism dominates the spreading, act as transfer regions between magmatic centres, since transform faults are absent. The detailed spreading processes at ultraslow spreading ridges still remain unclear. We want to study tectonics and magmatism and their interplay along the Knipovich Ridge by the distribution of local seismicity at segment-scale. We further are interested in how ridge segmentation works in the absence of transform faults. Knipovich Ridge was equipped with a maximum of 30 ocean bottom seismometers along a length of 160 km. The seismometers are positioned between 75.7 and 77.2°N to both sides of the rift valley. They recorded seismicity continuously for on average 11.5 months between summer 2016 and 2017. We used the detection algorithm Lassie and a Kurtosis-based picking algorithm followed by review of the picks by an analyst. The velocity model used for location is defined by well constrained events. We present here first results of this project. We found that earthquakes are not equally distributed along the ridge axis. We observe regions of enhanced seismicity and regions with no or very little seismic activity. Focal depths undulate along the ridge axis up to depths of 20-25 km. We also found clusters of events, one in the north, close to volcanic features, and one close to station 19, south of the Logachev Seamount, a prominent volcanic edifice. The depth distribution of earthquakes reflects the boundary between brittle and ductile deformation, depending on temperature and composition of rocks. This thermal boundary has a varying depth along the rift axis and allows the focussing of melts, e.g. towards Logachev Seamount, where deep seismicity is entirely absent. Seismically less active regions above the band of seismicity may be due to specific composition of rocks, e.g. serpentinised peridotite that leads to ductile reaction on applied stresses. Seismicity clusters may be related to magmatic activity or tectonism of transfer regions