Synergistic inhibition of prostate cancer cell lines by a 19- nor hexafluoride vitamin D3 analogue and anti-activator protein 1 retinoid

The secosteroid hormones, all- trans- and 9- cis -retinoic acid and vitamin D3, have demonstrated significant capacity to control proliferation in itro of many solid tumour cell lines. Cooperative synergistic effects by these two ligands have been reported, and it is, therefore, possible that greater therapeutic effects could be achieved if these compounds were administered together. The role of retinoid-dependent anti-activator protein 1 (anti-AP-1) effects in controlling cancer cell proliferation appears significant. We have utilized an anti- AP-1 retinoid [2-(4,4-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1 benzopyran-6-yl)carbonyl-2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-1,3,-dithiane; SR11238], which does not transactivate through a retinoic acid response element (RARE), and a potent vitamin D3analogue [1α,25(OH)2-16-ene-23-yne-26,27-F6-19-nor -D3, code name LH] together at low, physiologically safer doses against a panel of prostate cancer cell lines that represent progressively more transformed phenotypes. The LNCaP (least transformed) and PC-3 (intermediately transformed) cell lines were synergistically inhibited in their clonal growth by the combination of LH and SR11238, whereas SR11238 alone was essentially inactive. DU-145 cells (most transformed) were completely insensitive to these analogues. LNCaP cells, but neither PC-3 nor DU-145, underwent apoptosis in the presence of LH and SR11238. Transactivation of the human osteocalcin vitamin D response element (VDRE) by LH was not enhanced in the presence of SR11238, although the expression of E-cadherin in these cells was additively up-regulated in the presence of both compounds. These data suggest the anti-AP-1 retinoid and the vitamin D3 analogue may naturally act synergistically to control cell proliferation, a process that is interrupted during transformation, and that this combination may form the basis for treatment of some androgen-independent prostate cancer. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

Clutch size, nestling growth and nestling mortality of the starling Sturnus vulgaris in south Finnish agroenvironments

The breeding success of Starlings Sturnus vulgaris was studied in six nest-box colonies in habitats varying from mixed farming to intensive cereal and root crop cultivation . In the colonies studied, only a few Starling eggs failed to hatch and a small number were lost through desertion or predation. In the areas of specialized cultivation, however, only 20-30% of the hatched eggs produced fledglings, whereas in mixed farming areas the proportion was 70-90% . The nestling weights were lower and within-brood weight differences larger in specialized than in mixed farming areas. In the areas of cereal and root crop monoculture, many nests were fouled and suffered from heavy mortality because of wet nestling faeces . Nestling mortality was high when the mean weights were low and between-sibling weight differences large. The starvation of chicks and fouling of nests suggest that the amount of food available is smaller and its quality poorer in monoculture than mixed farming areas. It is suggested that changes in farming at least partially explain the recent decrease of the Finnish Starling population. In southern Finland, farmers have largely specialized in cereal and root crop production, so that the number of cattle and extent of pastures have greatly decreased and mixed farming has become rare over large regions

Genetic contribution to the relationship between personality and depressive symptoms among older women

BACKGROUND: Prior studies suggest that certain types of personality are at higher risk for developing depressive disorders. This study examined the relationship between old age depressive symptoms and two middle-age personality dimensions, neuroticism and extraversion. METHOD: The present study is part of the Finnish Twin Study on Aging, where altogether 409 female twins who had completed the Eysenck Personality Inventory at the age of 38-51 years were studied for depressive symptoms 28 years later using Center for the Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Logistic regression analysis suitable for dependent data and univariate and Cholesky models for decomposing the genetic and environmental factor were used. RESULTS: Middle age extraversion protected from later depressive symptoms while neuroticism increased the risk. Twin modeling indicated that the association between neuroticism and depressive symptoms resulted from shared genetic risk factors common to both traits. However, a substantial proportion of the genetic vulnerability was specific to old age depressive symptoms and was not shared with neuroticism. Middle age extraversion had no genetic relationship with old age depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between middle age neuroticism and old age depressive symptoms is strong but only partly the result of genetic factors that predispose to both neuroticism and depressive symptoms. Extraversion, by contrast, has no genetic relationship with depressive symptoms experienced in old age

Genetic contribution to the relationship between personality and depressive symptoms among older women

BackgroundPrior studies suggest that certain types of personality are at higher risk for developing depressive disorders. This study examined the relationship between old age depressive symptoms and two middle-age personality dimensions, neuroticism and extraversion.MethodThe present study is part of the Finnish Twin Study on Aging, where altogether 409 female twins who had completed the Eysenck Personality Inventory at the age of 38–51 years were studied for depressive symptoms 28 years later using Center for the Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Logistic regression analysis suitable for dependent data and univariate and Cholesky models for decomposing the genetic and environmental factor were used.ResultsMiddle age extraversion protected from later depressive symptoms while neuroticism increased the risk. Twin modeling indicated that the association between neuroticism and depressive symptoms resulted from shared genetic risk factors common to both traits. However, a substantial proportion of the genetic vulnerability was specific to old age depressive symptoms and was not shared with neuroticism. Middle age extraversion had no genetic relationship with old age depressive symptoms.ConclusionsThe relationship between middle age neuroticism and old age depressive symptoms is strong but only partly the result of genetic factors that predispose to both neuroticism and depressive symptoms. Extraversion, by contrast, has no genetic relationship with depressive symptoms experienced in old age.</jats:sec

Työelämäpedagogiikka korkeakoulutuksessa:hyväksi havaittuja ja kehitteillä olevia käytänteitä

Tiivistelmä Tässä artikkelissa tarkastellaan korkeakoulupedagogiikkaa työelämäosaamisen vahvistamisen näkökulmasta ja luodaan katsaus korkeakoulutuksen toimintakulttuuria uudistavan Työelämäpedagogiikka korkeakoulutuksessa -hankkeen (myöhemmin TYÖPEDA) kehittämistoimenpiteiden lähtötilanteeseen: mitä on jo kehitetty tai kehitteillä. Työelämäpedagogiikalla tarkoitetaan tässä yhteydessä toimintamalleja, joissa korkeakoulut ja työelämä luovat yhdessä teoriaa ja käytäntöä yhdistäviä oppimisympäristöjä. Artikkeli perustuu kymmeneen työelämäpedagogiikkaa kehittävään korkeakoulutuksen käytänteeseen 2010-luvulta. Käytänteitä tarkastellaan korkeakoulujen ja työelämän yhteistyön, opiskelijoiden työelämätaitojen kehittämisen sekä korkeakouluhenkilöstön työelämäpedagogisen osaamisen kehittämisen -teemojen kautta integratiivisen pedagogiikan malliin peilaten. Integratiivisessa pedagogiikassa eli ajattelussa, käsitteellistämisessä ja teoriatiedon soveltamisessa painottuvat teoreettisen, käytännölliskokemuksellisen, itsesäätely- ja sosiokulttuurisen tiedon yhdistäminen. Käytänteissä ilmeni integratiivisen pedagogiikan tasojen tunnusmerkkejä vaihtelevasti. Kognitiivisen ja sosiaalisen tason piirteitä havaittiin lähes kaikissa käytänteissä, mutta emotionaalisen tason tunnusmerkkejä tunnistettiin huomattavasti vähemmän. Artikkelissa kootaan työelämäpedagogiikan toimintamalleja ja oppimiskäytänteitä sekä tuotetaan tilannekuvaa suomalaisten korkeakoulujen työelämärelevanssitaitojen kehittämiseen liittyneistä projekteista viimeisen kymmenen vuoden ajalta. Samalla tehdään näkyväksi monipuolista työelämäpedagogiikkaan liittyvää osaamista, jota voidaan hyödyntää korkeakoulutuksessa