The dance of macrophage death: the interplay between the inevitable and the microenvironment

Macrophages are highly plastic cells ubiquitous in various tissues, where they perform diverse functions. They participate in the response to pathogen invasion and inflammation resolution following the immune response, as well as the maintenance of homeostasis and proper tissue functions. Macrophages are generally considered long-lived cells with relatively strong resistance to numerous cytotoxic factors. On the other hand, their death seems to be one of the principal mechanisms by which macrophages perform their physiological functions or can contribute to the development of certain diseases. In this review, we scrutinize three distinct pro-inflammatory programmed cell death pathways – pyroptosis, necroptosis, and ferroptosis – occurring in macrophages under specific circumstances, and explain how these cells appear to undergo dynamic yet not always final changes before ultimately dying. We achieve that by examining the interconnectivity of these cell death types, which in macrophages seem to create a coordinated and flexible system responding to the microenvironment. Finally, we discuss the complexity and consequences of pyroptotic, necroptotic, and ferroptotic pathway induction in macrophages under two pathological conditions – atherosclerosis and cancer. We summarize damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) along with other microenvironmental factors, macrophage polarization states, associated mechanisms as well as general outcomes, as such a comprehensive look at these correlations may point out the proper methodologies and potential therapeutic approaches

Current dietary recommendations for patients with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is classified as metabolic and multisystem disease with autosomal recessive inheritance caused by mutations in the gene located on chromosome 7 encoding cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. CFTR is a transmembrane chloride channel of epithelial cells and affects the activity of the mucous membrane of the sweat glands, airway epithelium, pancreatic ducts, vas deferens, bile ducts and intestines. In CF, increased concentration of chlorides in the sweat, pancreatic insufficiency and impaired absorption are observed as well as changes in the respiratory system related to, among others, impaired airway patency, weakening of the mucociliary clearance mechanism and the development of bacterial infections. CF is a chronic condition requiring comprehensive therapy. Nutritional treatment is an essential element of CF therapy. Malnutrition is a common complication in patient with CF and eating disorders. The majority of patients with CF have higher energy, protein and fat needs. In addition, supplementation with enzyme preparations, vitamins, sodium chloride, as well as the use of high-energy nutrients is recommended. The aim of the study was to evaluate current nutritional recommendations of patients with CF

The benthic-pelagic coupling affects the surface water carbonate system above groundwater-charged coastal sediments

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) can be a significant source of dissolved nutrients, inorganic and organic carbon, and trace metals in the ocean and therefore can be a driver for the benthic-pelagic coupling. However, the influence of hypoxic or anoxic SGD on the carbonate system of coastal seawater is still poorly understood. In the present study, the production of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and alkalinity (AT) in coastal sediments has been investigated under the impact of oxygen-deficient SGD and was estimated based on the offset between the measured data and the conservative mixing of the end members. Production of AT and DIC was primarily caused by denitrification and sulphate reduction. The AT and DIC concentrations in SGD decreased by approximately 32% and 37% mainly due to mixing with seawater counterbalanced by reoxidation and CO2 release into the atmosphere. Total SGD-AT and SGD-DIC fluxes ranged from 0.1 to 0.2mol m-2 d-1 and from 0.2 to 0.3mol m-2 d-1, respectively. These fluxes are probably the reason why the seawater in the Bay of Puck is enriched in AT and DIC compared to the open waters of the Baltic Sea. Additionally, SGD had low pH and was undersaturated with respect to the forms of the aragonite and calcite minerals of CaCO3. The seawater of the Bay of Puck also turned out to be undersaturated in summer (Inner Bay) and fall (Outer Bay). We hypoth​e​size that SGD can potentially contribute to ocean acidification and affect the functioning of the calcifying invertebrates

The study of adsorption properties of mesoporous silica and carbon materials using temperature programmed desorption QE-TPDA.

Quasi equilibrated temperature programmed desorption and adsorption of nonane (QE-TPDA) is a technique used for characterization of porous materials. This method was applied for studying the effects of the synthesis and modification conditions on the ordered silicas and zeolites type MCM-22. The QE-TPDA nonane measurements were also used to characterized carbon replicas of porous oxide systems.The results of the porosity characterization with QE-TPDA nonane shown that the standard MCM-41 materials have pores around 3 nm in diameter. The biggest impact on the pore size (up to 8 nm) has 1,3,5–trimethylobenzene addition during synthesis. Basing on the results obtained for the porous silica SBA-15 it was found that increase in the synthesis temperature results in the increase of the mesopore size and volume. It has been noticed that modifications of zeolites MCM-22 (calcination, desilication, ion exchange with NH4+) didn’t affect their porous structure considerably. Some changes of the external surface combined with the reduction of the mesopores volume was observed. Unchanging micropore volume indicated that modification of the zeolites did not affect their framework. It has been found that the studied carbon replicas differed in adsorption capacity of water on their surface and in pore size distribiution.The parameters characterizing porosity detemined from the thermodesorption data were similar to those calculated from N2 adsorption isotherms. Therefore QE-TPDA of nonane was found as an alternative to classical methods for studying the porous materials.Metoda quasi-równowagowej temperaturowo programowanej desorpcji i adsorpcji n-nonanu (QE-TPDA) jest techniką służącą do badań właściwości materiałów mezoporowatych. Za jej pomocą badano wpływ warunków lub modyfikacji syntezy na rozmiar porów uporządkowanych materiałów krzemionkowych oraz zeolitów typu MCM-22. Dzięki pomiarom QE-TPDA nonanu scharakteryzowano także repliki węglowe porowatych układów tlenkowych. Wyniki badań pokazały, że standardowe materiały MCM-41 charakteryzują się porami o szerokości ok. 3 nm. Największy wpływ na wzrost szerokości porów materiału MCM-41 (do ok. 8 nm) miał dodatek 1,3,5-trimetylobenzenu. Dla krzemionek typu SBA-15 stwierdzono, że wzrost temperatury syntezy powoduje głownie wzrost rozmiarów i objętości. Stwierdzono, że modyfikacje zeolitu MCM-22 tj. kalcynacja, desilikacja, wymiana jonowa NH4+ nie miały wpływu na szerokość mezoporów. Spowodowały jedynie zmianę rozwinięcia powierzchni zewnętrznej, a co za tym idzie zmniejszenie objętości całkowitej porów przy niezmienionej objętości mikroporów. Potwierdza to zachowanie nienaruszonej struktury szkieletu zeolitowego. Wykazano, że badane repliki węglowe różniły się zdolnością adsorpcyjną wody na powierzchni materiału. W swej strukturze posiadały mikropory oraz mezopory o bardzo zróżnicowanym rozmiarze.Wielkości wyznaczone na podstawie pomiarów QE-TPDA nonanusą bardzo podobne do analogicznych wielkości wyliczonych na podstawie izoterm adsorpcji azotu w temperaturze 77 K. Zatem metoda QE-TPDA n-nonanu jest alternatywą metod klasycznych w badaniu porowatości materiałó

Cyberbullying in the workplace - based on a review of recent literature

W ciągu kilku ostatnich lat zmiany technologiczne radykalnie zmodyfikowały sposób pracy. W dzisiejszych czasach wielu pracowników komunikuje się ze współpracownikami za pomocą nowych technologii informacyjno-komunikacyjnych. Zmiany te wpływają również na problematykę przemocy w pracy. Wyniki badań pokazują, że cyberprzemoc w miejscu pracy może występować z większą intensywnością niż tradycyjny mobbing, a brak przygotowania przedsiębiorstwa do radzenia sobie z tym problemem może mieć szkodliwy wpływ nie tylko na efektywność pracowników, lecz także na poziom ich zaangażowania. W artykule podjęto próbę wyjaśnienia zjawiska cyberprzemocy w pracy, przy czym skoncentrowano się zwłaszcza na różnicach w stosunku do mobbingu. Ponadto przedstawiono negatywne skutki cyberprzemocy zarówno dla indywidualnych pracowników, jak i dla całej organizacji.Over the past few years, technological change has radically altered the way we work. Nowadays, many employees communicate with their colleagues using new information and communication technologies. These changes also affect the area of violence at work. Research results show that workplace cyberbullying can occur at a higher intensity than traditional workplace bullying and the lack of preparation of organizations to deal with this problem can have a detrimental effect not only on the effectiveness but also on the level of employee engagement. The article attempts to explain what cyberbullying at work is, in particular focusing on the differences between this phenomenon and traditional form of violence, i.e. workplace bullying. Furthermore, the negative effects of cyberbullying on both individual employees and the organisation as a whole are presented

Inequalities on the labour market : literature review

W większości krajów europejskich sytuacja kobiet w sferze zawodowej nie jest taka sama jak sytuacja mężczyzn. Artykuł koncentruje się na problemie nierówności płci na rynku pracy na podstawie analizy danych pochodzących z badań sondażowych przeprowadzonych w Polsce i na świecie. Uwagę skoncentrowano na takich kwestiach jak; poziom zatrudnienia kobiet i mężczyzn, poziom i relacje wynagrodzeń pomiędzy kobietami i mężczyznami, czas pracy kobiet i mężczyzn, a także struktura zatrudnienia i możliwość rozwoju. W artykule starano się również wskazać przyczyny tych nierówności.In most European countries, the situation of women m the professional sphere is not the same as the situation of men. This paper focuses on the problem of gender inequality in the labor market based on the analysis of data from polls conducted in Poland and around the world. The attention was focused on such issues as: the level of employment of women and men, the level and relation of wages between men and women, working time of women and men as well as the structure of employment and the possibility of development. The paper also tried to identify the causes of these inequalities

Coping with stress caused by workplace bullying: umbrella review

The knowledge about victims’ reactions to stressful events is important when it comes to the selection of the appropriate intervention strategies by people responsible for dealing with workplace bullying whenever it occurs in the organization. Early initiation of interventions is important, especially because workplace bullying is a situation not controlled by the victim who remains with a small selection of the possible forms of coping. For people experiencing workplace bullying, the knowledge about common reactions to this phenomenon may prove useful in itself, both reducing the discussed reactions and facilitating behaviors based on seeking help. The purpose of this review was to determine whether and which styles and strategies for coping with stress can play an important role in the process of experiencing bullying in the workplace. The review covered articles published in 1984−2018. The results of previous research may indicate that, in the face of workplace bullying, all forms of coping are indifferent, and sometimes may even worsen the situation of the victim. Undoubtedly, the reason for this is the fact that experiencing workplace bullying is a highly traumatic situation which continues over an extended period of time. Therefore, bullying can be included into those objective, universal stressors that will put most individuals, regardless of their perception, under strong stress. Med Pr. 2019;70(2):249–5

The model of grivalization as a tool supporting education on the example of lean management training

W opracowaniu przedstawiono w jaki sposób fabularne gry scenariuszowe mogą zostać wykorzystane jako efektywna forma przekazywania wiedzy. Badanie poprzedzono kwerendą literatury. Artykuł opisuje przebieg prac, których efektem było utworzenie komputerowej gry edukacyjnej wykorzystującej koncepcję oraz narzędzia zwinnego zarządzania. Proponowany model grywalizacji procesu edukacji powstał w wyniku analizy studium przypadku projektu TY Classes Polskiego Stowarzyszenia Menadżerów Logistyki. Celem publikacji jest wypełnienie luki badawczej w procesie grywalizacji oraz zdobywania wiedzy. Efekty pracy są wynikiem identyfikacji dobrych praktyk realizowanych przez organizację oraz działań przetestowanych w warunkach rynkowych. Dzięki przeprowadzeniu cyklu spotkań wśród uczniów szkół ponadpodstawowych oraz studentów kierunków powiązanych z łańcuchem dostaw, udało się zidentyfikować luki kompetencyjne w zakresie zarządzania przedsiębiorstwem. Wynikiem tej pracy jest gra, w której zadaniem uczestnika jest tworzenie produktów spożywczych dla konsumentów. W trakcie rozgrywki gracz powinien wykorzystać koncepcję lean management, dzięki czemu będzie mógł uzyskać lepszy wynik i przejść do kolejnego etapu gry. Stworzono narzędzie, będące przede wszystkim połączeniem nauki i rozrywki, pomagające zdobyć wiedzę i nabyć umiejętności, które są bardzo atrakcyjne dla młodzieży.The study presents how role-playing scenario games can be used as an effective form of knowledge transfer. A literature search preceded the study. The article describes the course of work that resulted in creating an educational computer game using the concept and tools of lean management. The proposed model of gamification of the educational process was created as a result of the analysis of the case study of the TY Classes project by the Polish Supply Management Leaders. The publication aims to fill the research gap in gamification and knowledge acquisition. The effects of the work are the result of identifying good practices implemented by the organization and activities tested in market conditions. By conducting a series of meetings among secondary school students and students of faculties related to the supply chain, it was possible to identify competence gaps in business management. The result of this work is a game in which the participant's task is to create food products for consumers. During the game, the player should use the concept of lean management, thanks to which he will be able to obtain a better score and move to the next stage of the game. A tool has been created that is, above all, a combination of learning and entertainment, helping to acquire knowledge and gain skills that are very attractive to young people

In Vitro Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity and Chemopreventive Potential in Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines of the Standardized Extract Obtained from the Aerial Parts of Zigzag Clover (Trifolium medium L.)

The aboveground parts of Trifolium medium L. (zigzag clover), a little-known representative of the family Fabaceae, collected during flowering in a wild stand (Sławin-Szerokie district, Lublin, Poland), were used in this study. Our previous investigations confirmed the higher content of phytoestrogenic isoflavones (especially biochanin A and formononetin derivatives) in T. medium compared to the closely related medicinal plant T. pratense (red clover) and the involvement of these compounds in anti-osteoporotic effects in ovariectomized female rats. The current study focused on evaluating other antibiodegenerative (antioxidant, chemopreventive, and cytostatic) effects for the lyophilisate (TML) obtained from wild zigzag clover. For this purpose, efficient ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was employed, followed by vacuum drying and phytochemical standardization using a newly developed reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-LC) coupled with a PDA detection. Malonylglycosides of biochanin A and formononetin were the predominant compounds and were found to contribute more than 54% to the total isoflavone content determined in the standardized extract of zigzag clover. The antioxidant potential of TML was examined in vitro using the Folin–Ciocalteu and cupric ion-reducing (CUPRAC) methods in addition to the free radical (DPPH• and ABTS•+) scavenging assays. The cytotoxic effects of TML, formononetin, and ononin were evaluated on MCF-7 (estrogen-dependent) and MDA-MB-231 (estrogen-independent) human breast cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. The important role of malonyl isoflavone derivatives has been indicated both in chemoprevention and potential cytotoxic effects of TML against certain types of breast cancer