Teaching Polish sign language as a foreign language to people who can hear

Didactics of foreign phonic languages in Europe is often based on the Common European Framework of References for Languages. Teaching Polish Sign Language (PSL) to hearing people is substituted by teaching them Signed Polish, which results in many obstacles in the communication process between deaf and hearing. This article concentrates on different measures to make communication possible and emphasizes the need of teaching PSL to hearing people using standards of Common European Framework of References for Languages

The Combined Use of Phenothiazines and Statins Strongly Affects Doxorubicin-Resistance, Apoptosis, and Cox-2 Activity in Colon Cancer Cells

Since none of the multidrug resistance (MDR) modulators tested so far found their way into clinic, a novel approach to overcome the MDR of cancer cells has been proposed. The combined use of two MDR modulators of dissimilar mechanisms of action was suggested to benefit from the synergy between them. The effect of three phenothiazine derivatives that were used as single agents and in combination with simvastatin on cell growth, apoptosis induction, activity, and expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in doxorubicin-resistant colon cancer cells (LoVo/Dx) was investigated. Treatment of LoVo/Dx cells by phenothiazine derivatives combined with simvastatin resulted in an increase of doxorubicin cytotoxicity and its intracellular accumulation as compared to the treatment with phenothiazine derivatives that were used as single agents. Similarly, LoVo/Dx cells treated with two-component mixture of modulators showed the reduced expression of ABCB1 (P-glycoprotein) transporter and COX-2 enzyme, both on mRNA and protein level. Reduced expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein and increased expression of pro-apoptotic Bax were also detected. Additionally, COX-2 activity was diminished, and caspase-3 activity was increased to a higher extent by phenothiazine derivative:simvastatin mixtures than by phenothiazine derivatives themselves. Therefore, the introduction of simvastatin strengthened the anti-MDR, anti-inflammatory, and pro-apoptotic properties of phenothiazines in LoVo/Dx cells

Diverse Regulation of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Expression by 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D and ATRA in Murine and Human Blood Cells at Early Stages of Their Differentiation

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is present in multiple blood cells, and the hormonal form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25D) is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. The role of retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) in hematopoiesis is very important, as the fusion of RARα gene with PML gene initiates acute promyelocytic leukemia where differentiation of the myeloid lineage is blocked, followed by an uncontrolled proliferation of leukemic blasts. RARα takes part in regulation of VDR transcription, and unliganded RARα acts as a transcriptional repressor to VDR gene in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. This is why we decided to examine the effects of the combination of 1,25D and all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) on VDR gene expression in normal human and murine blood cells at various steps of their development. We tested the expression of VDR and regulation of this gene in response to 1,25D or ATRA, as well as transcriptional activities of nuclear receptors VDR and RARs in human and murine blood cells. We discovered that regulation of VDR expression in humans is different from in mice. In human blood cells at early stages of their differentiation ATRA, but not 1,25D, upregulates the expression of VDR. In contrast, in murine blood cells 1,25D, but not ATRA, upregulates the expression of VDR. VDR and RAR receptors are present and transcriptionally active in blood cells of both species, especially at early steps of blood development

In Vitro Evaluation of Polihexanide, Octenidine and NaClO/HClO-Based Antiseptics against Biofilm Formed by Wound Pathogens

Chronic wounds complicated with biofilm formed by pathogens remain one of the most significant challenges of contemporary medicine. The application of topical antiseptic solutions against wound biofilm has been gaining increasing interest among clinical practitioners and scientific researchers. This paper compares the activity of polyhexanide-, octenidine- and hypochlorite/hypochlorous acid-based antiseptics against biofilm formed by clinical strains of Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The analyses included both standard techniques utilizing polystyrene plates and self-designed biocellulose-based models in which a biofilm formed by pathogens was formed on an elastic, fibrinous surface covered with a fibroblast layer. The obtained results show high antibiofilm activity of polihexanide- and octenidine-based antiseptics and lack or weak antibiofilm activity of hypochlorite-based antiseptic of total chlorine content equal to 80 parts per million. The data presented in this paper indicate that polihexanide- or octenidine-based antiseptics are highly useful in the treatment of biofilm, while hypochlorite-based antiseptics with low chlorine content may be applied for wound rinsing but not when specific antibiofilm activity is required

Report on the state of the presented world (2)

Czy stan polskiej powieści to powód do niepokoju? - z pytaniem tym w numerze wakacyjnym próbowali zmierzyć się pisarze i krytycy: goście debaty zorganizowanej w marcu przez miesięcznik „Znak”. O nagrodach literackich, szkolnej nauce nieczytania i serialowym życiu powieści

Report on the state of the presented world (1)

Czy stan polskiej powieści to powód do niepokoju? Kariera literatury faktu jest niewątpliwa, więc być może problem leży głębiej - w braku zainteresowania fikcją w ogóle? Czy to wina pisarzy tworzących nieatrakcyjne opowieści? A może rynku wydawniczego, który nie wie, jak je wypromować