DNA damage and alterations in expression of DNA damage responsive genes induced by TiO2 nanoparticles in human hepatoma HepG2 cells

We investigated the genotoxic responses to two types of TiO2 nanoparticles (<25 nm anatase: TiO2-An, and <100 nm rutile: TiO2-Ru) in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Under the applied exposure conditions the particles were agglomerated or aggregated with the size of agglomerates and aggregates in the micrometer range, and were not cytotoxic. TiO2-An, but not TiO2-Ru, caused a persistent increase in DNA strand breaks (comet assay) and oxidized purines (Fpg-comet). TiO2-An was a stronger inducer of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) than TiO2-Ru. Both types of TiO2 nanoparticles transiently upregulated mRNA expression of p53 and its downstream regulated DNA damage responsive genes (mdm2, gadd45α, p21), providing additional evidence that TiO2 nanoparticles are genotoxic. The observed differences in responses of HepG2 cells to exposure to anatase and rutile TiO2 nanoparticles support the evidence that the toxic potential of TiO2 nanoparticles varies not only with particle size but also with crystalline structure

Cannabigerol Is a Potential Therapeutic Agent in a Novel Combined Therapy for Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is the most aggressive cancer among primary brain tumours. As with other cancers, the incidence of glioblastoma is increasing; despite modern therapies, the overall mean survival of patients post-diagnosis averages around 16 months, a figure that has not changed in many years. Cannabigerol (CBG) has only recently been reported to prevent the progression of certain carcinomas and has not yet been studied in glioblastoma. Here, we have compared the cytotoxic, apoptotic, and anti-invasive effects of the purified natural cannabinoid CBG together with CBD and THC on established differentiated glioblastoma tumour cells and glioblastoma stem cells. CBG and THC reduced the viability of both types of cells to a similar extent, whereas combining CBD with CBG was more efficient than with THC. CBD and CBG, both alone and in combination, induced caspase-dependent cell apoptosis, and there was no additive THC effect. Of note, CBG inhibited glioblastoma invasion in a similar manner to CBD and the chemotherapeutic temozolomide. We have demonstrated that THC has little added value in combined-cannabinoid glioblastoma treatment, suggesting that this psychotropic cannabinoid should be replaced with CBG in future clinical studies of glioblastoma therapy

Chemical and toxicological characterisation of anticancer drugs in hospital and municipal wastewaters from Slovenia and Spain

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Co-operation relationship between the parents and specialised staff members in training, occupation and care centres

The aim of this research has been to check the co-operation relationship between the parents of the persons with moderate, severe and profound deficiencies in mental and physical development and specialised staff members in social welfare institutions, particularly in training, occupation and care centres in Slovenia. The co-operation is importantly connected with the interactive style and the relationship competence of the families of these parents and the families of the specialised staff members. We have been interested in the data on what the interactive style and relationship competence in the families with persons with deficiencies who are included in these centres are like, and what the interactive style and relationship competence in the families of specialised staff members who work with these persons in these centres are like. The co-operative relationship which is established plays an important role in planning and co-ordination of the needs of these persons and the interests of everybody involved in the co-operation relationship. Furthermore, we have established the connectedness of the co-operation relationship with the inclusion of the parents into the self-assistance groups for the parents and the staff into groups having to do with supervision, intervision and key persons. Survey questionnaires for parents and specialised staff members have been used for the purpose of the exploratory quantitative research method. The first, translated part of the survey questionnaire checks the co-operation relationship and interactive style of the families of the parents and the families of the specialised staff members. The second part of the survey questionnaire, which checks the co-operation relationship between the parents and specialised staff members, has been formed on the basis of theoretical starting points and professional practice. The research has been the means of ascertaining the structural difference between the group of parents and the group of specialised staff members; on the basis of the results obtained via statistical analyses we have defined the system which best anticipates the degree of mutual co-operation relationship. In order to establish the connectedness of the interactive style and relationship competence with the co-operation relationship, Pearson’s correlation coefficient has been used. The results have shown that the interactive style and relationship competence in the families of the parents as well as in those of specialised staff members critically connected with the degree of the co-operation relationship between the parents and specialised staff members. On the basis of the system of variables we have assumed that there is a structural difference between the parents who are involved in self-assistance groups for parents and those who are not. Individual bi-variant calculations have been applied with categorical variables, to wit, point-biserial correlation coefficient with non-categorical variables in order to establish the differences. It has been established that mothers are substantially more involved in these groups than fathers and unmarried parents are more so than those living in a partnership relation; it has furthermore been established that in the units with around-the-clock-care and training of persons with deficiencies their parents participate in the self-assistance groups for parents significantly less frequently as opposed to the parents with of persons with deficiencies who are involved in the units with day care and training. In addition, on the basis of the system of variables structural differences among specialised staff members who are included in the groups for the staff and those who are not have been assumed. We have come to the conclusion that the groups for the staff are least frequented by the specialised staff members with a pre-university degree of education and most frequented by those with a higher education degree or post-graduate degree; moreover, guardians as compared with pedagogical and health care workers are involved in the groups for the staff in a significantly smaller number. The establishment of the differences in the degree of the co-operation relationship of the parents who are involved in the groups for self-assistance for parents and those who are not, as well as that of the specialised staff members who are involved in the groups for self-assistance for the staff and those who are not, has been checked by means of a one-way analysis of variance. The results have not confirmed differences in parents as opposed to the surprising fact that the specialised staff members who are involved in the groups for the staff have displayed a significantly lower degree of the co-operation relationship with parents. The statistical method of two-way analysis of variance has been applied to establish the differences in the degree of the co-operation relationship given the gender and the age of the parents and the staff. The results have confirmed the differences in the age of the male staff, namely, that with their age the degree of co-operation relationship with parents increases. On the basis of the results of the research we have substantiated and proposed the concepts of a successful co-operation relationship between the parents and specialised staff members which enable the understanding of this relationship and contribute to a more effective realisation of the programme for persons with moderate, severe and profound deficiencies in mental and physical development. The differences which have been demonstrated between the centres indicate the need for a more coordinated operation of the centres knowledge exchange in the area of the attitude in the relations with parents. It is particularly necessary to encourage those parents to co-operate who have persons with deficiencies included in around-the-clock-care and training, primarily fathers. In addition, the method of work in the day care and training practices needs to be brought as close as possible to the work in the around-the-clock-care and training practices; moreover, more recruitment of more male staff members should be attempted. Furthermore, we have proposed a revision and organisation of the groups for the staff such as intervision and particularly supervision which includes specialised staff members with the highest degree of education. All this requires new forms of work and co-operation with parents, new forms of co-operation between centres and, last but not least, training of parents and specialised staff members

Role of gender and age in the cooperation between parents of people with intellectual disabilities and professional staff in care centres

Introduction: understanding factors that influence the cooperative relationship between parents of people with intellectual disabilities and professional staff comes from understanding how parents and staff function and, on this basis, from understanding their abilities and skills reflected in their interactions and cooperation. This paper presents some results of a broader study which examined: The aim or research question is how the level of the cooperative relationship between the parents of persons with moderate, severe and profound learning disabilities and the professional staff of Training, Occupation and Care Centres in Slovenia is correlated to the age and gender of parents, and the age and gender of staff. In addition, the study focused on investigating how the gender and age of parents and staff correlates with their inclusion in support groups. Methods: the sample comprised 296 randomly selected parents and 298 randomly selected professional staff. The statistical method of two-way analysis of variance was applied to establish the differences in the level of the cooperative relationship given the gender and the age of the parents and staff. Results: the results confirmed differences relative to the age of the male staff, namely, that with their age the degree of co-operation relationship with parents increases and that fathers are statistically significantly less involved in support groups than mothers. Conclusions: we draw attention to certain concepts associated with a successful cooperative relationship, helping to better understand this relationship and seek new possibilities for more effective cooperation between the parents of PID placed in centres and the staff employed at these centres in Slovenia

Antioksidativni obrambni odziv lubja navadne smreke ob napadu podlubnikov in z njimi povezanimi glivami modrivkami

Bark beetles and their fungal associates are integral parts of forest ecosystems, the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus Linnaeus, 1758) and the associated pathogenic blue stain fungus Ceratocystis polonica (SIEM.) C. MOREAU, are the most devastating pests regarding Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) H. KARST.]. Bark beetles commonly inhabit weakened and felled trees as well as vital trees. They cause physiological disorders in trees by destroying a phloem and cambium or interrupt the transpiration -ow in the xylem. Conifers have a wide range of effective defence mechanisms that are based on the inner bark anatomy and physiological state of the tree. The basic function of bark defences is to protect the nutrient-and energy-rich phloem, the vital meristematic region of the vascular cambium, and the transpiration -ow in the sapwood. The main area of defence mechanisms is secondary phloem, which is physically and chemically protected by polyphenolic parenchyma (PP) cells, sclerenchyma, calcium oxalate crystals and resin ducts. Conifer trunk pest resistance includes constitutive, inducible defences and acquired resistance. Both constitutive and inducible defences may deter beetle invasion, impede fungal growth and close entrance wounds. During a successful attack, systemic acquired resistance (SAR) becomes effective and represents a third defence strategy. It gradually develops throughout the plant and provides a systemic change within the whole tree’s metabolism, which is maintained over a longer period of time. The broad range of defence mechanisms that contribute to the activation and utilisation of SAR, includes antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes, which are generally linked to the actions of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The presented review discusses the current knowledge on the antioxidant defence strategies of spruce inner bark against the bark beetle (Ips typographus) and associated blue stain fungus (Ceratocystis polonica).Čeprav so podlubniki in z njimi povezane glive sestavni del gozdnih ekosistemov, sta osmerozobi smrekov lubadar (Ips typographus Linnaeus) in z njim povezana patogena gliva modrivka [Ceratocystis polonica (Siem.) C. Moreau], ena najbolj uničujočih škodljivcev navadne smreke [Picea abies (L.) H. Karsten]. Lubadarji navadno naseljujejo oslabela in podrta drevesa, v specifičnih pogojih pa lahko napadejo tudi vitalna. S poškodbami floema in kambija ter motnjo transpiracijskega toka v ksilemu, drevesu povzročijo številne fiziološke motnje. Iglavci imajo široko paleto obrambnih mehanizmov, ki temeljijo na anatomiji lubja in fiziološkem stanju drevesa. Njihova osnovna funkcija je zaščita hranilno in energetsko bogatega floemskega tkiva, meristematske aktivnosti vaskularnega kambija in transpiracijskega toka v sekundarnem ksilemu debla. Glavno področje obrambnih mehanizmov je namreč sekundarni floem, ki predstavlja fizično in kemično zaščito lubja pred škodljivci, saj vsebuje polifenolne parenhimatske celice, sklerenhim, kristale kalcijevega oksalata in shizogene smolne kanale. Obrambni sistem lubja iglavcev zajema tri vrste obrambnih strategij – konstitutivno in inducirano obrambo ter sistemsko pridobljeno odpornost. Konstitutivna in inducirana obramba zavirata kolonizacijo podlubnikov, rast gliv in zapirata ranitvena mesta. Med uspešnim napadom pa je za drevo ključnega pomena še vzpostavitev sistemsko pridobljene odpornosti (SAR). Le ta se postopoma širi po rastlini ter izzove sistemske spremembe v metabolizmu drevesa, ki se ohranjajo skozi daljše časovno obdobje. Med številnimi obrambnimi odzivi, povezanimi z aktivacijo SAR, sta pomembni sinteza antioksidantov in aktivacija antioksidativnih encimov, ki varujejo rastlino pred reaktivnimi kisikovimi spojinami (ROS). Prispevek zajema pregled dosedanjega znanja o strategijah antioksidativnega odziva lubja smreke pri napadu smrekovega lubadarja (Ips typographus) in z njim povezane patogene glive modrivke (Ceratocystis polonica)