The Effects of Synthetic Auxin and a Seaweed-based Biostimulator on Physiological Aspects of Rhizogenesis in Ninebark Stem Cuttings

Recently, a trend can be observed to replace plant protection chemicals in nursery production by products of natural origin. Such products increase plants' resistance to stressful conditions and lower their susceptibility to pathogens. They may also offer an alternative to chemicals stimulating rhizogenesis. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of foliar applications of AlgaminoPlant, a biostimulator based on a seaweed extract, relative to auxin-containing preparations, on root growth in stem cuttings of common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius). Cuttings were sprayed with water solution of IBA or AlgaminoPlant once, twice or three times during the rooting period at one week intervals and powder IBA was also applied directly to the bases of cuttings. The best rooting was observed after powder IBA application and satisfactory results were observed for AlgaminoPlant and aqueous IBA solution. Treatments with AlgaminoPlant and IBA increased photosynthetic efficiency, chlorophyll contents, total soluble sugars, soluble proteins, indole derivatives and catalase activity while the hydrogen peroxide level and peroxidase activity were reduced. The effects of AlgaminoPlant on rhizogenesis were comparable to synthetic IBA, or only slightly lower. Hence, if needed, synthetic auxin IBA may be replaced by AlgaminoPlant which is considered an environmentally friendly product

Effects of CaCl2 solutions to alleviate drought stress effects in potted ornamentals Salvia splendens and Ageratum houstonianum

Bedding plants are often subjected to soil water deficit – either after planting and/or during the market chain. Methods to alleviate the negative water stress effects are sought for to preserve ornamental values of plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of two bedding plants, Ageratum houstonianum Mill. and Salvia splendens Sellow ex Scult., to water stress and treatments with calcium chloride aimed to alleviate drought effects. Plants were subjected either to 45 days of periodical stress (five cycles when watering was off for 5 consecutive days, followed by four cycles on for 5 consecutive days) or 10 days of radical drought (complete water withdrawal). On the first day, before the onset of drought, plants were watered with 0.5% Ca or 1% Ca w/v as a solution of calcium chloride (5 g or 10 g Ca per 1 dm3 of the growing substrate). The similarly Ca-treated but routinely watered plants provided controls to evaluate the water shortage effects. Plant height, inflorescence length/number, leaf number, leaf area (in Salvia splendens only), aboveground plant part weight, and root weight (in Salvia splendens only) as well as leaf relative water content (RWC) were measured at the beginning and at the end of the experiments. Water withdrawal during 10 days of growth (radical drought) reduced by half RWC in leaves of withering Salvia splendens and Ageratum houstonianum plants. Its effects on the growth parameters were less pronounced and mitigated by Ca applications. Also in the periodically stressed plants of both species, RWC and most growth parameters were reduced by water shortage but Ca applications alleviated the negative stress effects

Associations of anthropometric measures on breast cancer risk in pre- and postmenopausal women : a case-control study

Background: The type of silhouette and quantity of fat tissue are correlated with hormonal imbalance which plays a substantial role in breast carcinogenesis. The goal of the study was to investigate the association between various anthropometric characteristics and breast cancer risk. Methods: Detailed anthropometric assessment was conducted on 487 women of whom 193 had diagnosed breast cancer and were consecutive patients in the Oncology Center, Cracow, Poland between 2002 and 2004. Measurements were divided into four categories: overall body size (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], waist-hip ratio [WHR]), regional body sizes (skinfold thicknesses, circumferences), thickness of the skeleton (widths, chest diameters), and body proportions. Additionally, results were analyzed in regar, to menopausal status. Differences between groups were assessed using Student’s t test and Mann-Whitney’s test. Models of logistic regression for selected data were built to estimate the odds ratio. Results were considered statistically significant when the P value was less than 0.05. Results: The BMI in both groups was negatively associated with the risk of cancer. Among premenopausal women, WHR increased the risk of breast cancer (WHR > 0.83, OR, 2.72; 95 % CI, 1.01-7.27). Anthropometric indices of hip-to-shoulder ratio in postmenopausal (≥84.2 mm, OR, 0.02; 95 % CI, 0.01-0.11) and trunk-to-height ratio in both premenopausal women (≥32.76, OR, 0.09; 95 % CI, 0.03-0.28) and postmenopausal women (≥32.76, OR, 0.13; 95 % CI, 0.05-0.33) were strongly related to a decreased risk of breast cancer. Thicknesses of the triceps and subscapular skinfolds increased the risk of breast cancer. Conclusions: Women with breast cancer present with an obese type of silhouette with a specific concentration of fat tissue in the central and upper parts of the body

Effect of brassinosteroids on rooting of the ornamental deciduous shrubs

Brassinosteroids are a developing group of growth regulators. They are a group of steroid hormones involved in plants’ physiological and developmental processes. Among other things, they are responsible for cell wall regeneration or cell elongation. This experiment aimed to examine the effect of rooting stimulants on rhizogenesis in cuttings of two deciduous shrub species: Philadelphus ’Virginal’ and Hydrangea paniculata ’Limelight’. Aqueous solutions of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) at 200 mg·L–1, Brassinolide (BL) at 0.05% and 24-epibrassinolide (24epiBL) (0.05%) were used in this study. The results obtained showed that both auxin and both of the brassinosteroids used increased the percentage of rooted cuttings almost twice, the degree of rooted cuttings and root length – for BL + IBA – longer roots than the control by 41% in jasmine and by 59% in hydrangea. The growth regulators applied during the rooting of cuttings also caused changes in the organic compound content of plant tissues and the activity of oxidative stress enzymes. The studies and results suggest that brassinosteroids may soon replace the popular rooting stimulants

Leczenie przerzutowego, hormonozależnego, HER-2 ujemnego raka piersi – czy jest miejsce dla ewerolimusu? Opis przypadku

Rak piersi jest najczęściej występującym na świecie nowotworem złośliwym u kobiet. Obecnie standardem postępowania w leczeniu rozsianego, hormonozależnego, HER-2 ujemnego raka piersi, bez cech kryzy trzewnej jest terapia hormonalna z inhibitorami kinaz cyklinozależnych (CD4/6). Ewerolimus, pochodna rapamycyny, nie jest obecnie rutynowo stosowany w praktyce klinicznej, jednak wykazano jego skuteczność w skojarzeniu z hormonoterapią. W artykule zaprezentowano przypadek pacjentki z nawrotowym, hormonoopornym rakiem piersi, u której zastosowano ewerolimus z eksemestanem w ramach terapii niestandardowej po dwóch liniach paliatywnej hormonoterapii (inhibitor aromatazy i fulwestrant) i chemioterapii FAC (fluorouracyl, adriamycyna, cyklofosfamid). Zastosowane leczenie zapewniło 24-miesięczny czas wolny od nawrotu choroby. Miejsce ewerolimusu w leczeniu zaawansowanego raka piersi w obecnej erze leczenia cyklibami (inhibitory cyklin CD4/6) jest poddawane ocenie w toczących się badaniach klinicznych.Among females, breast cancer is across the world the most common malignancy. Currently, the standard in the treatment of metastatic, hormone receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer without visceral crisis, is hormonal therapy with cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK 4/6) inhibitors. Everolimus, a rapamycin derivative, is not routinely used in clinical practice but together with hormonal therapy it has been found to be an effective treatment option. We present a patient with recurrent, hormone-resistant breast cancer who was treated with everolimus with exemestane in beyond-standard therapy after two lines of palliative hormonal therapy (aromatase inhibitor and fulvestrant) and chemotherapy FAC (fluorouracil, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide). This treatment provided 24-months of progression-free survival. The place of everolimus in the treatment of advanced breast cancer in the era of CDK 4/6 inhibitors is being investigated in clinical trials

Anti-cancer agents and endothelium

Recent advances in oncology have improved the treatment outcomes and life expectancy of cancer patients; therefore, late effects of oncological treatment are of high clinical importance. Recent studies have shown that cardiovascular events are among the leading causes of premature morbidity in cancer survivors. Cardiotoxicity of some chemotherapeutic agents have been already confirmed; however, this issue seems to be more complex. Endothelium dysfunction is one of the first recognisable signs of atherosclerosis, which occurs long before the development of overt cardiovascular disease. Thus, it could be considered as an initial step, leading to increased risk of cardiovascular events. This process is not easy to recognise; however, there are some laboratory tests and imagining techniques that provide an insight into the progression of endothelial dysfunction. In this review we discuss the influence of oncological treatment on endothelium, according to the hypothesis that it increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors. Additionally, we present diagnostic and therapeutic measures that could reduce cardiovascular risk in cancer patients

Wnt pathways in focus – mapping current clinical trials across the cancer spectrum

The Wnt pathway has a pivotal function in tissue development and homeostasis, overseeing cell growth or differentiation. Aberrant Wnt signalling pathways have been associated with the pathogenesis of diverse malignancies, influencing cell proliferation, differentiation, cancer stem cell renewal, the tumour microenvironment and thereby significantly im­pacting tumour development and therapeutic responsiveness. Promisingly, current research underscores the potential therapeutic value of targeting Wnt pathways, particularly canonical Wnt/β-catenin signalling, in the context of numerous cancer types. Key constituents of the Wnt pathway, such as the Wnt/receptor, β-catenin degradation or transcription complexes, have been focal points for interventions in preclinical studies. To comprehend potential therapeutic strate­gies, we conduct an analysis of ongoing clinical trials that specifically aim to target components of the Wnt pathways across a diverse spectrum of cancer types. By scrutinizing these trials, including their respective phases, targeted pa­tient populations ,and observed outcomes, this review provides a consolidated overview of the current translational landscape of Wnt-targeted therapies, thus offering a roadmap for future research endeavours

Uszkodzenie śródbłonka naczyń przez leki przeciwnowotworowe

Rozwój onkologii w ostatnich latach przełożył się na znaczącą poprawę skuteczności leczenia i rokowanie chorych na nowotwory złośliwe. Z tego względu coraz większą uwagę przykłada się do późnych następstw leczenia onkologicznego. Wyniki badań wskazują, że powikłania sercowo-naczyniowe są najczęstszą przyczyną przedwczesnych zgonów u chorych wyleczonych z choroby nowotworowej. Chociaż kardiotoksyczność niektórych chemioterapeutyków jest znanym zjawiskiem, to wydaje się jednak, że patofizjologia wielu powikłań kardiologicznych leczenia onkologicznego może być bardziej złożona. Zaburzenia czynności śródbłonka są pierwszym etapem rozwoju miażdżycy naczyń i pojawiają się one jeszcze przed klinicznie jawną manifestacją chorób sercowo-naczyniowych. Rozpoznanie tych zaburzeń w codziennej praktyce lekarskiej nie jest łatwe, jednak istnieją metody badań laboratoryjnych i obrazowych, które umożliwiają skuteczną ocenę stanu śródbłonka naczyniowego. W przedstawionej pracy przeglądowej omówiono wpływ leczenia onkologicznego na funkcje śródbłonka. Przedstawiono także dostępne metody detekcji uszkodzenia śródbłonka oraz działania mogące zredukować ryzyko następstw sercowo-naczyniowych u chorych onkologicznych