Heme oxygenase-1 and its metabolites affect pancreatic tumor growth in vivo

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is a fatal human cancer due to its exceptional resistance to all current anticancer therapies. The cytoprotective enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is significantly overexpressed in PaCa and seems to play an important role in cancer resistance to anticancer treatment. The inhibition of HO-1 sensitized PaCa cells to chemo- and radiotherapy <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Therefore, we investigated the effects of HO-1 and its metabolites biliverdin, carbon monoxide and iron on PaCa cells.</p> <p>PaCa cell lines with divergent HO-1 expression patterns were used in a murine orthotopic cancer model. HO-1 expression and activity was regulated by zinc (inhibition) and cobalt (induction) protoporphyrin. Furthermore, the influence of cellular HO-1 levels and its metabolites on effects of standard chemotherapy with gemcitabine was tested <it>in vivo </it>and <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>High HO-1 expression in PaCa cell lines was associated with increased chemoresistance <it>in vitro</it>. Chemoresistance to gemcitabine was increased during HO-1 induction in PaCa cells expressing low levels of HO-1. The inhibition of HO-1 activity in pancreatic tumors with high HO-1 boosted chemotherapeutic effects <it>in vivo </it>significantly. Furthermore, biliverdin and iron promoted PaCa resistance to chemotherapy. Consequently, specific iron chelation by desferrioxamine revealed profound anticancerous effects.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In summary, the inhibition of HO-1 and the chelation of iron in PaCa cells were associated with increased sensitivity and susceptibility of pancreatic tumors to chemotherapy <it>in vivo</it>. The metabolites biliverdin and iron seem to be involved in HO-1-mediated resistance to anticancer treatment. Therefore, HO-1 inhibition or direct interference with its metabolites may evolve new PaCa treatment strategies.</p

Investigation of Work-Related Stress on Farmers Farms

Darbo tikslas – išanalizuoti streso priežastis ir streso ūkininkų ūkiuose mažinimo ar pašalinimo problemas. Žmogų kasdieninėje veikloje nuolatos veikia išoriniai ir vidiniai dirgikliai. Organizmo reakcija į aplinkos veiksnius ir vidinį dirginimą vadinama stresu, šie veiksniai ir dirgikliai – stresoriais. Oficialiais duomenimis beveik kas trečias Europos darbuotojas, t.y. daugiau nei 40 mln. žmonių, yra paveikti streso darbe. Nustatyta, kad stresas darbe sukelia 16 % vyrų ir 22 % moterų širdies ir kraujagyslių ligų, yra dažna skrandžio ir dvylikapirštės žarnos opos, didelio kraujospūdžio priežastis. Žmogų, nuolatos dirbantį padidintos fizinės, protinės ar nervinės įtampos sąlygomis, automatiškai veikia šios su darbo reikalavimais susijusių veiksnių grupės stresoriai. Padidintos įtampos sąlygomis dirba daug įvairių ekonominės veiklos rūšių darbuotojų, todėl streso šioje srityje problema turi būti pripažinta visuotinai ir imtasi priemonių ją išspręsti.Work object – to analize reaons of stress and stress working in strain condition decrease or problem removing. Person is permanently influenced by external and internal irritants during his ordinary activities. Response of organism at environment factors and internal irritants is called as stress and these factors and irritants – as stressors. According to the official data almost every third European employee (i.e. about 40 million people) is affected by stress. Stress at work causes 16 % of male and 22 % of female cardio and vascular diseases and is frequent reason of stomach and duodenum ulcer or high blood pressure. Person permanently working under enlarged physical, mental or nervous strain automatically is influenced by stressors of the group of factors related to the work requirements. Large amount of employees of various sectors of economic activity are working under conditions of enlarged strain therefore problem of stress at this area should be acknowledged universally and measures should be taken to solve it.Žemės ūkio akademijaVytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Streso priežastys dirbant padidintos įtampos sąlygomis

Žmogų kasdieninėje veikloje nuolatos veikia išoriniai ir vidiniai dirgikliai. Organizmo reakcija į aplinkos veiksnius ir vidinį dirginimą vadinama stresu, šie veiksniai ir dirgikliai – stresoriais. Oficialiais duomenimis beveik kas trečias Europos darbuotojas, t.y. daugiau nei 40 mln. žmonių, yra paveikti streso darbe. Nustatyta, kad stresas darbe sukelia 16 % vyrų ir 22 % moterų širdies ir kraujagyslių ligų, yra dažna skrandžio ir dvylikapirštės žarnos opos, didelio kraujospūdžio priežastis. Žmogų, nuolatos dirbantį padidintos fizinės, protinės ar nervinės įtampos sąlygomis, automatiškai veikia šios su darbo reikalavimais susijusių veiksnių grupės stresoriai. Padidintos įtampos sąlygomis dirba daug įvairių ekonominės veiklos rūšių darbuotojų, todėl streso šioje srityje problema turi būti pripažinta visuotinai ir imtasi priemonių ją išspręstiPerson is permanently influenced by external and internal irritants during his ordinary activities. Response of organism at environment factors and internal irritants is called as stress and these factors and irritants – as stressors. According to the official data almost every third European employee (i.e. about 40 million people) is affected by stress. Stress at work causes 16 % of male and 22 % of female cardio and vascular diseases and is frequent reason of stomach and duodenum ulcer or high blood pressure. Person permanently working under enlarged physical, mental or nervous strain automatically is influenced by stressors of the group of factors related to the work requirements. Large amount of employees of various sectors of economic activity are working under conditions of enlarged strain therefore problem of stress at this area should be acknowledged universally and measures should be taken to solve itVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Suaugusių pacientų, nudegusių plaštakas 1985, 1995, 2001 ir 2002 metais ir gydytų Kauno medicinos universiteto klinikose, epidemiologija ir gydymas

This study reviews the epidemiology of adult patients with hand burns admitted to Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital in Lithuania during selected four years (1985, 1995, 2001 and 2002). Two hundred and forty six cases were reviewed retrospectively with 74.4% of males and 25.6% of females among them. Median of age was 40 years (38 males, 45 females). Fire (71.9%) was the most common cause of injury; scalds (15.4%) were the second most common reason. The median of burned total body surface area was 12%. Analyzing the burns, 58.9% of them occurred in urban area (57.1% full-thickness burns), and 41.1% in rural (42.9% full-thickness burns). The study revealed that 17.1% (42) males and 3.7% (9) females were affected by alcohol at the time of injury. Early skin grafting was performed in 29.4% cases (mostly in 2001, 2002), delayed – 70.6% (mostly in 1985, 1995) of all skin grafting operations. Early grafting was found to give better results in the length of hospital stay. Overall, the median of hospital stay significantly decreased and was 24 days (35 days in 1985, 19 days in 2002)

Characterization of sol-gel derived calcium hydroxyapatite coatings fabricated on patterned rough stainless steel surface

Sol-gel derived calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2; CHA) thin films were deposited on stainless steel substrates with transverse and longitudinal patterned roughness employing a spin-coating technique. Each layer in the preparation of CHA multilayers was separately annealed at 850 °C in air. Fabricated CHA coatings were placed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 2, 3, and 4 weeks and investigated after withdrawal. For the evaluation of obtained and treated with SBF coatings, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Raman spectroscopy, XPS spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, and contact angle measurements were used. The tribological properties of the CHA coatings were also investigated in this study