RAB family gene expression in breast cancer cells under influence of paclitaxel

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of paclitaxel on RAB family of genes in primary breast cancer cell lines. The cancer breast cells obtained from 40 women during mastectomy were used to address this issue. The group included patients with intraductal breast cancer - lesions in I or II advancement level by TNM classification and G1-G2 by Bloom classification. (tumor dimensions up to 2.0 cm without metastases to lymph nodes). Cytostatic drugs before surgery were not administered to these patients. The cultures were conducted in 25 cm^2^ plastic containers at RPMI medium with addiction of 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) at the standard conditions. After reaching concentration levels of 10 000/ml of the cells, the cultures were treated with 60 ng/ml and 300 ng/ml doses of paclitaxel. The concentrations were calculated in relation to therapeutic doses of paclitaxel, applied in polytherapy in patients with breast cancer. The cell cultures untreated for cytostatic were used as a control group. Analysis was conducted for RAB family of genes: RAB3D, RAB5B, RAB5C, RAB7, RAB7L1, RAB9P1, RAB10. RAB11A, RAB311B, RAB13, RAB18, RAB22A, RAB23, RAB26, RAB27A, RAB27B, RAB28, RAB30, RAB31, RAB33A, RAB3D6, RAB 38, RABL2B Total RNA was extracted from the harvest control group and the treated cells, and this was followed by cDNA synthesis, which was used for hybridization assays using arrays. A lower dose of paclitaxel (60 ng/ml) treatment resulted in an increase (2-4 fold- statistically significant), whereas a higher dose (300 ng/ml) caused a decrease (2-fold - statistically insignificant) in expression of examined oncogenes, compared to that of the control group.In summary, this data indicates that 60 ng/ml paclitaxel dose induced the RAB gene expression in an up-regulated pathway. A higher concentration of cytostatic (300 ng/ml) is a toxic dose for primary breast cells in vitro

Interesujące gatunki chwastów polnych Podlaskiego Przełomu Bugu

Wydano przy pomocy finansowej Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego oraz Komitetu Badań NaukowychA list of 24 species of weeds was compiled on the basis of phytosocjological researches and floristic records of the biotypes of the Bug River geomorphological territories in the Podlasie region. Four hundred and twenty phytosocjological releves were carried out during the researches, in 1994-1995. The general characteristic of the arrangement of respective species localities are given. Alongside this, the state of preservation of these localities is presented. The results of the detailed analysis of the resources concern such units of classification as: Herniaria hirsuta, Herniaria glabra, Polycnemum arvense, Agrosiemma githago, Bromus secalinus, Melandrium noctiflorum.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 zostało dofinansowane ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

Stratification of patients with COPD according to the 2011 GOLD report

Introduction: The authors aimed to compare the distribution of COPD based on the new GOLD grading with stadium based exclusively on spirometry.Material and methods: Eligible patients had an average age of 64.8 years and smoked at least 10 pack-years. COPD was defined according to GOLD fixed cut-off criterion FEV1/FVC < 0.70. In all patients postbronchodilator spirometry was performed. Categories were defined with the mMRC dyspnoea scale and CAT scale. COPD exacerbations in the previous year and lung function were evaluated. Statistical comparisons were done using t-student test.Results: 315 COPD patients, 99 (31.4%) women and 216 (68.6%) men, were examined. Mean pack-years in the whole group was 47.1 ± 17.8. In women this figure was less than in men, 43.7 ± 19.2 vs 49.5 ± 16.5 (p > 0.05), respectively. At study entry, 144 subjects (45.7%) were current smokers, and the majority of them (n-87, 60.4%) belonged to category D — 26/66 (54.5%) women and 51/102 (50%) men. Based on spirometry alone, the patients were classified as moderate COPD 144 (45.71%), severe – 154 (48.89%), and very severe 17 (5.4%). According to the 2011 GOLD report stratification, 60 patients (19.04%) were graded as category A, 63 (20%) as category B, 24 (7.62%) as category C, and 168 (53.33%) as category D, although 21 (12.5% of them) were in category B, but the number of exacerbations classified them as category D.Conclusions: The COPD population is heterogeneous in reference to the symptoms, value of FEV1, and susceptibility to exacerbations. Clinical symptoms assessed using validated questionnaires characterized COPD patients better than the value of spirometric parameters (which are necessary for diagnosis of this disease). Some patients were difficult to classify, especially those belonging to category C.Wstęp: Celem pracy było porównanie rozkładu POChP według nowej gradacji GOLD ze stadium ocenianym wyłącznie na podstawie spirometrii.Materiał i metody: Pacjenci spełniający warunki byli w wieku 64,8 roku i palili papierosy co najmniej 10 paczkolat. POChP było zdefiniowane według GOLD z wartością FEV1/FVC < 0,70 po teście odwracalności obturacji. Kategorie zostały określone według skali duszności mMRC i skali CAT. Oceniano zaostrzenia POChP w ciągu ostatniego roku i wskaźniki wentylacji. Opracowanie statystyczne wykonano przy użyciu testu t-studenta.Wyniki: W badaniach analizowano 315 pacjentów z POChP: 99 (31,4%) kobiet i 216 (68,6%) mężczyzn. Palenie papierosów określone średnią wartością paczkolat w całej grupie wynosiło 47,1 ± 17,8, ale średnia paczkolat u kobiet była krótsza niż u mężczyzn, odpowiednio 43,7 ± 19,2 vs 49,5 ± 16,5 (p > 0,05). Przy przystępowaniu do badania 144 osoby (45,7%) nadal paliły papierosy, większość z nich (n-87 — 60,4%) należała do kategorii D — 36/66 (54,5%) kobiet i 51/102 (50%) mężczyzn. Na podstawie tylko spirometrii POChP umiarkowaną sklasyfikowano u 144 pacjentów (45,71%), ciężką u 154 (48,89%), a bardzo ciężka u 17 (5,4%). Według raportu GOLD 2011 60 pacjentów (19,04%) zostało zakwalifikowanych do kategorii A, 63 (20%) do kategorii B, 24 (7,62%) do kategorii C i 168 (53,33%) do kategorii D, chociaż 21 (12,5%) z nich było w kategorii B, lecz liczba zaostrzeń spowodowała zakwalifikowanie ich do kategorii D.Wnioski: Populacja z POChP jest heterogenna pod względem objawów, wartości FEV1 i podatności na zaostrzenia. Objawy kliniczne oceniane przy użyciu zwalidowanych kwestionariuszy lepiej charakteryzują pacjentów z POChP niż wskaźniki spirometryczne, które są konieczne w diagnozowaniu tej choroby. Niektórych pacjentów trudno sklasyfikować, szczególnie tych do kategorii C

Associations and communities of cereal cultivations of the Łukowska Plain. Part II. Associations of heavy soils

The paper is the second part of the work examining segetal communities of the Łuków Plain. It presents a description of phytocenoses establishing in cereal crops on heavy soils. Only Vicietum tetraspermae were found in these habitats. Neither patches of Consolido-Brometum nor communities representing the alliance Caucalidion lappulae were encountered. Floristic and ecological diversity of Vicietum tetraspermae was due to 8 syntaxonomic units distinguished in the study area: 3 subassociations (Vicietum tetraspermae typicum, V. t odontitetosum and V. t consolidetosum) and 6 variants within Vicietum tertaspermae typicum. Patches of Vicietum tetraspermae typicum were the most frequent in the study area whereas the remaining sub-alliances were much more rare. Of particular interest were species-poor patches of Vicietum tetraspermae typicum dominated by Vicia grandiflora found in the Łuków area which are indicative of the degradation of this alliance

Association between asthma control test, pulmonary function tests and non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness in assessing the level of asthma control

Introduction: Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) reports emphasize the use of validated and simple tools in order to assess the level of asthma control, as the Asthma Control Test (ACT). However, an ACT does not include assessment of airway inflammation, which is better reflected when measuring nonspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR). The authors aimed to find out if the level of asthma control quantified by an ACT correlates with BHR and pulmonary function tests. Material and methods: 118 asthmatics participated in the study. All patients completed an ACT. The scores of the ACTs were compared with pulmonary function tests and BHR assessed with the methacholine challenge test and expressed as a provocative concentration of methacholine, inducing a 20% decline in the FEV1 (PC20 M in mg/ml). Results: Patients with controlled asthma amounted to 52 (44%) while those with uncontrolled asthma amounted to 66 (56%). In patients with controlled asthma (ACT score ≥ 20) the mean geometric value of PC20M was 2.72 mg/ml (range from 0.25 to > 8.0), whereas 0.94 mg/ml (range from 0.28 to 8.0) (p = 0.02) was observed in patients with uncontrolled asthma (ACT score < 20). Almost 64% (21/33) of uncontrolled asthmatics achieved normal lung function (FEV1 > 80% pred. value) while 19% (5/26) patients with controlled asthma presented an FEV1 < 80% predicted value. Asthma duration in years in controlled asthmatics was significantly shorter than in uncontrolled patients (6.2 ± 8.9 vs. 12.0 ± 11.4, p = 0.005) Conclusion: In determining the most accurate level of asthma control it is reasonable to use an ACT in conjunction  with BHR, which provides more accurate assessment of bronchial inflammation than ventilatory parameters alone

Associations and communities of cereal cultivations of the Łukowska Plain. Part II. Associations of heavy soils

The paper is the second part of the work examining segetal communities of the Łuków Plain. It presents a description of phytocenoses establishing in cereal crops on heavy soils. Only Vicietum tetraspermae were found in these habitats. Neither patches of Consolido-Brometum nor communities representing the alliance Caucalidion lappulae were encountered. Floristic and ecological diversity of Vicietum tetraspermae was due to 8 syntaxonomic units distinguished in the study area: 3 subassociations (Vicietum tetraspermae typicum, V. t odontitetosum and V. t consolidetosum) and 6 variants within Vicietum tertaspermae typicum. Patches of Vicietum tetraspermae typicum were the most frequent in the study area whereas the remaining sub-alliances were much more rare. Of particular interest were species-poor patches of Vicietum tetraspermae typicum dominated by Vicia grandiflora found in the Łuków area which are indicative of the degradation of this alliance

FEV1 after 3 years of observation in patients with bronchial asthma and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Obstruction of airways is characteristic for both asthma and COPD. It can be measured with spirometric tests. The most important ventilatory parameter is forced expiratory volume in first second-FEV1.The aim of our study was to characterise patients with severe asthma and COPD by ventilatory parameters after 3 years of observations. We examined 49 patients with asthma and 23 patients with COPD. We found an incomplete reversibility of airflow obstruction in 20 asthmatic patients,further analyses was performed for two asthmatics' groups with complete(CRAO) and incomplete reversibility of airflow obstruction(IRAO). In patients with IRAO ventilatory parameters were: mean FEV1 - 1,8 l, FVC - 2,3 l, MEF 50 - 1,9 l/s, After 3 years FEV1 decreased 180 ml. In patients with CRAO mean ventilatory parameters were FEV1-1,6 l, FVC- 2,1 l, MEF 50 - 1,8 l/s. After 3 years FEV1 decreased by 70 ml. In COPD patients mean ventilatory parameters were FEV1-1,2 l, FVC - 1,9 l, MEF 50 - 1,2 l/s. After 3 years FEV1 decreased by 170 ml. Although in patients who did not smoke FEV1 decreased less than in current smokers. In non-smokers FEV1 decreased 130 ml and in smokers 200 ml. Thus in asthmatics with IRAO, the decrease of FEV1 was similar to one observed in smokers with COPD, so we concluded the long treatment with corticosteroids in some patients with asthma did not stoppe the progress of the disease. It is also possible that in some asthma patients changes in airways characteristic for asthma coexisted with that characteristic for COPD. Pneumonol. Alergol. Pol. 2005, 73, 142-147