The Major Heat Shock Proteins, Hsp70 and Hsp90, in 2-Methoxyestradiol-Mediated Osteosarcoma Cell Death Model

2-Methoxyestradiol is one of the natural 17β-estradiol derivatives and a potential novel anticancer agent currently being under evaluation in advanced phases of clinical trials. However, the mechanism of anticancer action of 2-methoxyestradiol has not been yet fully established. In our previous studies we have demonstrated that 2-methoxyestradiol selectively induces the expression and nuclear translocation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in osteosarcoma 143B cells. Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are factors involved in the regulation of expression and activity of nitric oxide synthases. Herein, we chose osteosarcoma cell lines differed in metastatic potential, metastatic 143B and highly metastatic MG63.2 cells, in order to further investigate the anticancer mechanism of 2-methoxyestradiol. The current study aimed to determine the role of major heat shock proteins, Hsp90 and Hsp70 in 2-methoxyestradiol-induced osteosarcoma cell death. We focused on the implication of Hsp90 and Hsp70 in control under expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase, localization of the enzyme, and further generation of nitro-oxidative stress. To give the insight into the role of Hsp90 in regulation of anticancer efficacy of 2-methoxyestradiol, we used geldanamycin as a potent Hsp90 inhibitor. Herein, we evidenced that inhibition of Hsp90 controls the protein expression of 2-methoxyestradiol-induced neuronal nitric oxide synthase and inhibits enzyme nuclear translocation. We propose that decreased level of neuronal nitric oxide synthase protein after a combined treatment with 2-methoxyestradiol and geldanamycin is directly associated with the accompanying upregulation of Hsp70 and downregulation of Hsp90. This interaction resulted in abrogation of anticancer efficacy of 2-methoxyestradiol by geldanamycin

Oxidation processes of Longissimus dorsi from pigs supplemented with linseed oil and antioxidants

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of pig fodder supplementation on lipid oxidation of Longissimus dorsi (L. dorsi ) after frozen storage at -20 °C ± 1 °C for nine months. Fodder additives included 3% linseed oil (L1) or 3% linseed oil and antioxidants containing 100 mg vitamin E/kg and 1 mg organic selenium/kg (L2). The oxidation processes were evaluated by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and analyses of a profile of volatile organic compounds (VOC). The VOC were determined using an electronic nose based on ultra-fast gas chromatography. The level of TBARS for diets was 1.88 ± 0.52 to 2.30 ± 1.10 mg malondialdehyde/kg of meat. The results indicated that the diet of pigs from L1 and L2 groups had no impact on the TBARS value of L. dorsi pork frozen for nine months. On the other hand, aldehydes, which are regarded as compounds characteristic of oxidation processes, were identified in all samples. Volatile aldehydes contributed approximately 10%, 12%, and 15% of total detected volatiles for L2, L1, and the control group, respectively. Moreover, the data showed that propanal and benzeneacetaldehyde were at the same level, regardless of the animal’s diet, which is in accordance with the TBARS level. These volatile aldehydes resulted from the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and may be considered indicators of lipid oxidation for meat enriched with PUFAs. The results show that supplementation of the pigs’ diet with linseed oil (L1 group), which is a source of PUFAs, is recommended for meat intended for long-term freezing storage. However, supplementation with antioxidants is unnecessary, because it has no effect on lipid oxidation of L. dorsi pork after long-term freezing storage.Keywords: Animal’s diet, frozen storage, lipid oxidation, volatile organic compound

The effect of testing procedure on DSC measurements of Gd-Ti-Zr alloy using ZrO2 container

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was applied to determine the critical temperatures of phase transformations in the Gd40Ti30Zr30 alloy (wt%). The comparative measurements were carried out using three types of measuring devices at a temperature RT- 1650°C in the same flowing gas (Ar, 99.9992%) but applying different testing procedures, which allowed obtaining dissimilar oxygen contents in the surrounding atmosphere. The high temperature interaction and reactivity taking place between molten alloy samples and ZrO2 container during DSC tests were evaluated by structural analysis of the resulting interfaces using alloy samples solidified inside the ZrO2 containers. The conducted research has demonstrated methodological difficulties accompanying measurements of the thermophysical properties of Gd-rich alloys by the container-assisted DSC method, particularly when the tests are performed in flowing argon atmosphere with significantly reduced oxygen content. Under non-oxidizing conditions, the degradation of ZrO2 container can take place during DSC testing because the selected Gd40Ti30Zr30 alloy reacts with the ZrO2 to form a continuous interfacial reaction product layer. Under slightly oxidizing conditions, the gadolinium oxide formed in situ on the alloy surface, plays the role of a barrier for direct contact between molten alloy and container and thus may suppress or even prevent the degradation of the container and its subsequent strong bonding with the holder

Dewetting of PtCu Nanoalloys on TiO2 Nanocavities Provides a Synergistic Photocatalytic Enhancement for Efficient H2 Evolution

We investigate the co-catalytic activity of PtCu alloy nanoparticles for photocatalytic H2 evolution from methanol-water solutions. To produce the photocatalysts, a few nm-thick Pt-Cu bilayers are deposited on anodic TiO2 nanocavity arrays and converted by solid state dewetting, i.e. a suitable thermal treatment, into bimetallic PtCu nanoparticles. XRD and XPS results prove the formation of PtCu nanoalloys that carry a shell of surface oxides. XANES data support Pt and Cu alloying and indicate the presence of lattice disorder in the PtCu nanoparticles. The PtCu co-catalyst on TiO2 shows a synergistic activity enhancement and a significantly higher activity towards photocatalytic H2 evolution than Pt- or Cu-TiO2. We propose the enhanced activity to be due to Pt-Cu electronic interactions, where Cu increases the electron density on Pt favoring a more efficient electron transfer for H2 evolution. In addition, Cu can further promote the photo-activity by providing additional surface catalytic sites for hydrogen recombination. Remarkably, when increasing the methanol concentration up to 50 vol% in the reaction phase, we observe for PtCu-TiO2 a steeper activity increase compared to Pt-TiO2. A further increase in methanol concentration (up to 80 vol%) causes for Pt-TiO2 a clear activity decay, while PtCu-TiO2 still maintains a high level of activity. This suggests an improved robustness of PtCu nanoalloys against poisoning from methanol oxidation products such as CO

Temperature dependence of the bandgap of Eu doped {ZnCdO/ZnO}30 multilayer structures

In situ Eu-doped {ZnCdO/ZnO}30 multilayer systems were grown on p-type Si-substrates and on quartz substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Various Eu concentrations in the samples were achieved by controlling temperature of the europium effusion cell. The properties of as-grown and annealed {ZnCdO/ZnO}30:Eu multilayers were investigated using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and X-ray diffraction methods. SIMS measurements showed that annealing at 700{\deg}C and 900{\deg}C practically did not change the Eu concentration and the rare earth depth profiles are uniform. It was found that the band gap depends on the concentration of Eu and it was changed by rapid thermal annealing. Varshni and Bose-Einstein equations were used to describe the temperature dependence of the band gap of {ZnCdO/ZnO}30:Eu multilayer structures and Debye and Einstein temperatures were obtained.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, 3 table

Quantification of differences between occupancy and total monitoring periods for better assessment of exposure to particles in indoor environments

For the assessment of personal exposure, information about the concentration of pollutants when people are in given indoor environments (occupancy time) are of prime importance. However this kind of data frequently is not reported. The aim of this study was to assess differences in particle characteristics between occupancy time and the total monitoring period, with the latter being the most frequently used averaging time in the published data. Seven indoor environments were selected in Sweden and Finland: an apartment, two houses, two schools, a supermarket, and a restaurant. They were assessed for particle number and mass concentrations and number size distributions. The measurements using a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer and two photometers were conducted for seven consecutive days during winter in each location. Particle concentrations in residences and schools were, as expected, the highest during occupancy time. In the apartment average and median PM2.5 mass concentrations during the occupancy time were 29% and 17% higher, respectively compared to total monitoring period. In both schools, the average and medium values of the PM2.5 mass concentrations were on average higher during teaching hours compared to the total monitoring period by 16% and 32%, respectively. When it comes to particle number concentrations (PNC), in the apartment during occupancy, the average and median values were 33% and 58% higher, respectively than during the total monitoring period. In both houses and schools the average and median PNC were similar for the occupancy and total monitoring periods. General conclusions on the basis of measurements in the limited number of indoor environments cannot be drawn. However the results confirm a strong dependence on type and frequency of indoor activities that generate particles and site specificity. The results also indicate that the exclusion of data series during non-occupancy periods can improve the estimates of particle concentrations and characteristics suitable for exposure assessment, which is crucial for estimating health effects in epidemiological and toxicological studies. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).Peer reviewe

Correlation between Crystallographic Alignment of Self-induced GaN Nanowires and Features of Si(111) Nitridation

Formation and spatial ordering of self-induced GaN nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy on a spatially pre-nitridazed Si(111) substrate have been studied. It was found the close correlation between Si substrate nitridation parameters and crystallographic alignment of NWs. Conditions for NWs nucleation and in- plane orientation are predefined by a structural anisotropy of silicon nitride nanolayer. Mechanism of NWs orderly emergence suggested. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/3540

Toxic effects of Pb2+ on growth of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

A concentration as low as 1 mu M lead (Pb) is highly toxic to plants, but previous studies have typically related plant growth to the total amount of Pb added to a solution. In the present experiment, the relative fresh mass of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) was reduced by 10% at a Pb2+ activity of 0.2 mu M for the shoots and at a Pb2+ activity of 0.06 mu M for the roots. The primary site of Pb2+ toxicity was the root, causing severe reductions in root growth, loss of apical dominance (shown by an increase in branching per unit root length), the formation of localized swellings behind the root tips (due to the initiation of lateral roots), and the bending of some root tips. In the root, Pb was found to accumulate primarily within the cell walls and intercellular spaces. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The results of salvage surgery combined with reirradiation in nodal recurrence of larynx cancer

The recurrence in the regional lymph nodes of patients after total laryngectomy and postoperative radiotherapy is a still serious therapeutic problem. The conditions that are altered following the combined primary treatment make it difficult to achieve satisfactory results of the second surgical treatment.The aim of our study was to evaluate the outcome of a salvage operation (lymphadenectomy) and reirradiation in 50 patients with recurrence in regional lymph nodes (rN). Beetwen 1991 and 1996, 650 patients with larynx carcinoma were treated in our institiutions. All patients during the primary irradiation received a total dose of about 60 Gy. In the case of regional recurrence (rN) patients had selective lymphadenectomy and reirradiation (total dose 40 Gy) when capsulae were found to be infiltrated. The survival rates were for 1, 2 and 3 years : 34 (68%), 22 (44%), only 9 (18%) respectivly. This strategy of a second combined treatment had a good tolerance level, without any unacceptable side effects (complications)