Integration of Cryopreservation and Tissue Culture for Germplasm Conservation and Propagation of Rosa pomifera ‘Karpatia’

Cryopreservation is an useful technique for long-term conservation that requires minimal space and maintenance. Germplasm protection of Rosa is important to preserve genetic diversity, to store material for breeding and to expand new research. This study was conducted to develop a droplet vitrification cryopreservation and micropropagation of Rosa pomifera cv. ‘Karpatia’, whose large hypanthia are characterized by remarkable pro-health properties. Culture in vitro was stabilized and shoot tips collected from dormant buds served as initial explants. The multiplication of shoots was carried out on MS medium containing benzyladenine. For the droplet vitrification cryopreservation, shoot tips from in vitro cultures were used: small with exposed meristem, and large with a meristem covered with leaves, as well as shoot tips from in situ plants, which were collected in winter. Treatment time with plant vitrification solution (PVS2) was also tested (10-30 minutes). From in vitro culture, 32-41% small explants with exposed meristem survived, but they regenerated at a very low level. The best cryostorage results were obtained for shoot tips from dormant buds and a 20-minute PVS2 treatment: the survival was 84% and regeneration 72%. During the post-freezing regeneration multiplication index was 2.4 shoots per one multiplication cycle, after cryopreservation and in the control. On half MS medium without growth regulators, 97-99% of shoots rooted, and all rooted plants have adapted to ex vitro conditions and were planted into the soil. Biometric analyses during shoot multiplication, rooting and acclimatization stages did not reveal any changes compared to the non-cryopreserved samples

Atherothrombosis as a Leading Cause of Acute Coronary Syndromes and Stroke: The Main Killers in Developed Countries

Worldwide, cardiovascular incidents are estimated to cause 17.5 million deaths, 80% of which are ischemic strokes or acute coronary syndromes. Cardiovascular disease results in a significant financial burden for healthcare system—namely, in 2009, it was 9% of the gross health service expenditure in the European Union. Therefore, the development of the knowledge about atherosclerosis—initially thought to be solely degenerative disorder but now considered a multifactorial inflammatory state—is essential. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is usually a manifestation of severe reduction in coronary blood flow caused by atherosclerotic plaque and thrombus. The pathology of the atherosclerotic plaque is complex. Essentially, it is disease of the arterial intima that, through subsequent stages, results to luminal narrowing. Over the years, various theories regarding the genesis growth and vulnerability of atherosclerotic lesions have been promoted, usually focusing on endothelial injury, smooth muscle cell proliferation, lipid accumulation, and, more recently, inflammatory reactions

Intensity of COPD symptoms in comparison with spirometry parameters

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common illnesses which occurs globally. In 2018 it was the third cause of death. Growing incidence of COPD in Poland causes crucial social, economic and individual consequences. Spirometry is a test which allows detecting COPD on its early stage, states its severity and also predicting forthcoming course of this illness. Along with FEV1, FVC is a standard parameter to check airways obstruction. Early detection of the disease before the first symptoms leads to successful treatment. Nevertheless, patients usually arrive to be examined, when the symptoms intensity of COPD influence their normal existence. The aim of the study was to analyze intensity of symptoms of COPD in the correlation with FEV1 and FEV1/FVC spirometry parameters. Materials and methods The study was conducted in the specialist respiratory care clinic. The study group consisted of 68 patients over 50 year’s old suffering from moderate to severe COPD. Documentation analysis and diagnostic search was applied in the study. As far as the research tool is concerned CAT questionnaire has been used, which allows to estimate the intensity of the symptoms and how they affect everyday life of the patients and their state of well-being. Spirometry testing has been performed according to ERS standards with the use of MES Lung test 1000. Statistical analysis has been conducted with the use of ANOVA test. Results As far as the question in the CAT concerning sleeping disorders resulted from symptoms of COPD statistically significant differences were found in FEV1/FVC and FEV1 values. (anova, F3, 66 = 4,556 i 4,169 respectively, p<0,01). Regarding FEV1/FVC and FEV1 values, clinically significant differences have been shown among women who stated in the CAT questionnaire they had minor problems with sputum excretion. (test t-student, t16= 2,746 i 2,279 respectively, p<0,05). Conclusions Evaluating intensity of the symptoms in the course of COPD in the study group, most of the problems were caused by effort dyspnea, cough and difficulties in everyday activities. Men, among whom the symptoms of disease cause the sleeping disorders have lower values of FEV1 than women. Sputum excretion has crucial influence on lowering FEV1 and FEV1/FVC

Daily sunshine hours as determinant of 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration among diabetic cardiac patients who experienced myocardial infarction hospitalized due to acute coronary syndrome: a cross-sectional study

Wstęp. Niedobór witaminy D jest problemem ogólnoświatowym o różnych konsekwencjach zdrowotnych. Witamina D może obniżać ryzyko niewydolności serca, jednak dowody świadczące o skuteczności suplementacji witaminą D na utrzymanie zdrowia układu sercowo-naczyniowego są sprzeczne z powodu braku odpowiedniej liczby i jakości badań klinicznych. Przyczyny braku jednoznacznych efektów potwierdzających pozytywny wpływ suplementacji witaminy D mogą być co najmniej trzy: 1) suplementacja zbyt małą ilością witaminy D lub 2) brak włączenia do badania tylko populacji z ciężkim niedoborem witaminy D, lub 3) czas trwania suplementacji. Celem pracy była charakterystyka grupy pacjentów kardiologicznych, u których stwierdzono w poprzednich badaniach najniższe stężenia 25-hydroksywitaminy D [25(OH)D].Materiał i metody. Analizie poddano wyniki 92 chorych kardiologicznych z cukrzycą w wieku 41–89 lat, którzy przeżyli zawał serca z istotnymi zmianami w tętnicach wieńcowych, hospitalizowanych z powodu ostrego zespołu wieńcowego, mieszkających w Warszawie.Wyniki. Mediana stężenia 25(OH)D w badanej populacji wyniosła 11 ng/ml (zakres: 4–28 ng/ml). Jedynym istotnym determinantem stężenia 25(OH)D był okres badania; stężenie było wyższe latem niż zimą.Wnioski. Leczenie witaminą D u polskich pacjentów kardiologicznych w celu osiągnięcia optymalnego stężenia, tj. 30 ng/ml (75 nmol/l), wydaje się konieczne i powinno być jak najszybciej wdrożone.Introduction. Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide problem with a variety of health consequences. Vitamin D may reduce the risk of heart failure, however, evidence of the impact of vitamin D treatment on maintenance of cardiovascular health (i.e., preventing cardiovascular diseases) is conflicting due to lack of support from clinical trials. The reason for the failure of clinical trials to confirm an effect of vitamin D supplementation could be at least threefold: 1) too little vitamin D given to the participants or 2) lack of inclusion of only severely vitamin D-deficient populations or 3) study duration. The aim of this study was to characterize a group of cardiac patients who presented the lowest concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. Material and methods. Results of 92 diabetic cardiac patients aged between 41 and 89 years who experienced myocardial infarction, with significant coronary arteries changes, hospitalized due to acute coronary syndrome living in Warsaw were analyzed. Results. Patients presented median 25(OH)D concentration value of 11 ng/mL (range: 4–28 ng/mL). The only significant determinant of 25(OH)D concentration was the date of examination, with higher concentrations in summer than in winter. Conclusions. Vitamin D treatment in Polish cardiac patients aimed at reaching the optimal level of 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) seems to be necessary and implemented as soon as possible

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Targeted lipidomics in breast cancer metastasis

Celem niniejszej pracy była ocena profilu wybranych kwasów tłuszczowych z grupy nasyconych, jednonienasyconych i wielonienasyconych w osoczu, płucach i guzach nowotworowych w mysim modelu przerzutującego raka sutka (4T1) w 1, 2, 4 i 5 tygodniu od inokulacji komórek nowotworowych. Zawartość względną wybranych kwasów tłuszczowych oznaczono z zastosowaniem systemu GC/MS/MS. W próbkach osocza odnotowano istotne zmniejszenie zawartości niektórych kwasów tłuszczowych w kolejnych tygodniach progresji choroby. Podobną tendencję zaobserwowano w homogenatach tkanki płucnej oraz guzach nowotworowych. Spośród oznaczanych kwasów tłuszczowych na uwagę zasługuje kwas γ-linolenowy, którego zawartość we wszystkich badanych matrycach zmniejszała się istotnie w trakcie progresji choroby nowotworowej. Uwagę zwraca również wysoka zawartość kwasu mirystynowego oraz kwasu pentadekanowego w guzach nowotorowych w 1 tygodniu od inokulacji komórek nowotworowych, istotnie malejąca w miarę progresji choroby.The purpose of this work was to evaluate the profile of selected fatty acids from the groups of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated in plasma, lung and tumors in a mouse model of metastatic breast cancer (4T1) at 1, 2, 4 and 5 weeks after tumor cells inoculation. The relative content of selected fatty acids was determined using the GC/MS/MS system. Significant reductions in some fatty acids in subsequent weeks of disease progression were noted in plasma samples. A similar trend has been observed in homogenates of lung tissue and tumors. Among the studied fatty acids, the relative amount of gamma-linolenic acid in all matrices decreased considerably during the progression of malignant disease. Attention is also drawn to the high amount of myristic acid and pentadecanoic acid in tumors in 1 week after tumor cell inoculation, significantly decreasing during the disease progression

Quality of life in patients with COPD, depending on the presence of comorbidities

Introduction. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the world among chronic diseases. The article discusses the relationship between the quality of life of patients with COPD and the presence of diseases associated mainly with hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. The examination includes subjective and holistic assessment of the patient’s health condition, which allows to notice any disorders and deficits in the functioning of patients with this disease