Analysis of genes involved in response to doxorubicin and a GD2 ganglioside-specific 14G2a monoclonal antibody in IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cells.

Neuroblastoma is the most common extra-cranial solid tumor of childhood and it is characterized by the presence of a glycosphingolipid, GD2 ganglioside. Monoclonal antibodies targeting the antigen are currently tested in clinical trials. Additionally, several research groups reported results revealing that ganglioside-specific antibodies can affect cellular signaling and cause direct cytotoxicity against tumor cells. To shed more light on gene expression signatures of tumor cells, we used microarrays to analyze changes of transcriptome in IMR-32 human neuroblastoma cell cultures treated with doxorubicin (DOX) or a mouse monoclonal antibody binding to GD2 ganglioside 14G2a (mAb) for 24 h. The obtained results highlight that disparate cellular pathways are regulated by doxorubicin and 14G2a. Next, we used RT-PCR to verify mRNA levels of selected DOX-responsive genes such as RPS27L, PPM1D, SESN1, CDKN1A, TNFSF10B, and 14G2a-responsive genes such as SVIL, JUN, RASSF6, TLX2, ID1. Then, we applied western blot and analyzed levels of RPS27L, PPM1D, sestrin 1 proteins after DOX-treatment. Additionally, we aimed to measure effects of doxorubicin and topotecan (TPT) and 14G2a on expression of a novel human NDUFAF2 gene encoding for mimitin protein (MYC-induced mitochondrial protein) and correlate it with expression of the MYCN gene. We showed that expression of both genes was concomitantly decreased in the 14G2a-treated IMR-32 cells after 24 h and 48 h. Our results extend knowledge on gene expression profiles after application of DOX and 14G2a in our model and reveal promising candidates for further research aimed at finding novel anti-neuroblastoma targets.

Influencing the job market by the quality of graduates--a biomedical engineering example.

Academic teaching of a new discipline, besides its contents and formal issues, requires participation of the university in development of a target job market. This was the case of biomedical engineering in Poland ten years ago. This paper presents examples of activities, taken up by our university in cooperation with prospective employers, and evaluated with a help of our first alumni. The evaluation survey shows that despite the immature job market, the number of graduates employed accordingly to their education systematically raises each year from 72,5% in 2011 to 93,8% in 2013. Another interesting result is the distribution of job searching period: 19.2% of graduates were already employed before the graduation, further 23.1% found their job in less than one month after the diploma examination and another 28.8% in less than three months. The paper also highlights the role the former graduates play in motivating teachers and students to efforts towards a better educational outcome.

From the foundation act to the corporate culture of a BME teaching institute.

This paper describes the concept and application of the organizational culture of a BME teaching institute, based on the specificity of biomedical engineering. Selected values and behavioral patterns typical for this profession were endorsed to reinforce the mutual cooperation and understanding of students, university staff and employers as partners in the educational process. Besides of building a professional pride and reputation of the teaching institute, the corporate culture is proved to be useful in imposing of the attitudes required in future career of the biomedical engineer as a partner of a medic in his efforts aimed at the wellness and safety of the patient. Five years since the foundation of the Multidisciplinary School of engineering In Biomedicine we still do not have a quantitative measure of the educational outcome quality, nevertheless the presented idea may be very useful and worth sharing with all BME educators.

[Cognitive functions, their development and modern diagnostic methods]. / Funkcje poznawcze, ich rozwój oraz nowoczesne metody diagnozowania.

Cognitive psychology is an interdisciplinary field whose main aim is to study the thinking mechanisms of humans leading to cognizance. Therefore the concept of human cognitive processes envelopes the knowledge related to the mechanisms which determine the way humans acquire information from the environment and utilize their knowledge and experience. There are three basic processes which need to be distinguished when discussing human perception development: acquiring sensations, perceptiveness and attention. Acquiring sensations means the experience arising from the stimulation of a single sense organ, i.e. detection and differentiation of sensory information. Perceptiveness stands for the interpretation of sensations and may include recognition and identification of sensory information. The attention process relates to the selectivity of perception. Mental processes of the higher order used in cognition, thanks to which humans tend to try to understand the world and adapt to it, doubtlessly include the processes of memory, reasoning, learning and problem solving. There is a great difference in the human cognitive functioning at different stages of one's life (from infancy to adulthood). The difference is both quantitative and qualitative. There are three main approaches to the human cognitive functioning development: Jean Piaget's approach, information processing approach and psychometric approach. Piaget's ideas continue to form the groundwork of child cognitive psychology. Piaget identified four developmental stages of child cognition: 1. Sensorimotor stage (birth - 2 years old); 2. Preoperational stage (ages 2-7); 3. Concrete operations (ages 7-11; 4. Formal operations (11 and more). The supporters of the information processing approach use a computer metaphor to present the human cognitive processes functioning model. The three important mechanisms involved are: coding, automation and strategy designing and they all often co-operate together. This theory has provided a theory. The psychometric approach concentrates on studying the differences in intelligence. The aim of this approach is to test intelligence by means of standardized tests (e.g. WISC-R, WAIS-R) used to show the individual differences among humans. Human cognitive functions determine individuals' adaptation capabilities and disturbances in this area indicate a number of psychopathological changes and are a symptom enabling to differentiate or diagnose one with a disorder. That is why the psychological assessment of cognitive functions is an important part of patients' diagnosis. Contemporary neuropsychological studies are to a great extent based computer tests. The use of computer methods has a number of measurement-related advantages. It allows for standardized testing environment, increasing therefore its reliability and standardizes the patient assessment process. Special attention should be paid to the neuropsychological tests included in the Vienna Test System (Cognitron, SIGNAL, RT, VIGIL, DAUF), which are used to assess the operational memory span, learning processes, reaction time, attention selective function, attention continuity as well as attention interference resistance. It also seems justified to present the CPT id test (Continuous Performance Test) as well as Free Recall. CPT is a diagnostic tool used to assess the attention selective function, attention continuity of attention, attention interference resistance as well as attention alertness. The Free Recall test is used in the memory processes diagnostics to assess patients' operational memory as well as the information organization degree in operational memory. The above mentioned neuropsychological tests are tools used in clinical assessment of cognitive function disorders.

[Evaluation of blood-flow parameters in extraocular arteries in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma before and after surgical treatment]. / Ocena parametrów przeplywu krwi w tetnicach zewnetrznych oka u chorych z jaskra pierwotna otwartego kata przed i po leczeniu operacyjnym.

PURPOSE: To determine blood-flow parameters in extraocular vessels in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma before and after trabeculectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between November and December 2002 in 18 patients (12 women and 6 men) with primary open-angle glaucoma trabeculectomy was performed. In preoperative period, 10 days after and between third and sixth month after trabeculectomy, patients were subjected to complete ocular examination and evaluation of blood flow velocity (mean, systolic, diastolic) and pulsation indexes in posterior ciliary arteries with Doppler focused pulsating ultrasonography. Based on the results of the last examination patients were divided in two groups before the treatment. Group A included 9 patients (4 men and 5 women), age ranged from 46 to 77 (mean 63.67). Preoperative IOP in this group ranged from 14.6 mmHg to 34.5 mmHg (mean 25.6 mmHg). Blood-flow velocities were lowered in 9 patients for 20% below the norm. Pulsation indexes ranged from 1.0 to 1.3 in 7 patients and from 1.3 to 1.5 in 2 patients. Group B included 9 patients (6 women and 3 men) age ranged from 58 to 88 (mean 73.5). Preoperative IOP in this group ranged from 14 to 44 mmHg (mean 27.24 mmHg). Blood-flow velocities were lowered in 9 patients for 30-50% below the norm and pulsation indexes were higher then 1.2. Three of the 9 described patients had no velocities in diastolic phase and pulsation indexes were higher than 2.0. RESULTS: Postoperative IOP in group A ranged from 7.1 to 17.3 mmHg (mean 11.0 mmHg). Four of the 7 described patients had velocities higher for 20-30% than preoperatively and were normal. Pulsation indexes lowered to 1.0-1.2. In 3 patients velocity increase was observed later (after 6 months). In group B postoperative IOP ranged from 4.9 to 14.6 mmHg (mean 8.6 mmHg). Velocity increase was observed and it reached the lower limit of the norm or were higher. Pulsation indexes lowered to 1.0-1.2. CONCLUSION: The parameters of blood-flow in posterior ciliary arteries improved in all cases after trabeculectomy.

Polymeric membrane ion-selective and cross-sensitive electrode-based electronic tongue for qualitative analysis of beverages.

An electronic tongue based on the sensor array of polymeric membrane ion-selective electrodes combined with pattern recognition tools was applied to qualitative analysis of various brands of orange juice, tonic, and milk. The capability of this device to reliably discriminate between different brands of those products was presented. The tests of the system were performed using products of the same brand, but with different manufacture dates (and thus comparable by the term of taste). The fusion of two types of sensors-classical selective ones and partially selective in one versatile array, and working out the sensor array's response by means of principal component analysis and back propagation neural network methods allowed the discrimination between different brands of various beverages with very high accuracy (90-100%). The real performance of the electronic tongue was evaluated applying testing samples from another manufacture lot, than the samples used in the learning set.