Multiple, both endogenous and exogenous, sources may induce DNA damage and DNA replication stress. Cells have developed DNA damage response (DDR) signaling pathways to maintain genomic stability and effectively detect and repair DNA lesions. Serine/threonine kinases such as Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and Ataxia-telangiectasia and Rad3-Related (ATR) are the major regulators of DDR, since after sensing stalled DNA replication forks, DNA double- or single-strand breaks, may directly phosphorylate and activate their downstream targets, that play a key role in DNA repair, cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death. Interestingly, key components of DDR signaling networks may constitute an attractive targets for anti-cancer therapy through two distinct potential approaches: as a chemo- and radiosensitizers to enhance the effectiveness of currently used genotoxic treatment or as a single agents to exploit defects in DDR in cancer cells via synthetic lethal approach. Moreover, the newest data reported that serine/threonine protein kinase R (PKR)-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) is also closely associated with cancer development and progression. Thereby, utilization of small-molecule, serine/threonine kinase inhibitors may provide a novel, groundbreaking, anti-cancer treatment strategy. Currently, a range of potent, highly-selective toward ATM, ATR and PERK inhibitors has been discovered, but after foregoing study, additional investigations are necessary for their future clinical use.

The expression level of HDAC6, CXCR3, and SIRT1 genes may be involved in the progression of POAG.

Aim: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) involves acute unexplained hearing loss, nearly always one-sided of 30dB or greater over at least three contiguous audiometric frequencies. The aetiology of SSNHL is mostly unknown. According to the literature, the causes include vascular, microbial and autoimmune problems. There is still no agreed standard treatment. The aim of the paper was to evaluate the results of combined pharmacotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy in patients with idiopathic sudden deafness. Material/Methods: The study was carried out on 40 patients with SSNHL. The patients were divided into two groups: group I – 24 patients treated with the combined pharmacotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy and group II – 16 patients treated only pharmacologically. The patients from Group 1 were treated in the Centre of Hyperbaric Therapy CREATOR Ltd. in Lodz, Poland. Each patient underwent 15 sessions in a hyperbaric chamber. In all patients, the percentage of hearing loss for the selected frequencies was assessed before and after the therapy according to Sabine and Fowler. Results: The group of 40 patie nts aged from 33 to 77 years (mean 52.4) included 21 females and 19 males. Group I consisted of 24 patients, 11 females and 13 males, group II consisted of 16 patients, 10 females, and 6 males. After therapy, the mean hearing level in all patients improved by 27.14%, in Group I – by 34.34%, in Group II – by 16.3%. Conclusions: Early hyperbaric oxygen therapy combined with steroid therapy improves prognosis and shows good results in sudden hearing loss treatment.

Background: The head and neck neoplasms stand for 6% of all malignant neoplasms worldwide. The chemotherapy has limited use due to the tumor biological properties (in majority of cases moderately and poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma). The fundamental molecule used in the treatment is cisplatin and its derivates, that can be associated with fluorouracil. The new chemotherapeutic agents are not in common use during the treatment of head and neck malignancies. However, use of low molecular weight complexes Pd(II) have the potential to be more effective in therapy. Material and Methods: Fifty-one patients, 30 men and 21 women (aged 52.9 ± 12.1 years) with head and neck cancer were included in the study. Fifty-one healthy subjects, 31 men and 20 women, (aged 54.1 ± 14.7 years) years formed the control group. Antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities in erythrocytes were examined. Results: The increases level of antioxidant enzymes were seen in blood sample from patients with head and neck cancer after incubation with Pd(II) complex.. For that group we obtained statistically significant result p = <0.001 Discussion: That project may contribute to the development of new more efficient head and neck cancer treatment strategies. In our opinion, the results can be used in the future to develop a valuable prognostic marker of the disease. This is important because the initial phase of cancer is asymptomatic. The search for factors involved in pathogenesis translates into economic benefits and make therapy more effectiveness through reduce treatment expenses.

Od początku pandemii COVID-19 nasza wiedza na temat tej choroby ewoluowała w bardzo szybkim tempie. Wykazano, że istotną rolę w patomechanizmie tego schorzenia odgrywa receptor dla enzymu konwertującego angiotensynę typu 2, za pomocą którego wirus SARS- CoV-2 wnika do komórek gospodarza i ulega szybkiej replikacji prowadząc niekiedy do uszkodzenia narządów. Warto podkreślić, że wystąpienie tej choroby wiąże się z wystąpieniem silnej niewydolności oddechowej, która w niektórych przypadkach może doprowadzić do śmierci. Na podstawie licznych badań i dostępnych danych statystycznych zostały wyodrębnione grupy wysokiego ryzyka, które w szczególności narażone są na ciężki przebieg choroby. Do grupy tej zaliczamy osoby po 65 roku życia oraz pacjentów z chorobami współistniejącymi, np. cukrzycą, chorobami układu krążenia, aktywną chorobą nowotworową oraz chorobami układu oddechowego. Jednakże, autorzy badań podkreślają, że konieczne jest prowadzenie dalszych badań, które pomogą jednoznacznie odpowiedzieć na stawiane pytania. W poniższym artykule, na podstawie dostępnych danych literaturowych, podjęto próbę przybliżenia związku współistniejących chorób układu oddechowego z zachorowalnością i przebiegiem COVID-19.