The use of drones during mass events

The concept of a mass event has been defined by the law on mass event security. The use of drones to monitor events involves numerous benefits. Surveillance provided by means of drones is particularly beneficial as far as large open areas are concerned. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) alert one to any issues in the crowd

Alcohol abuse and glycoconjugate metabolism

The relationship between alcohol consumption and glycoconjugate metabolism is complex and multidimensional. This review summarizes the advances in basic and clinical research on the molecular and cellular events involved in the metabolic effects of alcohol on glycoconjugates (glycoproteins, glycolipids, and proteoglycans). We summarize the action of ethanol, acetaldehyde, reactive oxygen species (ROS), nonoxidative metabolite of alcohol — fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs), and the ethanol-water competition mechanism, on glycoconjugate biosynthesis, modification, transport and secretion, as well as on elimination and catabolism processes. As the majority of changes in the cellular metabolism of glycoconjugates are generally ascribed to alterations in synthesis, transport, glycosylation and secretion, the degradation and elimination processes, of which the former occurs also in extracellular matrix, seem to be underappreciated. The pathomechanisms are additionally complicated by the fact that the effect of alcohol intoxication on the glycoconjugate metabolism depends not only on the duration of ethanol exposure, but also demonstrates dose- and regional-sensitivity. Further research is needed to bridge the gap in transdisciplinary research and enhance our understanding of alcohol- and glycoconjugate-related diseases

Decrease in salivary lactoferrin output in chronically intoxicated alcohol-dependent patients

Salivary lactoferrin is a glycoprotein involved in the elimination of pathogens and the prevention of massive overgrowth of microorganisms that affect oral and general health. A high concentration of lactoferrin in saliva is often considered to be a marker of damage to the salivary glands, gingivitis, or leakage through inflamed or damaged oral mucosa, infiltrated particularly by neutrophils. We conducted a study to determine the effect of chronic alcohol intoxication on salivary lactoferrin concentration and output. The study included 30 volunteers consisting of ten non-smoking male patients after chronic alcohol intoxication (group A), and 20 control nonsmoking male social drinkers (group C) with no history of alcohol abuse. Resting whole saliva was collected 24 to 48 hours after a chronic alcohol intoxication period. Lactoferrin was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. For all participants, the DMFT index (decayed, missing, or filled teeth), gingival index (GI) and papilla bleeding index (PBI) were assessed. The differences between groups were evaluated using the Mann–Whitney U test. We noticed significantly decreased salivary flow (SF) in alcohol dependent patients after chronic alcohol intoxication (A), compared to the control group (C). Although there was no significant difference in salivary lactoferrin concentration between the alcohol dependent group A and the control group C, we found significantly decreased lactoferrin output in group A compared to group C. We found a significant correlation between the amount of daily alcohol use and a decrease in lactoferrin output. There was a significant increase in GI and a tendency of PBI to increase in group A compared to group C. We demonstrated that chronic alcohol intoxication decreases SF and lactoferrin output. The decreased lactoferrin output in persons chronically intoxicated by alcohol may be the result of lactoferrin exhaustion during drinking (due to its alcohol-related lower biosynthesis or higher catabolism) or to decreased function of neutrophils affected by the ethanol. The poorer periodontal state in alcohol dependent persons compared to controls may be a result of lower salivary flow and decreased protection of the oral cavity by lactoferrin

What does the volume of stomach resected during Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy depend on and what impact does it have on postoperative results?

Introduction: Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial disease and its extent is equal to pandemics. Sleeve gastrectomy is one of the methods of obesity treatment. Constantly, research is conducted on factors influencing postoperative bariatric-metabolic results. In this study, a correlation between the volume of stomach resected during LSG with preoperative anthropometric measurements and its influence on postoperative results was analysed. Material and methods: The study included 196 patients who qualified and were subjected to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in the study Centre. Surgery was conducted by the same surgical team according to standard procedure. The volume of the stomach resected was analysed, filling it with CO2 under the pressure of 15 mm Hg. The influence of the volume of stomach resected on bariatric efficiency as well as parameters of lipid and carbohydrate profile results in a 1-year follow-up was analysed. Results: The statistically significant connection between the volume of the stomach resected with preoperative body mass, height and body surface was proved. A correlation between BMI and stomach volume was not found. The volume of stomach resected did not influence body mass loss in a 1-year follow-up. The influence of the volume of the stomach resected on the percentage of glycated haemoglobin and HDL was proved. A significant decrease in body mass and BMI in a 1-year follow-up, as well as an improvement in lipid and carbohydrate balance, was observed. Conclusions: LSG is an efficient method of obesity treatment and for the improvement of biochemical parameters. The volume of stomach resected correlates with preoperative measurements of body mass, height and body surface, but not BMI. There is a lack of correlation between the volume of stomach resected with postoperative body mass loss results

Preliminary evaluation of the antiglycoxidant activity of verapamil using various in vitro and in silico biochemical/biophysical methods

Introduction: Glycoxidative stress is essential for linking glucose disturbances and cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, contemporary antidiabetic drugs do not have an antiglycative effect but only lower blood glucose levels. Therefore, there is an intense search for substances that could inhibit protein glycation and prevent diabetic complications. A potential antioxidant activity has been demonstrated with verapamil, a phenylalkylamine derivative belonging to selective calcium channel blockers. Verapamil has a well-established position in cardiology due to its wide range of indications and good safety profile. Nevertheless, the antidiabetic activity of verapamil is still unclear. We are the first to comprehensively evaluate the verapamil’s effect on protein glycoxidation using various in vitro and in silico models.Methods: Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used to assess the rate of glycoxidation inhibition by verapamil. As glycating factors, sugars (glucose, fructose, and ribose) and aldehyde (glyoxal) were used. Chloramine T was used as an oxidizing agent. Aminoguanidine (protein glycation inhibitor) and Trolox (antioxidant) were used as control substances. The biomarkers of oxidation (total thiols, protein carbonyls, advanced oxidation protein products), glycation (Amadori products, β-amyloid, advanced glycation end products [AGEs]), and glycoxidation (tryptophan, kynurenine, N-formylkynurenine, dityrosine) were evaluated using colorimetric and fluorimetric methods. The mechanism of antiglycative activity of verapamil was assessed using in silico docking to study its interaction with BSA, glycosidases, and seventeen AGE pathway proteins.Results: In all in vitro models, biomarkers of protein glycation, oxidation, and glycoxidation were significantly ameliorated under the influence of verapamil. The glycoxidation inhibition rate by verapamil is comparable to that of potent antiglycating agents and antioxidants. The molecular docking simulations showed that verapamil bound preferentially to amino acids prone to glycoxidative damage out of an α-glucosidase’s active center. Among all AGE pathway proteins, verapamil was best docked with the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB).Discussion: The results of our study confirm the antiglycoxidant properties of verapamil. The drug’s action is comparable to recognized substances protecting against oxidative and glycation modifications. Verapamil may be particularly helpful in patients with cardiovascular disease and concomitant diabetes. Studies in animal models and humans are needed to confirm verapamil’s antiglycative/antidiabetic activity

Does the position of the body impact the return of spontaneous circulation and hospital survival in sudden cardiac arrest patients?

Introduction: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a big medical problem.Material and methods: The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of sitting position in victims of OHCA at the arrival of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and examine whether maintaining a supine position until ambulance arrival impacts the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival until hospital admission and discharge. The documentation of patients in the OHCA registry of part of Silesian Voivodeship 1–06.2018 was accessed and yielded 634 cases for analysis.Results: The sitting position was found in 41 (6.5%) patients. These patients were more frequently female: 46.3% vs 30.6%, and older: 74.0 (57.9–82.0) vs 67.7 (54.9–75.8) and less frequently received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from bystanders: 7.3% vs 63.6%, while ROSC was found with similar frequency: 34.2% vs 34.1%, survival until hospital admission in ROSC subgroups was lower in those in a sitting position than in a lying position: 50% vs 75.5%. None patients who were found in the sitting position survived until hospital discharge, while 33 (6.1%) patients out of those found in the lying positions survived. The univariable analysis showed that the sitting position was associated with female sex, older age, previously implanted implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) before OHCA. The multivariable logistic revealed that the sitting position was independently associated with chest pain and the presence of ICD.Conclusions: Patients found in a sitting position at the arrival of EMS constituted 6.5% of patients with OHCA in whom resuscitation attempts were undertaken and were at higher risk of unfavorable outcomes