Sellar metastases

Tumor metastases within the sellar region are uncommon, accounting for up to 5% of all malignant lesions, and they can mimic pituitary tumor. These metastases are usually observed in older patients, with advanced and generalized neoplastic disease, but also can be the first manifestation of the cancer. Possible hormonal disturbances are diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism, isolated hormone deficiency and mild hyperprolactinemia. Mass effects, visual field defects, and headaches occur, too. The most common origin of the pituitary metastases are breast and lung cancer, then colon, prostate, pancreas, thyroid, hematologic disorders and other neoplasms. The treatment options include neurosurgical resection, irradiation and chemotherapy. In some cases transsphenoidal surgery might be helpful for the proper histological diagnosis. The prognosis is poor and is related to the response to the therapy of primary focus. Cases of lung tumor metastatic to the pituitary and lymphoma infiltrating the hypothalamus will be presented and discussed

Nonlocal Electrostatics in Spherical Geometries

Nonlocal continuum electrostatic models have been used numerically in protein simulations, but analytic solutions have been absent. In this paper, two modified nonlocal continuum electrostatic models, the Lorentzian Model and a Linear Poisson-Boltzmann Model, are presented for a monatomic ion treated as a dielectric continuum ball. These models are then solved analytically using a system of differential equations for the charge distributed within the ion ball. This is done in more detail for a point charge and a charge distributed within a smaller ball. As the solutions are a series, their convergence is verified and criteria for improved convergence is given

A set of connection network synthesis based on the linear Diophantine constraints solution in area {0,1}

In the paper we present a method for synthesis of a set of connection networks, which fulfill the designer’s assumption. In order to do that, the designed network is presented as a system of Diophantine constraints in a special form. A method to resolve those systems is proposed, which is characterized by lower computational complexity, especially in the case of rare topologies design

Optical communication multibus systems

In this paper we present optical communication multibus system including: physical topology, logical topology, structure of central control unit (CCU). We describe the task of CCU: analyze the state of logical buses, topology reconfiguration, system structures clustering, unexpected events handling, statistic gathering, etc. In this paper we present synthesis of core system network basis on: MIN network, hypercube, ring topology and original embedding operation. We present logical structure of the systems including: logical interconnection buses, CCU, control transmission pattern, applicable logical topologies, reconfiguration methods, communication methods to connect autonomous multibus systems

Ocena metabolizmu tkanki kostnej u kobiet przed menopauzą chorujących na nadczynność i niedoczynność tarczycy

Introduction: Osteoporosis is one of the commonest metabolic diseases of bone. Its possible causes may include thyroid hormonal dysfunction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism on osseous tissue metabolism in premenopausal women. Material and methods: 38 women with hyperthyroidism, 40 with hypothyroidism and 41 healthy women participated in this study. Initially after 6 and 12 months, each patient underwent selected hormonal, immunological and biochemical tests, measurement of concentrations of bone turnover markers and densitometry were also performed. Results: On initial evaluation, lower cortical bone density was found in patients with hyperthyroidism (femoral neck). After 12 months, an increase in BMD was seen, but it was still lower than in the control group. Statistically significantly higher concentrations of bone turnover markers, decreasing from the sixth month of treatment, were noted only in the group with hyperthyroidism. Statistically significant differences were not noted in the femoral neck nor in the lumbar spine BMD in patients with hypothyroidism. Conclusions: Hyperthyroidism poses a negative effect on bone metabolism. Hypothyroidism in premenopausal females does not have any influence on bone density.Wstęp: Osteoporoza należy do najczęstszych chorób metabolicznych kości. Jej przyczynami mogą być między innymi choroby gruczołu tarczowego. Celem pracy była ocena wpływu nadczynności i niedoczynności tarczycy na metabolizm tkanki kostnej u kobiet w okresie przedmenopauzalnym. Materiał i metody: Badaniem objęto 38 kobiet z nadczynnością tarczycy, 40 — z niedoczynnością tarczycy i 41 zdrowych kobiet. Oceniano wyjściowo, po 6 i 12 miesiącach wybrane parametry hormonalne, immunologiczne i biochemiczne, stężenie markerów obrotu kostnego oraz wykonano badanie densytometryczne kości. Wyniki: W grupie z nadczynnością tarczycy stwierdzono obniżenie BMD w zakresie kości korowej (szyjka kości udowej). Po rocznym leczeniu tyreostatykiem obserwowano wzrost BMD, ale była ona nadal mniejsza niż w grupie kontrolnej. Tylko w grupie z nadczynnością tarczycy wykazano statystycznie istotnie większe stężenie markerów obrotu kostnego, które w sposób istotny zmniejszało się od 6 miesiąca leczenia. W grupie z niedoczynnością tarczycy nie wykazano wpływu na BMD zarówno w zakresie szyjki kości udowej, jak i kręgosłupa lędźwiowego. Wnioski: Niekorzystny wpływ na metabolizm kostny wywiera nadczynność tarczycy. Niedoczynność tarczycy u kobiet przed menopauzą nie wpływa na gęstość kości

Performance test of network devices

Selection of components in contemporary computer networks is extremely important, not only because of the project budget but also because of the network performance. Therefore, it is necessary to perform tests before deploying devices. In this paper the authors show that the performance of test network devices is dependent on the nature of network traffic including its statistical properties. Also a new hybrid model of the system for testing the network device based on the q-additivity of traffic flows was proposed

Znaczenie oreksyny A w zaburzeniach metabolicznych w akromegalii

Introduction: It has been reported that orexins may play an important role in GH regulation. Orexins participate in the regulation of pituitary hormones secretion, food intake regulation, and the sleep-wake cycle. It has been suggested that a defect of orexin A synthesis could be responsible for disturbances in GH synthesis in patients with acromegaly, and consequently aggravate metabolic disturbances caused by high levels of IGF1. The aim of this study: The aim of this study was to assess orexin A levels in relation to the activity of the disease and the influence on metabolic profile in patients with acromegaly. Material and methods: The subjects were 55 acromegalic patients divided into three main groups: a surgically cured acromegalic group (SCA); a well-controlled acromegalic group (WCA); an active acromegalic group (AA); and 29 healthy controls. In all subjects, blood samples were taken to assess the concentration of orexin A, lipids, glucose, insulin and hormones of the pituitary and peripheral glands. Results: The concentration of orexin A was highest in the control group (CG) and lowest in the WCA group. The differences of orexin A concentration were statistically significant when each group of acromegalics were compared to the CG. There were no significant differences in orexin A concentration among the studied groups of patients with acromegaly. The metabolic disturbances were more often observed in the groups of acromegaly patients. In the AA group, orexin A concentrations correlated negatively with plasma lipids. Conclusions: The concentration of orexin A is reduced in acromegaly compared to healthy subjects. (Endokrynol Pol 2012; 63 (6): 463–469)Wstęp: Sugeruje się, że oreksyny mogą odgrywać ważną rolę w regulacji wydzielania hormonu wzrostu (GH). Oreksyny biorą udział w regulacji wydzielania hormonów przysadki, regulacji w zakresie pobierania pokarmu i regulacji rytmu sen–czuwanie. Wydaje się, że zaburzenia w syntezie oreksyny A mogą być odpowiedzialne za zaburzenia w syntezie GH u pacjentów z akromegalią, a tym samym mogą nasilać zaburzenia metaboliczne spowodowane przez wysokie wartości IGF1. Cel pracy: Celem pracy była ocena zaburzeń syntezy oreksyny A u osób chorujących na akromegalię, w korelacji z aktywnością choroby i wpływem na profil metaboliczny u tych pacjentów. Materiał i metody: W badaniu wzięło udział 55 chorych na akromegalię, których podzielono na trzy podstawowe grupy: chirurgicznie wyleczona akromegalia (SCA), dobrze kontrolowana akromegalia (WCA), aktywna akromegalia (AA), oraz 29 osób stanowiących grupę kontrolną (CG). W każdej z grup oznaczono stężenie oreksyny A, stężenie lipidów, glukozy, insuliny oraz hormony przysadki i gruczołów obwodowych. Wyniki: Stężenie oreksyny A było największe w grupie CG, a najmniejsze w grupie WCA. Różnice stężeń oreksyny A były istotne statystycznie między wszystkimi grupami chorych na akromegalię a grupą kontrolną. Brak było znamiennych statystycznie różnic stężeń oreksyny A pomiędzy poszczególnymi grupami w obrębię chorych na akromegalię. Zaburzenia metaboliczne były częściej obserwowane w grupach pacjentów z akromegalią. W grupie AA stężenie oreksyny A korelowało ujemnie ze stężeniami lipidów. Wniosek: Stężenie oreksyny A jest obniżone u chorych na akromegalię w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną. (Endokrynol Pol 2012; 63 (6): 463–469

Comparison of the blood vessel complexes of the human and bovine male gonads

The aim of the study was to compare the blood vessel network of the human and bovine male gonads, paying special attention to differences resulting from mediastinum testis localisation. Two groups of specimens were compared. Each group consisted of 50 corrosive die casts of the testicular and spermatic cord vessels of bovine and human gonads respectively. In each group 20 gonads had only the arterial vessels injected, another 20 only the veins, while in 10 gonads both arteries and veins were injected. The die casts were examined with a stereoscopic binocular as well as an optic microscope. The different testicular vascular patterns in humans and bulls were observed. In humans the intratesticular arteries branch off the arterial network of the tunica albuginea and mediastinum testis. The former runs centripetally, the latter centrifugally. Analogically, the intratesticular veins emptying into the tunica albuginea venous network run centrifugally and those emptying into the mediastinum testis plexus run centripetally. In bulls the arterial vessels run centripetally, later forming a helical, screw-like layer to give off centrifugal branches. Venous vessels run centrifugally and empty into the venous plexus of the tunica albuginea

Integrated education system

In this paper we present the Lecta integrated education system. We show general assumptions of the system and we describe modules of Lecta. System programming platform, teaching aspect and exam module Lecta-Egzaminator are presented in detail

Models of multichannel interconnection systems

This work begins with presentation of modern teleinformatic systems functional problems. The authors indicate the necessity of using the multichannel communication technologies. Next, the building and exploitation costs analysis of interconnection systems was shown. Methodology of including designing system exploitation costs during the designing process was proposed. In the last part of the work the model allowing to design teleinformatic systems with expanded interconnection network more efficient was presented