Assessment of long-term renal complications in extremely low birth weight children

We assessed the long-term renal complications in a regional cohort of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) children born in 2002–2004. The study group, comprising 78 children born as ELBW infants (88% of the available cohort), was evaluated with measurement of serum cystatin C, urinary albumin excretion, renal ultrasound, and 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurements. The control group included 38 children born full-term selected from one general practice in the district. Study patients were evaluated at a mean age of 6.7 years, and had a median birthweight of 890 g (25th–75th percentile: 760–950 g) and a median gestational age of 27 weeks (25th–75th percentile: 26–29 weeks). Mean serum cystatin C levels were significantly higher (0.64 vs. 0.59 mg/l; p = 0.01) in the ELBW group. Hypertension was diagnosed in 8/78 ELBW and 2/38 of the control children (p = 0.5). Microalbuminuria (>20 mg/g of creatinine) was detected only in five ELBW children (p = 0.17). The mean renal volume was significantly lower in the ELBW group (absolute kidney volume 81 ml vs. 113 ml; p < 0.001, relative kidney volume 85 vs. 97%; p < 0.001). Abnormally small kidneys (<2/3 of predicted size) were detected in 19 ELBW and four control children (p = 0.08). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the only independent risk factor for renal complications was weight gained during neonatal hospitalization (odds ratio: 0.67; 95% confidence interval: 0.39–0.94). Serum cystatin C and kidney volume are significantly lower in school-age ELBW children. It is important to include systematic renal evaluation in the follow-up programs of ELBW infants

SEMI-3 electro-hydraulic controller – an innovative solution

W artykule omówiono szczególne warunki, w jakich pracują rozdzielacze elektrohydrauliczne – skupiono się zwłaszcza na czynnikach wpływających na jakość ich pracy. Dokonano przeglądu rozwiązań, jakie w Instytucie EMAG opracowano dla poprawy bezpieczeństwa w procesach sterowania. Przedstawiono szeroko stosowany sterownik SEMI-2, przeznaczony do sterowania iskrobezpiecznymi rozdzielaczami hydraulicznymi i pneumatycznymi przystosowanymi do eksploatacji w trudnych warunkach podziemi kopalń. Zaprezentowano nowe rozwiązanie sterownika SEMI-3 oraz dokonano porównania jego parametrów z parametrami sterownika SEMI-2.The article features specific working conditions of electro-hydraulic valves, particularly the factors that impact the quality of their work. The author presented solutions developed by the EMAG Institute in order to improve safety of control processes. The SEMI-2 controller was described. It has been designed to control intrinsically safe hydraulic and pneumatic valves adapted to work in difficult conditions of underground mines. A new solution of the SEMI-3 controller was discussed and its parameters were compared to those of SEMI-2

Selected elements of industrial automation systems used in difficult environmental conditions and in areas with explosion hazards

Na wstępie podkreślono znaczenie nowoczesnych rozwiązań zastosowanych w elementach układów automatyki przemysłowej, wykorzystywanych zwłaszcza w środowisku o trudnych i wybuchowych warunkach. W dalszej części artykułu przedstawiono wybrane przykłady rozwiązań opracowanych w ostatnich latach w Instytucie Technik Innowacyjnych ENIAG, w tym przykłady systemów sterowania, diagnostyki i układów napędowych, oraz uzasadniono konieczność uwzględnienia w procesie projektowania szeregu wymagań związanych m. in. z dyrektywami LVD, EMC, ATEX i MAD. Ponadto opisano procesy wielowariantowych badań laboratoryjnych, przyczyniające się do zwiększenia poziomu bezpieczeństwa i niezawodności rozwiązań wdrażanych w aplikacjach przemysłowych.First the importance of state-of-the-art solutions in industrial automation systems was stressed, particularly those applied in difficult environmental conditions and in areas with explosion hazards. Then some solutions developed in the EMAG Institute were presented, including control systems, diagnostic systems and driving systems. The authors justified the necessity to take into account a number of requirements during the designing process, i.e. LVD, EMC, ATEX and MAD directives. Finally, the processes of multivariant laboratory tests were discussed. These tests contribute to better safety and reliability of solutions implemented in industrial applications

Gene Expression Profiling in Preterm Infants: New Aspects of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Development

<div><p>Rationale</p><p>Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is one of the most serious complications observed in premature infants. Thanks to microarray technique, expression of nearly all human genes can be reliably evaluated.</p> <p>Objective</p><p>To compare whole genome expression in the first month of life in groups of infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.</p> <p>Methods</p><p>111 newborns were included in the study. The mean birth weight was 1029g (SD:290), and the mean gestational age was 27.8 weeks (SD:2.5). Blood samples were drawn from the study participants on the 5th, 14th and 28th day of life. The mRNA samples were evaluated for gene expression with the use of GeneChip® Human Gene 1.0 ST microarrays. The infants were divided into two groups: bronchopulmonary dysplasia (n=68) and control (n=43).</p> <p>Results</p><p>Overall 2086 genes were differentially expressed on the day 5, only 324 on the day 14 and 3498 on the day 28. Based on pathway enrichment analysis we found that the cell cycle pathway was up-regulated in the bronchopulmonary dysplasia group. The activation of this pathway does not seem to be related with the maturity of the infant. Four pathways related to inflammatory response were continuously on the 5^th, 14^th and 28^th day of life down-regulated in the bronchopulmonary dysplasia group. However, the expression of genes depended on both factors: immaturity and disease severity. The most significantly down-regulated pathway was the T cell receptor signaling pathway.</p> <p>Conclusion</p><p>The results of the whole genome expression study revealed alteration of the expression of nearly 10% of the genome in bronchopulmonary dysplasia patients.</p> </div