Is there an epidemic of prostate cancer in Polish males?

Rak gruczołu krokowego zalicza się do grupy nowotworów złośliwych specyfi cznych dla krajów rozwiniętych.Dane epidemiologiczne wskazują, że obok oskrzeli i płuca oraz jelita grubego prostata zalicza się do najczęstszychumiejscowień nowotworów złośliwych u mężczyzn w Europie i Stanach Zjednoczonych. W 2008 r. procentowyudział wymienionych umiejscowień wśród zachorowań polskich mężczyzn na nowotwory złośliwe wyniósł 46,2%,a współczynnik zachorowalności na raka gruczołu krokowego wyniósł 29,9 na 100 000. Warto jednak zwrócić uwagęna znaczne geografi czne zróżnicowanie częstości występowania raka gruczołu krokowego w naszym kraju: w 2008 r.współczynniki zachorowalności nowotworu w poszczególnych województwach wahały się bowiem od 20,5 do 43,6 na100 000. Ciekawych wniosków dostarcza szczegółowa analiza danych epidemiologicznych na poziomie regionu.W ostatnim 25-leciu w województwie dolnośląskim u mężczyzn obserwuje się systematyczny spadek liczby nowychprzypadków raka oskrzeli i płuca (najczęstszego nowotworu złośliwego w regionie) przy jednoczesnym wzroście częstościwystępowania nowotworów złośliwych jelita grubego i gruczołu krokowego. Tendencja wzrostowa w zakresiezachorowalności na raka gruczołu krokowego jest jeszcze bardziej wyraźna, gdy weźmie się pod uwagę wyłączniedane dotyczące Wrocławia — stolicy i największego miasta Dolnego Śląska. Począwszy od 2004 r. nowotwory złośliweprostaty rozpoznaje się tu częściej niż raka jelita grubego, a w 2009 r. liczba nowych przypadków zbliżyła siędo liczby nowych rozpoznań raka oskrzeli i płuca. Powyższe dane wskazują na rosnącą częstość rozpoznawania rakaprostaty — szczególnie wśród mężczyzn z dużych aglomeracji miejskich. Jednak rosnąca częstotliwość występowaniaraka gruczołu krokowego wydaje się być nie tyle następstwem epidemii tego nowotworu złośliwego, co skutkiemstarzenia się społeczeństwa i poprawy możliwości diagnostycznych.Prostate cancer belongs to malignancies that are specifi c for developed countries. Epidemiological data suggeststhat, aside from bronchi, lungs, and large intestine, prostate is one of the most frequent locations of male malignanciesdetected in Europe and United States. In 2008, the fraction of cancers in those aforementioned locations correspondedto 46.2% of all male oncological patients in Poland, and the incidence rate of prostate cancer amountedto 29.9 per 100 000. However, one should note considerable geographical variability of prostate cancer incidence inour country. In 2008 the incidence rate of that malignancy ranged between 20.5 and 43.6 per 100 000, depending onprovince. Detailed epidemiological analysis of regional data is even more conclusive. During the last 25 years, a systematicreduction could be observed with regards to the number of new cases of bronchus/lung malignancies (thepredominant cancer location in that region) diagnosed in men from Lower Silesian province, along with increasingincidence of colorectal and prostate malignancies. This growing tendency in prostate cancer incidence is even moreevident when relates the data to Wroclaw, the capital and the largest city of Lower Silesia. Beginning in 2004, prostatemalignancies are detected here more frequently than those aff ecting the large intestine, and in 2009 the numberof newly diagnosed prostate cancer cases was similar to that of bronchi and lungs. This data points to an increasingfrequency of prostate cancer detection. However, this increasing incidence of prostate cancer seems to be relatedto progressing ageing of the population and improved diagnostic possibilities rather than to any specifi c epidemicsof this malignancy

Transit versus Nature. Depreciation of Environmental Values of the Road Alleys. Case Study: Gamerki-Jonkowo, Poland

Road alleys are multifunctional features in open landscapes that serve as ecological corridors connecting habitats, and play an important role in sustaining ecological stability. However, multiple road authorities claim that tree-lined routes pose a threat to traffic safety and should therefore be removed. This aspect of safety seems crucial to authorities, significantly overwhelming the benefits of road alleys. Problems with the vitality of the trees (which are mainly mature and aging) deliver arguments for cutting them down. The aim of this paper is to examine the environmental and natural value of road alleys based on a 14 km long section of the Gamerki—Jonkowo Road in the Province of Warmia (Northeast Poland). Further, we aim to verify the degree of hazard posed by trees to be felled for safety reasons. An examination framework with six components was developed for the research. This framework includes a tree risk assessment and vitality evaluation, pulling tests, an examination of the protected hermit beetle and lichen species, and an examination of bat fauna. The results revealed that no trees were in the resignation phase and confirmed that the alley is a unique natural habitat with protected species of lichen, a few bats, and valuable insect species, among others the hermit beetle (Osmoderma barnabita). Therefore, the alley cannot be perceived only as a component of the road infrastructure. The maintenance of the trees seems to be essential when taking into account the environmental stability of the region

On Social Pedagogy in Poznan (and Beyond)

Social pedagogy in Poland already has a history of over a hundred years, with its roots in the positivist and socialist reflection of the socio-philosophical turn of the 20th century. Helena Radlinska is rightly credited with its problematization, theoretical and academic institutionalization; she was also the organizer and promoter of the Lodz and Warsaw scientific community. In the second half of the twentieth century other scientific communities were formed and continued some of her practice according to the paradigm proposed by Radlinska, as a praxeological science. These are teams of educators in Katowice, Torun, Bydgoszcz, Olsztyn, Szczecin, Opole, Bialystok, etc., initiating its presence in the rapidly developing centers of academic science and teaching. Against this background, the authors of this article reveal the genesis, original characteristics, development, achievements, and prospects of Poznan-based social pedagogy at the turn of the 21st century.39971116Studia Edukacyjn

Exostosis causing acute ischaemia of the lower limb

Autorzy przedstawiają przypadek młodego mężczyzny, u którego wystąpiły objawy ostrego niedokrwienia prawej, kończyny dolnej, spowodowanego wrodzoną wyroślą kostną kości udowej. Opisano metody rozpoznania oraz sposób leczenie w tym szczególnym i rzadkim przypadku. Chorego z powodzeniem leczono operacyjnie, usuwając zmianę kostną i naprawiając uszkodzona tętnicę.The authors present a young patient with symptoms of acute ischemia of the right lower limb caused by a congenital exostosis of the right femur. The diagnosis and the way of treatment of this particular and rare case was described. Operative treatment including repair of the damaged artery and removal of the bony lesion was succesfully performed

Predictive factors of hepatotoxicity in immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors in patients treated for melanoma and kidney cancer

Introduction. Checkpoint inhibitors immunotherapy (CPI) is widely used in the treatment of malignant tumors and has a positive effect on patient prognosis. CPI treatment is associated with various immunological adverse events (AEs), including a rare one — immunological hepatitis.  Material and methods. This study aims to analyze hepatic AEs in patients undergoing CPI therapy and to attempt to determine hepatotoxicity predictors. A retrospective statistical analysis of medical records of 223 CPI patients treated in the years 2014–2021 in Lower Silesian Oncology, Pulmonology and Hematology Center in Wrocław was performed.  Results. Toxicity grade 1–4 according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) occurred in 26% of patients, of which 6% were grade 3–4. An increased risk of hepatotoxicity was found in the group of patients ≤ 60 years of age compared to the > 60-year-old group (34.1% vs. 21.7%, p = 0.0418). It has also been confirmed that the occurrence of hepatic AEs during first-line immunotherapy increases the risk of toxicity recurrence during second-line immunotherapy (58.3% vs. 15.4%, p = 0.0199). No significantly increased risk of hepatic AEs has been demonstrated in patients with liver metastases, hepatic steatosis, or other chronic liver disease, or in patients after chemotherapy, with elevated baseline levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), or increased body mass index (BMI).  Conclusions. The hepatotoxicity of CPI immunotherapy poses a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Its early detection and treatment according to the recommended algorithms increases patient safety for patients and sometimes allows the continuation of treatment

Effects of Polylactide Copolymer Implants and Platelet-Rich Plasma on Bone Regeneration within a Large Calvarial Defect in Sheep

The aim of this study was to verify whether L-lactide/DL-lactide copolymer 80/20 (PLDLLA) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) trigger bone formation within critical-sized calvarial defects in adult sheep ( = 6). Two craniectomies, each ca. 3 cm in diameter, were created in each animal. The first craniectomy was protected with an inner polylactide membrane, filled with PRP-polylactide granules, and covered with outer polylactide membrane. The second control craniectomy was left untreated. The animals were euthanized at 6, 7, 17, 19, 33, and 34 weeks after surgery, and the quality and the rate of reossification were assessed histomorphometrically and microtomographically.The study demonstrated that application of implantsmade of PLDLLA 80/20 combined with an osteopromotive substance (e.g., PRP) may promote bone healing in large calvarial defect in sheep. These promising proof-of-concept studies need to be verified in the future on a larger cohort of animals and over a longer period of time in order to draw definitive conclusions

The New Attempt at Modeling of the Three-Dimensional Geometry of the Epidermal Skin Layer and the Diffusion Processes of Nanomolecular Drug Carriers in Such Structures

Nanoparticles are presently considered the efficient carriers of medicals, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals in the human organism. There is a lot of research carried out on the delivery of these materials in a non-invasive way. Such a method is very safe in times of global illnesses and pandemics. The most frequently investigated route is the approach to delivering nano-media through the skin as the result of diffusion processes. The stratum corneum, the outermost layer of skin, is the most resistive barrier to such a form of penetration. In this work, a new model is proposed to predict nanoparticles’ transport through this layer. It introduces the concept of the three-dimensional model of the stratum corneum, which allows to define the skin surface area from which diffusion occurs. This structure was replaced by the single capillary, resulting from theoretical considerations. Modeling of the diffusion process of nanoparticles as the result of Brownian motion in such a capillary was performed numerically using COMSOL Multiphysics package programs. Further, using the dimensions of such a capillary, a new model of diffusion was developed in which the parameters allow to determine the effective diffusion coefficient as a function of nanoparticle size and the viscosity of a liquid. As a result, the proposed models provide a new and efficient approach to the determination of the nano-molecules’ transport phenomena through the skin layer