The effect of a Heat and Moisture Exchanger (Provox® HME) on pulmonary protection after total laryngectomy: a randomized controlled study

The goal of this randomized controlled study was to investigate the effect of Heat and Moisture Exchanger use on pulmonary symptoms and quality of life aspects in laryngectomized patients. Eighty laryngectomized patients were included and randomized into an HME and Control group. The effect of the HME was evaluated by means of Tally Sheets and Structured Questionnaires. The results showed a significant decrease in the frequency of coughing, forced expectoration, and stoma cleaning in the HME group. There were trends for the prosthetic speakers to report more fluent speech with the HME and for the HME group to report fewer sleeping problems. In conclusion, this study, performed in Poland, confirms the results of previous studies performed in other countries, showing that pulmonary symptoms decrease significantly with HME use and that related aspects such as speech and sleeping tend to improve, regardless of country or climate

First attempts to 3D printing spine implants : human spine biomechanics

The purpose of this paper was to obtain and compare information about spine metrics properties and indicate of polymer materials for the manufacture of spinal implants using 3D printing. The resulting properties will allow to select the material which have similar spine metrics properties or better. The literature review will be helpful to develop methodology of 3D printing in producing implants of the vertebrae and intervertebral discs (Val). The project consists three main phases: creation a creation model which is based on generating of a 3D model (Val) discs of tomographic images spine using software specially developed for medical image processing and CAD software (Val) discs, creation of a prototype implant and performance strength tests on the obtained implant

Remodeling of Paranasal Sinuses Mucosa Functions in Response to Biofilm-Induced Inflammation

Szczepan Kaliniak,1 Krzysztof Fiedoruk,2 Jakub Spałek,1,3 Ewelina Piktel,2 Bonita Durnaś,1,3 Stanisław Góźdź,1,3 Robert Bucki,2,3 Sławomir Okła1,3 1Holy-Cross Cancer Center, Kielce, Poland; 2Department of Medical Microbiology and Nanobiomedical Engineering, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland; 3Institute of Medical Science, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University of Kielce, Kielce, 25-317, PolandCorrespondence: Sławomir Okła, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Holy-Cross Cancer Center, Kielce, 25-734, Poland, Tel/Fax +48 41 367 43 36, Email [email protected]: Rhinosinusitis (RS) is an acute (ARS) or chronic (CRS) inflammatory disease of the nasal and paranasal sinus mucosa. CRS is a heterogeneous condition characterized by distinct inflammatory patterns (endotypes) and phenotypes associated with the presence (CRSwNP) or absence (CRSsNP) of nasal polyps. Mucosal barrier and mucociliary clearance dysfunction, inflammatory cell infiltration, mucus hypersecretion, and tissue remodeling are the hallmarks of CRS. However, the underlying factors, their priority, and the mechanisms of inflammatory responses remain unclear. Several hypotheses have been proposed that link CRS etiology and pathogenesis with host (eg, “immune barrier”) and exogenous factors (eg, bacterial/fungal pathogens, dysbiotic microbiota/biofilms, or staphylococcal superantigens). The abnormal interplay between these factors is likely central to the pathophysiology of CRS by triggering compensatory immune responses. Here, we discuss the role of the sinonasal microbiota in CRS and its biofilms in the context of mucosal zinc (Zn) deficiency, serving as a possible unifying link between five host and “bacterial” hypotheses of CRS that lead to sinus mucosa remodeling. To date, no clear correlation between sinonasal microbiota and CRS has been established. However, the predominance of Corynebacteria and Staphylococci and their interspecies relationships likely play a vital role in the formation of the CRS-associated microbiota. Zn-mediated “nutritional immunity”, exerted via calprotectin, alongside the dysregulation of Zn-dependent cellular processes, could be a crucial microbiota-shaping factor in CRS. Similar to cystic fibrosis (CF), the role of SPLUNC1-mediated regulation of mucus volume and pH in CRS has been considered. We complement the biofilms’ “mechanistic” and “mucin” hypotheses behind CRS pathogenesis with the “structural” one – associated with bacterial “corncob” structures. Finally, microbiota restoration approaches for CRS prevention and treatment are reviewed, including pre- and probiotics, as well as Nasal Microbiota Transplantation (NMT).Keywords: rhinosinusitis, chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyps, rhinosinusitis pathophysiology, rhinosinusitis pathophysiology, microbiota, nutritional immunit

Modern materials for rapid prototyping

Nowotwór krtani jest najczęstszym, po nowotworze płuc, rodzajem nowotworu dróg oddechowych na świecie. Zajmuje siódme miejsce pod względem częstości występowania wśród mężczyzn w Polsce. Głównymi czynnikami etiologicznymi powodującymi chorobę nowotworową są palenie papierosów oraz spożywanie wysokoprocentowego alkoholu. Ponadto szczególnie narażone na zachorowanie są osoby mające kontakt z chemikaliami i oparami związków mutagennych. Podstawowe leczenie bazuje na radioterapii oraz chemioterapii pacjenta. Przeprowadzana jest również laryngektomia częściowa lub, w przypadku zaawansowanej postaci choroby, całkowita. Obecnie na świecie przeprowadza się przeszczepy krtani od zmarłych dawców, jednakże wiąże się to z dużym ryzkiem odrzucenia przeszczepu przez pacjenta. Znacznie większą szansę powodzenia mają operacje odbudowy krtani z wykorzystaniem autoprzeszczepu. W tym celu od pacjenta wycina się zdrowy fragment tkanek, z których modeluje się nową krtań. Największy problem w tego typu operacjach stanowi rekonstrukcja chrząstek krtani: chrząstek pierścieniowatej i tarczowatej. Przedstawiona praca zawiera informację na temat doboru materiału polimerowego, który może posłużyć do budowy chrząstek krtani. Ponadto w pracy przedstawiono próbę wykonania modelu krtani z wykorzystaniem technik modelowania przestrzennego.This study is an attempt to create a project of novel polymeric synthetic material which may be biocompatible with human organism and may replace malignant larynx cartilages. Laryngeal and lung cancers are the most frequent types of tumor of the respiratory tract. Laryngeal cancer takes seventh place regarding the incidence among men in Poland. The main etiologic factors causing cancer are smoking of cigarettes and consumption of alcohols. What is more, people who have contact with vapours of chemicals are in high-risk group. Basic treatment of laryngeal cancer is based on the radiation and chemotherapy. Severely affected patients may require complete or partial laryngectomy. Larynx transplantation based on organ donors, is related to high-risk organ failure. Nowadays surgeons try to recreate larynx using technique of autotransplantation. The biggest challenge for them is the reconstruction of cartilages: thyroid and cricoid. Study contains information about the selection of polymeric material, which could be used in construction of laryngeal cartilages as well as, an attempt of construction of larynx model based on three-dimensional modeling techniques

Star-shaped poly(propylene oxide) as an x-ray sensitive material

Aparatura wykorzystywana w teleradioterapii oraz obrazowaniu, wraz z postępem technologicznym, staje się coraz bardziej precyzyjna, jednak niezależnie od stopnia zaawansowania aparatury pomiarowej, przed napromieniowaniem obszarów nowotworowych pacjenta dokonuje się szeregu symulacji rozkładu dawki promieniowania. Nowe generacje dozymetrów żelowych pozwalają na coraz dokładniejszą ocenę zaabsorbowanych dawek oraz przestrzennego rozkładu promieniowania, co jest bardzo ważnym etapem w radioterapii, gdyż pozwala na efektywniejsze naświetlenie obszarów nowotworowych promieniowaniem jonizującym, minimalizując jednocześnie obszar naświetlania zdrowych tkanek. Celem pracy było otrzymanie poli(tlenku propylenu) jako dozymetru żelowego, jego charakterystyka pod kątem procesów sieciowania oraz degradacji i analiza jakościowa powstałych produktów reakcji chemicznych wywołanych promieniowaniem jonizującym. Do badań wykorzystano gwiaździsty poli(tlenek propylenu) przed oraz po napromieniowaniu. Próbką referencyjną był poli(tlenek propylenu) nie poddany ekspozycji na żaden rodzaj promieniowania w tym promieniowania rentgenowskiego. W celu określenia stopnia usieciowania, degradacji polimeru wykorzystano technikę chromatografii żelowej, na podstawie której określono średnie masy cząsteczkowe. Do jakościowej analizy produktów wytworzonych w skutek napromieniowania wykorzystano technikę FTIR/ATR. Określenie grup funkcyjnych badanego polimeru pozwoliło na ocenę zmian chemicznych jakie wystąpiły poprzez napromieniowanie.Equipment used in teleradiotherapy and imaging along with technological progress becomes more and more precise, however, irrespective of the degree of advancement of the measuring apparatus, before the radiation of the tumor areas of the patient, a series of simulations of the radiation dose distribution is performed. New generations of gel dosimeters allow more accurate assessment of dose absorbed, and the spatial distribution of radiation, which is a very important stage in radiotherapy because it allows effective exposure of the tumor areas with ionizing radiation while minimizing the irradiation of healthy tissue area. The aim of the study was to obtain polypropylene oxide as a gel dosimeter and to characterize crosslinking and degradation processes, qualitative analysis of chemical reaction products generated by ionizing radiation. The study used a poly (propylene oxide) before and after irradiation. The reference sample was poly (propylene), not exposed to any type of radiation, including X-rays. To determine the degree of crosslinking, degradation of the polymer in the technique of gel permeation chromatography was used, based on which the average molecular weights were determined. FTIR / ATR technique was used for the qualitative analysis of irradiated products. Determination of the functional groups of the examined polymer allowed the assessment of the chemical changes that had occurred by irradiation

Cancer SLC43A2 alters T cell methionine metabolism and histone methylation

Abnormal epigenetic patterns correlate with effector T cell malfunction in tumours1–4, but the cause of this link is unknown. Here we show that tumour cells disrupt methionine metabolism in CD8+ T cells, thereby lowering intracellular levels of methionine and the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and resulting in loss of dimethylation at lysine 79 of histone H3 (H3K79me2). Loss of H3K79me2 led to low expression of STAT5 and impaired T cell immunity. Mechanistically, tumour cells avidly consumed methionine and outcompeted T cells for methionine by expressing high levels of the methionine transporter SLC43A2. Genetic and biochemical inhibition of tumour SLC43A2 restored H3K79me2 in T cells, thereby boosting spontaneous and checkpoint-induced tumour immunity. Moreover, methionine supplementation improved the expression of H3K79me2 and STAT5 in T cells, and this was accompanied by increased T cell immunity in tumour-bearing mice and patients with colon cancer. Clinically, tumour SLC43A2 correlated negatively with T cell histone methylation and functional gene signatures. Our results identify a mechanistic connection between methionine metabolism, histone patterns, and T cell immunity in the tumour microenvironment. Thus, cancer methionine consumption is an immune evasion mechanism, and targeting cancer methionine signalling may provide an immunotherapeutic approach.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/191683/2/Cancer SLC43A2 alters T cell methionine metabolism and histone methylation.pdfPublished versionDescription of Cancer SLC43A2 alters T cell methionine metabolism and histone methylation.pdf : Published versio